Interesting ideas in the Alekhine-Chatard

Avoiding the Alekhine!

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e5 Ng8!? 

( a strange idea? I’m not so sure. )

6. Bxe7 

( The main line is 6. Be3 to which I tested the idea of 6… h5 attempting to stop Qg4 ideas while maintaining White’s normal yet aggressive approach. The following variation is by no means solid or sound but it does make certain things clearer. 

ML) 6. Be3 h5!? 7. Bd3 b6!? {I tested a few ideas, I think it’s a good idea to trade White’s LSB as soon as possible} 8. Qe2 a5 {I insist!} 9. Nh3 Ba6 10. Bxa6 Nxa6 11.
O-O Nh6 12. Bxh6 Rxh6 13. f4 Qd7!? 14. f5 exf5 15. Nf4 c6! 16. Rae1 Nc7 – unclear but I think It’s level headed. )

6… Nxe7



7. h4! 

( the usual aggressive attempt. Threatening h4-h5-h6, Qg4 or Qh5 and Rh1-h3-g3 ) 

7… b6! 



( suicidal but might work is: 7... O-O 8. h5 h6 9. Bd3 c5 10. dxc5 Nbc6) 


(7... Nf5, loses to: 8. g4 Nxh4 9. Nf3 Nxf3+ 10. Qxf3) 



8. h5 h6! 



(Black must stop white’s attack first, a failed attempt is seen after: 8... Ba6 9. Bxa6 Nxa6 10. Qe2 Nb4 11. Nf3 – with pressure) 

9. Qg4 O-O!!?? 

(9... Nf5 10. Bd3!) 

10. Rh3 c5!? 11. Bd3! 



(11. Rg3? Nf5 12. Bd3? Nxg3 13. Qxg3 cxd4) 

11... f5 12. Qf4 

(it’s incredible but after… 12. exf6 Rxf6 13. Rg3 Qf8 – black can hold and may even be better in the long run.) 


12... Nbc6! 



(too risky is: 12... Ba6 13. Bxa6 Nxa6 14. O-O-O cxd4 15. Nb5 d3 16. Rdxd3 Nc5 17. Rdg3) 


13. Nf3 (13. O-O-O!?) 13... c4! 14. Be2 b5!?? 



(14... Ba6 15. Nh4 b5 16. Rg3 Kh8 17. Ng6+ Nxg6 18. Rxg6
Bc8 (18... Qe7 19. Nxd5) 19. O-O-O b4) 


15. a3 

(15. Nxb5 Rb8 16. Nd6 Qa5+ 17. c3 Rxb2) 

15... Rb8 16. Nh4 



The final position after 16. Nh4 is unclear. I can’t decide who’s better.
I can’t say that this is overly inspiring for Black but it raises some questions and I think Black can find ample of improvements.

***

The second idea to tackle the Alekhine.

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e5 Nfd7 6. h4 Nc6 



(The only game that I can show is a game I played against Richard Laura.
The game continued:)

7. Nf3 f6 8. exf6 Nxf6 9. Bd3 O-O 



10. Qe2 Nb4 11. O-O-O c5 



12. dxc5 Bxc5 13. a3 Nxd3+ 14. Rxd3 Qd6 15. Na4 b6 16. Nxc5 bxc5 

( Black is already doing quite well!)



17. Qe5 Qxe5 18. Nxe5 Nd7 19. f4 Nxe5 20. fxe5 Rf7 21. Rf3 Ba6 



 
With a very clear endgame and a good centre!

Both variations are out of book and both seem reasonable!