In this post we consider the Alapin’s Opening, characterized by 1. e4 e5 2. Ne2.
Most books cover the standard line 2. … Nf6 3. f4 exf4 4. Nxf4 and pretty much leave it at that.
Why play into your opponent’s hands when there are other options? And for 98.5% of chess players it just doesn’t matter. Can we find some reasonable alternatives to the standard line?
Let’s look at a couple alternatives to 2. … Nf6. First, consider the unusual 2. … c6!?
This could arise from the Caro-Kann after 1. e4 c6 2. Ne2 and now black usually plays 2. … d5 since that’s what Caro-Kann players play, but 2. … e5 would lead to the same position. The game might continue 3. d4 d6 4. Nbc3 Nf6, which is a position that arises from 1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 e5 4. Nge2 c6. This is most certainly not what white had in mind when he played 2. Ne2.
Second, consider the much more positional 2. … Nc6. This tends to be transpositional. 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxe4 is the Scotch Opening and 3. Nbc3 Nf6 is the Vienna Game.
The only critical option after 2. … Nc6 is for white to continue to push with 3. f4?! and instead of 3. … exf4 surrendering the center, black might consider 3. … Nf6!?
And now 4. Nbc3 d5!? when it seems that black is at least equal and may have some advantage. Alternatively, 4. fxe5 Nxe4!? looks interesting for black.
A more daring option for black is 2. … Qe7!?
Simplistically, white blocks the development of the f1 bishop, and black does the same, but using the queen. But there’s more to black’s move than meets the eye. White will need to think carefully about what to do with the e2 knight, since playing f4 or d4 to free the knight may pose some risk. For example, 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. f4?! exf4 d3 d5! and black is doing fine.
The last option I will mention is not quite sound, but has some surprise value. 1. e4 e5 2. Ne2 Nc6 3. f4?! and now the surprising 3. … Qh4+!??
The idea is 4. Ng3?? exf4 5. Qh5! Be7!! and white is lost.
But after 3. … Qh4+!?? 4. g3 Qh5 5. Bg2 black’s pieces may not be able to find natural squares.
And now we come to the point where we scrape the bottom of the barrel. While it may not be a good idea, when my opponent’s play an unusual opening such as this, I’m sometimes tempted to mock them by copying their moves. Thus we have the symmetric Alapin: 1. e4 e5 2. Ne2 Ne7!?!
Now before anyone mocks this too much, I’ll give a few variations for consideration. 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 d5 5. exd5 Nxd5 and 3. f4 d5 and 3. Nbc3 d5 4. exd5 Nxd5 5. Nxd5 Qxd5 6. Nc3.
In summary, there are options against the Alapin’s Opening without playing into the standard main line that seems to be covered in every chess book on e-pawn openings. 2. … Nc6 is positionally sound and might either lead to a transposition to a standard opening or a Vienna-like position that is fine for black. 2. … c6 is the other interesting option in my view.