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Keres Defence

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Chess opening
Keres Defence
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8a8 black rookb8 black knightc8 black bishopd8 black queene8 black kingg8 black knighth8 black rooka7 black pawnb7 black pawnc7 black pawnd7 black pawnf7 black pawng7 black pawnh7 black pawne6 black pawnb4 black bishopc4 white pawnd4 white pawna2 white pawnb2 white pawne2 white pawnf2 white pawng2 white pawnh2 white pawna1 white rookb1 white knightc1 white bishopd1 white queene1 white kingf1 white bishopg1 white knighth1 white rook8
77
66
55
44
33
22
11
abcdefgh
Moves1.d4 e6 2.c4 Bb4+
ECOA40
OriginJohann Löwenthal vs. Henry Thomas Buckle, 4th match game, London 1851
Named afterPaul Keres
ParentFranco-Indian Defence
Synonym(s)Kangaroo Defence

The Keres Defence (also known as the Kangaroo Defence) is a chess opening characterised by the moves:

1. d4 e6
2. c4 Bb4+

The opening is named after Estonian grandmaster Paul Keres.

This article uses algebraic notation to describe chess moves.

History

This opening was known since the 1840s and was played by Henry Thomas Buckle in his fourth match game with Johann Löwenthal, London 1851. The standard reply today, 3.Bd2, was recommended by Howard Staunton.

Discussion

White can respond 3.Nc3, 3.Nd2, or 3.Bd2. The game often transposes to a Nimzo-Indian Defence, a Dutch Defence, a Queen's Gambit Declined, an English Defence, or a Bogo-Indian Defence. 3.Nc3 is likely to transpose into one of those openings: 3...Nf6 (Nimzo-Indian), 3...f5 (Dutch; Korn gives 3...Bxc3+ 4.bxc3 f5!, played by Buckle) 3...d5 (an unusual form of QGD), or 3...b6 (English). Black has the same options after 3.Nd2, except that 3...Nf6 4.Nf3 is a Bogo-Indian.

After 3.Bd2, Black can continue with 3...Bxd2+ into a line of the Bogo-Indian, and 3...a5 will also usually transpose to a Bogo-Indian when White plays Nf3. Or Black can allow White to play e4: 3...Qe7 4.e4 d5 (Black obtained a good game in Llanos–Hoffman, San Luis Clarin 1995 with 4...Nf6 5.a3 Bxd2+ 6.Nxd2 d6 7.Bd3 e5 8.d5 0-0) 5.Bxb4 (5.e5 Timman–Spraggett, Montpellier 1985) Qxb4+ 6.Qd2! Qxd2+ (if 6...Nc6 then 7.Nc3!) 7.Nxd2 with slight advantage for White.

See also

References

  1. Hooper, David; Whyld, Kenneth (1996) , "Keres Defence", The Oxford Companion to Chess (2nd ed.), Oxford University Press, p. 198, ISBN 0-19-280049-3
  2. Löwenthal vs. Buckle, London 1851 Chessgames.com
  3. Korn, Walter (1982). "Queen's Pawn Games". Modern Chess Openings (12th ed.). David McKay Company, Inc. p. 312. ISBN 0-679-13500-6.
  4. Schiller (1998), p. 227
  5. Timman vs. Spraggett, Montpellier 1985 Chessgames.com
  6. Matanović 1996 (Vol A), p. 295, note 73
  7. Kasparov, Gary; Keene, Raymond (1982). Batsford Chess Openings. American Chess Promotions. p. 47. ISBN 0-7134-2112-6.

Bibliography

Further reading

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