Baltic Defense
For the Baltic Opening (1.Nc3), see Dunst Opening.
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| Moves | 1.d4 d5 2.c4 Bf5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| ECO | D06 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Named after | Paul Keres | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Parent | Queen's Gambit | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Synonym(s) | Grau Defense Sahovic Defense | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Baltic Defense (also known as the Grau Defense, or the Sahovic Defense) is a chess opening characterized by the moves:
The Baltic is an unusual variation of the Queen's Gambit Declined (QGD). In most defenses to the QGD, Black has difficulties developing his queen bishop. This opening takes a radical approach to the problem by bringing out the queen bishop immediately.
The Baltic has not found widespread acceptance among chess masters, but some world-class players have used it including grandmasters Paul Keres and Alexei Shirov.
The ECO code for the Baltic Defense is D06.
White responses
White has a number of replies to this opening, including 3.Nf3, 3.Qb3, 3.cxd5, and 3.Nc3. Play might continue:
3.Nf3 e6
- 4.Qb3 Nc6
- 4.e3 Nf6 5.Qb3 Nc6
- 4.Nc3 Nf6 5.Qb3 Nc6
- 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Qb3 Nc6
3.Qb3
- 3...e5 4.Qxb7 Nd7 5.Nf3 Rb8 6.Qxd5 Bb4+ 7.Nfd2 (7.Bd2?? Ne7−+ Webb–Sinclair, England 1971) Ne7 8.Qf3 exd4 and Black has development and initiative for his pawn
3.cxd5 (Main Line)
- 3...Bxb1 4.Qa4+ Qd7 5.Qxd7+ Nxd7 6.Rxb1 Ngf6 7.Nf3
3.Nc3
- 3...e6 4.Qb3?! (4.Nf3) Nc6 5.cxd5 exd5 6.Qxd5 (this is a mistake, as Black has 6...Nxd4, winning) Qxd5 7.Nxd5 0-0-0−+
See also
- Keres Defence (1.d4 e6 2.c4 Bb4+)
- List of chess openings
- List of chess openings named after places
Notes
References
- Nunn, John (1999), Nunn's Chess Openings, Everyman Chess, ISBN 1-85744-221-0
- Polugajewski, Lev (1984), Damengambit, Tschigorin System bis Tarrasch-Verteidigung, Sportverlag Berlin
Further reading
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The Wikibook Chess Opening Theory has a page on the topic of: Baltic Defense |
- Baltic Defense to the Queens Gambit, by Andrew Soltis, Chess Digest, ISBN 0-87568-228-6.
- Keres Defence, by Giovanni Falchetta, 1992, ISBN 88-86127-07-3.
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