Baltic Defense
The Baltic Defense (also known as the Grau Defense, or the Sahovic Defense) is a chess opening characterized by the moves:
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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 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 several replies to this opening, including 3.Nf3, 3.cxd5, 3.Qb3, 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.cxd5
- 3...Bxb1 4.Qa4+ Qd7 5.Qxd7+ Nxd7 6.Rxb1 Ngf6 7.Nf3
3.Qb3
See also
- Keres Defence (1.d4 e6 2.c4 Bb4+)
- List of chess openings
- List of chess openings named after places
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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