Keres Defence
{{Infobox chess opening
|openingname = Keres Defence
|image = {{Chess diagram||
|rd|nd|bd|qd|kd| |nd|rd
|pd|pd|pd|pd| |pd|pd|pd
| | | | |pd| | |
| | | | | | | |
| |bd|pl|pl| | | |
| | | | | | | |
|pl|pl| | |pl|pl|pl|pl
|rl|nl|bl|ql|kl|bl|nl|rl
}}
|moves = 1.d4 e6 2.c4 Bb4+
|ECO = A40
|birth = Johann Löwenthal vs. Henry Thomas Buckle, 4th match game, London 1851
|nameorigin = Paul Keres
|parentopening = Franco-Indian Defence
|AKA = Kangaroo Defence
|chessgid = 77363&move=3&moves=d4.e6.c4.Bb4%2B&nodes=10703.75540.75541.77363
}}
The Keres Defence (also known as the Kangaroo Defence) is a chess opening characterised by the moves:
The opening is named after Estonian grandmaster Paul Keres.
{{algebraic notation|pos=toc}}
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.{{citation |last1=Hooper |first1=David |authorlink1=David Vincent Hooper |last2=Whyld |first2=Kenneth |authorlink2=Kenneth Whyld |title=The Oxford Companion to Chess |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=1996 |edition=2nd |origyear=First pub. 1992 |page=198 |entry=Keres Defence |isbn=0-19-280049-3 }}[http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1269234 Löwenthal vs. Buckle, London 1851] Chessgames.com 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!,{{cite book
|last=Korn
|first=Walter
|author-link=Walter Korn
|title=Modern Chess Openings
|edition=12th
|publisher=David McKay Company, Inc
|year=1982
|chapter=Queen's Pawn Games
|page=312
|isbn=0-679-13500-6}} 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)Schiller (1998), p. 227 5.Bxb4 (5.e5 Timman–Spraggett, Montpellier 1985)[http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1131294 Timman vs. Spraggett, Montpellier 1985] Chessgames.comMatanović 1996 (Vol A), p. 295, note 73 Qxb4+ 6.Qd2! Qxd2+ (if 6...Nc6 then 7.Nc3!) 7.Nxd2 with slight advantage for White.{{cite book
|last1=Kasparov
|first1=Gary
|author-link1=Garry Kasparov
|last2=Keene
|first2=Raymond
|author-link2=Raymond Keene
|title=Batsford Chess Openings
|publisher=American Chess Promotions
|year=1982
|page=47
|isbn=0-7134-2112-6}}
See also
References
{{reflist|35em}}
Bibliography
- {{cite book
|editor-last=Matanović
|editor-first=Aleksandar
|editor-link=Aleksandar Matanović
|title=Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings
|publisher=Chess Informant
|location=Yugoslavia
|volume=A
|edition=2nd
|year=1996 }}
- {{cite book
|last=Schiller
|first=Eric
|author-link=Eric Schiller
|title=Unorthodox Chess Openings
|publisher=Cardoza Publishing
|year=1998
|pages=[https://archive.org/details/unorthodoxchesso00schi/page/227 227–28]
|isbn=0-940685-73-6
|url-access=registration
|url=https://archive.org/details/unorthodoxchesso00schi/page/227 }}
Further reading
- {{cite book
|last1=Benjamin
|first1=Joel
|author-link1=Joel Benjamin
|last2=Schiller
|first2=Eric
|author-link2=Eric Schiller
|title=Unorthodox Openings
|publisher=Macmillan Publishing Company
|year=1987
|contribution=Keres Defence
|pages=68–69
|isbn=0-02-016590-0 }}