Keres Defence
The Keres Defence is a chess opening characterised by the moves:
The opening is named for Estonian grandmaster Paul Keres.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, 3...f5 3...d5, or 3...b6. 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 5.Bxb4 Qxb4+ 6.Qd2! Qxd2+ 7.Nxd2 with slight advantage for White.
