{{For|the Baltic Opening (1.Nc3)|Dunst Opening}} {{Infobox chess opening |openingname = Baltic Defense |image = {{Chess diagram | | |rd|nd| |qd|kd|bd|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 d5 2.c4 Bf5 |ECO = D06 |birth = |nameorigin = Paul Keres |parentopening = Queen's Gambit |AKA = Grau Defense <br />Sahovic Defense }}
The '''Baltic Defense''' (also known as the '''Grau Defense''', or the '''Sahovic Defense''') is a chess opening characterized by the moves: :1. d4 d5 :2. c4 Bf5!?
The Baltic is an unusual variation of the Queen's Gambit Declined (QGD). In most defenses to the QGD, Black has difficulties developing their {{chessgloss|queen bishop}}. This opening takes a radical approach to the problem by bringing out the queen bishop immediately, but exposes it to the latent threat of e2-e4, for example 3. cxd5 Qxd5? 4. Nc3 Qa5 5. Bd2 followed by 6. e4 hitting the bishop gives White a strong advantage.
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. {{AN chess|pos=tocleft}}
==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=== :3...e5 4.Qxb7 Nd7 5.Nc3 exd4 6.Nxd5 Bd6 7.Nf3 is recommended by John L. Watson<ref>''Mastering the Chess Openings'' Volume 2 (1. d4), Gambit Publications {{ISBN|1-904600-69-7}} (2007).</ref>
===3.Nc3=== :3...e6 4.Qb3{{chesspunc|?!}} (4.Nf3) Nc6 5.cxd5 exd5 6.Qxd5? (a mistake, as Black has 6...Nxd4, winning) Qxd5 7.Nxd5 0-0-0{{chesspunc|−+}}
==See also== * Keres Defence (1.d4 e6 2.c4 Bb4{{chessAN|+}}) * List of chess openings * List of chess openings named after places
==References== {{reflist}} *{{citation | last=Nunn | first=John | authorlink=John Nunn | year=1999 | title=Nunn's Chess Openings | publisher=Everyman Chess | isbn=1-85744-221-0 | pages= }} * Polugajewski, Lev (1984), ''Damengambit, Tschigorin System bis Tarrasch-Verteidigung'', Sportverlag Berlin
==Further reading== {{wikibooks|Chess Opening Theory|1. d4/1...d5/2. c4/2...Bf5|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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Category:Chess openings