# Baltic Defense

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{{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](/source/Paul_Keres)
|parentopening = [Queen's Gambit](/source/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](/source/chess_opening) characterized by the  moves:
:1. [d4](/source/b%3AChess_Opening_Theory%2F1._d4) [d5](/source/b%3AChess_Opening_Theory%2F1._d4%2F1...d5)
:2. [c4](/source/b%3AChess_Opening_Theory%2F1._d4%2F1...d5%2F2._c4) [Bf5!?](/source/b%3AChess_Opening_Theory%2F1._d4%2F1...d5%2F2._c4%2F2...Bf5)

The Baltic is an unusual variation of the [Queen's Gambit Declined](/source/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](/source/grandmaster_(chess)) [Paul Keres](/source/Paul_Keres) and [Alexei Shirov](/source/Alexei_Shirov).

The ''[ECO](/source/Encyclopaedia_of_Chess_Openings)'' 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](/source/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](/source/Keres_Defence) (1.d4 e6 2.c4 Bb4{{chessAN|+}})
* [List of chess openings](/source/List_of_chess_openings)
* [List of chess openings named after places](/source/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](/source/Lev_Polugaevsky) (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}}.

{{chess|state=collapsed}}

Category:Chess openings

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Baltic Defense](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baltic_Defense) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baltic_Defense?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.