Alekhine Defense: Modern Variation, Keres Variation

An entry in the Encyclopedia of Chess Openings (ECO B04), reached after 13 half-moves: 1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. d4 d6 4. Nf3 g6 5. Bc4 Nb6 6. Bb3 Bg7 7. a4.

Black rook — Use ← → arrows or click moves to step through.

Black knight — Use ← → arrows or click moves to step through.

End of this line

No further variations branch from this position in our database. To explore neighbouring ideas:

About this opening

Alekhine Defense: Modern Variation, Keres Variation is an opening in the Encyclopedia of Chess Openings, classified under code B04. ECO group B (B00–B99) covers semi-open games (1.e4 with Black playing anything other than 1…e5), with the Sicilian, French, Caro-Kann and Pirc/Modern at its heart. This particular variation is reached after 13 half-moves from the starting position, with the move sequence 1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. d4 d6 4. Nf3 g6 5. Bc4 Nb6 6. Bb3 Bg7 7. a4.

It belongs to the Alekhine Defense family. Within that family this is a level-2 branch (the Modern Variation → Keres Variation line). The immediate parent line is Alekhine Defense: Modern Variation, transitioned via 7.a4.

The opening sequence in prose form: 1.e4 Nf6, 2.e5 Nd5, 3.d4 d6, 4.Nf3 g6, 5.Bc4 Nb6, 6.Bb3 Bg7. From this position the encyclopaedia records no further canonical continuations — practical play branches into unnamed transpositions or returns to the parent line for alternative ideas.