ECO B81

Sicilian Defense, Keres Attack

Also known as: Keres Attack

The Keres Attack is White's most aggressive answer to the Scheveningen Sicilian, arising after 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e6 6.g4. Rather than castle, White throws the g-pawn forward on move six, gaining kingside space and immediately harassing the f6-knight. The idea is to follow with g5, driving the knight away, and to castle queenside before launching a full pawn storm at Black's king. Named after the Estonian great Paul Keres, the line typically produces sharp, opposite-side-castling positions where both players race to attack. Its reputation is so fearsome that many Scheveningen devotees prefer to reach the structure through the Najdorf move order with 5...a6, delaying ...e6 to avoid an early g4.

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e6 6. g4

Strategic ideas

The g4-thrust is a direct bid for the initiative. By advancing the g-pawn before developing the kingside, White gains space and prepares g5 to evict the f6-knight, gaining time to build a pawn avalanche with h4, and often O-O-O, Be3 and Qd2. Black, meanwhile, has the resilient Scheveningen small centre of pawns on d6 and e6, which is flexible and hard to break but concedes space. The strategic battle is a classic Sicilian race: White attacks on the kingside, Black counterattacks on the queenside and through the half-open c-file.

Black's most important decision is how to meet g4-g5. A common approach is 6...h6, putting the brakes on g5, after which White continues h4 to prepare the advance anyway. Alternatively Black develops quickly and seeks central and queenside counterplay before White's storm arrives. Precise timing is everything: a single slow move can let the pawns crash through, while accurate defence often leaves White overextended.

Main variations

The main line is 6...h6, and after 7.h4 (also seen are 7.Rg1 and 7.Be3) Black continues developing with ...Nc6 and ...a6, angling for ...Qc7 and queenside expansion. Another principled try is 6...Nc6, when 7.g5 Nd7 8.Be3 sends the knight back and White presses ahead on the kingside. The immediate 6...e5 is also played, meeting 7.Nf5 or 7.Nb3 with a fight over the d5-square.

Whatever Black chooses, the resulting middlegames are extremely sharp. White usually castles long and rolls the h- and g-pawns forward, while Black hits back with ...b5-b4 and pressure down the c-file. Because a tempo can decide such races, both sides must know the theory well, which is precisely why so many players use the Najdorf order 5...a6 to keep the Keres Attack off the board.

History and background

The Keres Attack is named after Paul Keres, the legendary Estonian grandmaster who was among the strongest players never to become world champion. The plan of an early g4 against the Scheveningen showcased his flair for direct, attacking chess, and it quickly became the critical test of the whole system. Its effectiveness reshaped Sicilian move-order theory: to avoid facing 6.g4, many players adopt the Najdorf with 5...a6 and only later play ...e6, entering a Scheveningen where an immediate g4 is harder for White to arrange. The line remains a mainstay of aggressive anti-Sicilian practice at every level.

Key ideas

• 6.g4 grabs kingside space and drives the f6-knight before White castles.
• White intends g5, h4, O-O-O, Be3 and Qd2 for a pawn-storm attack.
• Black relies on the flexible Scheveningen small centre of ...d6 and ...e6.
• 6...h6 restrains g5; White replies 7.h4 to push through anyway.
• Opposite-side castling leads to a mutual race of pawn-storm attacks.
• Many players use the Najdorf move order 5...a6 to sidestep the Keres.

Typical plans

Related openings

• Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation
• Sicilian Najdorf
• Najdorf: English Attack
• Classical Sicilian
• Sicilian Defense
• Sicilian Dragon, Levenfish Variation