The Petrosian Variation, Keres Defense is a variation of the King's Indian Defense, catalogued as ECO E93. The line runs 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Be2 e5 7. d5 Nbd7 8. Bg5 h6 9. Bh4 g5 10. Bg3 Nh5 11. h4, reaching the position shown below after 21 half-moves.
Both sides have pawns in the centre (White on d5 and e4, Black on e5), and one pawn capture is available, so the structure has not settled yet. Development is level at four minor pieces each. It is Black to move after 11 moves. Black has castled while White’s king is still uncommitted.
On the King's Indian Defense generally: A hypermodern defense where Black allows White to build a big center, then counterattacks it.
You can play through this variation move by move in your browser — Learn mode walks the line with an explanation at each step, and Drill mode replays it from memory so you find out whether you actually know it. No account is required.
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The Petrosian Variation, Keres Defense goes 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Be2 e5 7. d5 Nbd7 8. Bg5 h6 9. Bh4 g5 10. Bg3 Nh5 11. h4. It is a variation of the King's Indian Defense and is catalogued as ECO E93.
The Petrosian Variation, Keres Defense is ECO E93. ECO codes group openings by their move order, so nearby codes cover closely related lines of the King's Indian Defense.
Stockfish evaluates the position after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Be2 e5 7. d5 Nbd7 8. Bg5 h6 9. Bh4 g5 10. Bg3 Nh5 11. h4 at -0.08 at depth 18, which is balanced. Engine evaluation is only a starting point — at club level the practical value of a line is mostly about whether you know its plans better than your opponent does.
Both sides have pawns in the centre (White on d5 and e4, Black on e5), and one pawn capture is available, so the structure has not settled yet. Development is level at four minor pieces each. It is Black to move. Black has castled while White’s king is still uncommitted.