Grob Opening: Keene Defense
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Statistics from Lichess
134,021 games: White 45.3% / Draw 4.6% / Black 50.1%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 43,10443K | ||
| 41,21941K | ||
| 17,82118K | ||
| 6,7166,716 | ||
| 6,0436,043 | ||
| 5,2935,293 | ||
| 5,1575,157 | ||
| 2,4302,430 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 29, 2026
Engine evaluation
−1.13 Black is better
Best play: 4. e4 h5 5. gxh5 Nf6 6. exd5 cxd5 7. d4 exd4 8. Ne2 Rxh5
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
Overview
Grob Opening: Keene Defense (ECO A00, Flank Openings) is a variation of the Grob Opening, reached after 1. g4 d5 2. h3 e5 3. Bg2 c6 (3 moves).
In 134,021 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 45.3%, Black 50.1% and 4.6% were drawn. White's most played move here is 4. d4, in 32% of those games.
It continues into one named variation, Grob Opening: Keene Defense, Main Line.
Written from the Lichess opening list and explorer. Know this line well? Write about it.
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How to play against the Grob Opening: Keene Defense
4. d3 scores best for White: 49.0%, with White winning 46.7% and Black 48.7% of 41K games. The most played, 4. d4, scores 48.5% in 43K games, and 4. e4 scores lowest: 46.3%. Stockfish's first choice is 4. e4.
Main answers: those played in at least 5% of these games. Score: White's wins plus half the draws, in rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500. How to play against other popular openings
Variations (1)
Cite this page
Caissa Codex. “Grob Opening: Keene Defense (A00)”. Lichess data as of 29 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/grob-opening-keene-defense