Caissa Codex
D98

Grünfeld Defense: Russian Variation, Keres Variation

Chess diagram: Grünfeld Defense: Russian Variation, Keres Variation after 11. O-O-O

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Statistics from Lichess

196 games: White 48.5% / Draw 8.7% / Black 42.9%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
5454
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1818
1111
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Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 25, 2026

Engine evaluation

+0.12 The position is about equal

Best play: 11... Qc8 12. Qb5 Rd8 13. d5 Nb8 14. Qa5 e6 15. dxe6 Bxe6 16. Rxd8+

Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.

Overview

Grünfeld Defense: Russian Variation, Keres Variation (ECO D98, Closed & Semi-Closed Games) is a variation of the Grünfeld Defense: Russian Variation, Smyslov Variation, reached after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Qb3 dxc4 6. Qxc4 O-O 7. e4 Bg4 8. Be3 Nfd7 9. Be2 Nb6 10. Qd3 Nc6 11. O-O-O (11 moves).

In 196 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 48.5%, Black 42.9% and 8.7% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 11…Bxf3, in 28% of those games.

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Other lines from the same position

Instead of 8. Be3 Nfd7 9. Be2 Nb6 10. Qd3 Nc6 11. O-O-O, the position after Grünfeld Defense: Russian Variation, Smyslov Variation also goes on to:

Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “Grünfeld Defense: Russian Variation, Keres Variation (D98)”. Lichess data as of 25 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/grunfeld-defense-russian-variation-keres-variation

https://chesscodex.org/openings/grunfeld-defense-russian-variation-keres-variation