Keres Attack: Anti-Sicilian Kingside Pawn Storm

Keres Attack

Definition

The Keres Attack is an aggressive anti-Sicilian weapon characterized by an early g-pawn thrust by White against the classical Scheveningen pawn structure. The hallmark position arises after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e6 6. g4!?. White immediately seizes space on the kingside, aiming to drive away the knight on f6 with g5, gain dark-square control, and attack Black’s king, which often remains on g8. The line is named after the Estonian grandmaster Paul Keres, who popularized the idea in the mid-20th century.

How it is used in chess

The Keres Attack is a system for White specifically against the Scheveningen setup in the Sicilian Defense, defined by Black pawns on d6 and e6 without an early ...a6. Its central idea is rapid kingside expansion (g4–g5, h4–h5, f4) and often long castling by White, creating opposite-side attacks.

Move-order nuance is critical:

• If Black reaches a pure Scheveningen via 5...e6, White can play the classic Keres Attack with 6. g4.
• Many players prefer the Najdorf move order (5...a6) to make 6. g4 less comfortable; after 5...a6, the move 6. g4 is known as the Perenyi Attack, a related but distinct system.
• Black can sometimes transpose back to Scheveningen structures from Najdorf later (the “Najdorf–Scheveningen hybrid”) precisely to sidestep an early Keres Attack.

Strategic themes and plans

• White’s plans:
  • Push g4–g5 to chase the f6-knight, preparing e4–e5 or f2–f4–f5 to open lines against the king.
  • Support the pawn storm with h4–h5, Be3, Qd2, and long castling (O-O-O), coordinating along the h- and g-files.
  • Dark-square strategy: after ...e6, the squares f6, g7, h6 can become vulnerable; a knight often heads to f5 or d6 in favorable lines.
• Black’s plans:
  • Hit back on the queenside with ...a6–...b5–...Bb7 and ...Rc8; if White castles long, counterplay is immediate.
  • Timely ...d5 is the most thematic central break, challenging White’s space and opening the center while White is flinging pawns.
  • Control of the light squares and piece play: ...Nc6, ...Be7, ...Nbd7, and sometimes ...h6 or ...g5 to blunt White’s storm—each with pros and cons.
  • Typical exchange sacrifice ...Rxc3 in some lines to shatter White’s queenside and slow the attack.

Typical continuations

Two common branches illustrate the clash of plans:

• 6...h6 7. h4 Nc6 8. Rg1
  • Black prepares to meet g5 with ...h5 or ...hxg5; White accelerates rook activation on the g-file.
• 6...Nc6 7. g5 Nd7 8. Be3 Be7 9. h4
  • White expands further and can follow with Qd2, 0-0-0, and f4; Black weighs ...a6–...b5 counterplay and the central break ...d5.

Examples

Here is a short, illustrative sequence showing White’s attacking setup versus Black’s queenside counterplay. It is not meant to be “best play,” but to demonstrate plans:

Visual cues: White’s pieces mass on the kingside and center (Be3–Qd2–O-O-O–h4–f4), while Black mobilizes ...a6–...b5 and eyes ...d5.

Historical significance

Paul Keres, often called the “Crown Prince of Chess,” popularized 6. g4 against the Scheveningen in the 1940s and 1950s, demonstrating that a direct kingside pawn storm could be both sound and venomous. The Keres Attack had a profound theoretical impact: many players began preferring Najdorf move orders (5...a6) to avoid allowing 6. g4 under ideal conditions. Over the decades, the Keres Attack has remained a potent practical weapon, influencing entire repertoires and move-order strategies at the highest level.

Interesting facts

• The Keres Attack’s early g-pawn thrust was once seen as shocking because it “moves pawns in front of the king”—but White typically castles long, so the g-pawn becomes a spearhead, not a weakness.
• It is a conceptual cousin of the English Attack (often Be3, f3, Qd2, O-O-O, and g4–g5), but the Keres Attack plays g4 even earlier, forcing Black to address immediate threats.
• After 5...a6 (the Najdorf), 6. g4 is called the Perenyi Attack; the ideas overlap, but the theory and nuances differ because of the useful insertion of ...a6 for Black.

Practical tips and common pitfalls

• For White:
  • Don’t overextend: if Black achieves a clean ...d5 break while your king is still in the center, your attack can backfire.
  • Coordinate piece development with the pawn storm—Be3, Qd2, and either O-O-O or Kf2 ideas—so files and diagonals open in your favor.
  • Watch for tactical shots like Nf5–xd6, Nxe6, and sacrifices on h5 or g6 once lines are pried open.
• For Black:
  • Strike in the center with ...d5 at the right moment; it’s the most thematic equalizing idea in the Scheveningen.
  • Choose your kingside pawn moves carefully: ...h6 and ...g5 can blunt White’s storm but may leave dark-square weaknesses.
  • Be ready for queenside counterplay: ...a6–...b5–...Bb7 and ...Rc8 to make White’s O-O-O uncomfortable; in some lines, the exchange sac ...Rxc3 is a thematic resource.

Related terms

• Sicilian Defense
• Scheveningen
• Najdorf
• English Attack
• Perenyi Attack