by Tim Harding The Baltic Defence to the Queen's Gambit (ECO code D06) gets its name from its adoption by players from north-east Europe, specifically GM Igors Rausis and his wife, correspondence GM Olita Rausis. It arises by 1 d4 d5 2 c4 Bf5 or sometimes via 1 d4 d5 2 Nf3 Bf5 3 c4. Although the latter move order excludes two of White's sharpest responses, they are the lines most typical of the Baltic Defence. Sometimes the Baltic transposes into a variation of the Slav Defence; those lines will only be cursorily treated here. The "true" Baltic Defence initiates very sharp play from a very early stage and there are some gambit lines with an affinity to the Albin Counter-Gambit. It … [Read more...]