Kieseritzky, Polerio Defense
- 1.e4e5
- 2.f4exf4
- 3.Nf3g5
- 4.h4g4
- 5.Ne5Be7
122 games
A rare Black defense in the Kieseritzky Gambit: 5...Be7 develops the bishop toward the h4-pawn instead of hitting e4 or the e5-knight.
Train it in TheoriaAbout the Polerio Defense
5...Be7 is a rarely played alternative to the main Kieseritzky Gambit defenses, 5...Nf6 and 5...d6. It neither counterattacks e4 nor prepares to drive off the e5-knight. Instead, Black develops the bishop onto the d8–h4 diagonal, where it eyes the h4-pawn. White's three usual replies, 6. Nxg4, 6. Bc4 and 6. Qxg4, are almost equally common. Engines consider White clearly better, and in practice the queen capture has scored best.