St. George Defense

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This article uses algebraic notation to describe chess moves.

The St. George Defense, also known as the Baker Defense or Birmingham Defense, is an unorthodox chess opening played with the black pieces. It is given the B00 ECO code as a King's Pawn Opening. The opening begins with the moves 1.e4 a6!? (see diagram). The St. George Defense is generally considered an inferior response to 1.e4 compared to 1...e5, 1...e6, 1...c5, or 1...c6. The St. George Defense is considered even more dubious than Owen's Defense (1.e4 b6 2.d4 Bb7), since Black spends three moves just to develop his queen bishop, as opposed to two in Owen's Defense, while White occupies the center and is ready to castle in three more moves.

The first known chess game involving the St. George was a simultaneous game between amateur J. Baker (which the opening often derives its name) and the first official World Chess Champion Wilhelm Steinitz on 11 December 1868, which Baker won. The advocates of the opening are generally players willing to sacrifice the center in order to attack from the flank, and to avoid theory. Michael Basman has been known to play the St. George, as was the late Tony Miles.

In perhaps its most famous appearance, Miles defeated reigning world champion Anatoly Karpov in the 1980 European Team Championship in Skara, Sweden. Miles thus named the opening after the myth of Saint George and the Dragon in which Saint George slays the dragon as Miles slew Karpov in winning the game. The opening also acquired the name of "Birmingham Defense" at this time, after Miles' hometown.

Boris Spassky also played the St. George Defense, albeit by transposition, in the 22nd game of his 1966 world championship match against world champion Tigran Petrosian. That game began 1.d4 b5 (the Polish Defense) 2.e4 Bb7 3.f3 a6 (transposing to the St. George). This was an inauspicious outing for the defense, however: Petrosian won, giving him the 12 points needed to retain his title.

The major lines in the opening start with 1.e4 a6!? 2.d4 b5 and then branch. The main line continues 3.Nf3 Bb7 4.Bd3 e6 5.0-0 Nf6. Another important line is the Three Pawns Attack, sometimes called the St. George Gambit, which continues 3.c4 e6!? 4.cxb5 axb5 5.Bxb5 Bb7. The St. George is also sometimes used to prevent a white bishop from landing on b5 and then the game follows with a French Defense.

Much of the theoretical work on the defence was done by the English IM Michael Basman. He also christened the defence as the St.George.

Here is Miles' win over Karpov:

Karpov-Miles, European Team Championship, Skara 1980. 1.e4 a6 2.d4 b5 3.Nf3 Bb7 4.Bd3 Nf6 5.Qe2 e6 6.a4 c5 7.dxc5 Bxc5 8.Nbd2 b4 9.e5 Nd5 10.Ne4 Be7 11.0-0 Nc6 12.Bd2 Qc7 13.c4 bxc3 14.Nxc3 Nxc3 15.Bxc3 Nb4 16.Bxb4 Bxb4 17.Rac1 Qb6 18.Be4 0-0!? 19.Ng5 (19.Bxh7+!? is a very dangerous sacrifice) h6 20.Bh7+ Kh8 21.Bb1 Be7 22.Ne4 Rac8 23.Qd3 Rxc1 24.Rxc1 Qxb2 25.Re1 Qxe5 26.Qxd7 Bb4 27.Re3 Qd5 28.Qxd5 Bxd5 29.Nc3 Rc8 30.Ne2 g5 31.h4 Kg7 32.hxg5 hxg5 33.Bd3 a5 34.Rg3 Kf6 35.Rg4 Bd6 36.Kf1 Be5 37.Ke1 Rh8 38.f4 gxf4 39.Nxf4 Bc6 40.Ne2 Rh1+ 41.Kd2 Rh2 42.g3 Bf3 43.Rg8 Rg2 44.Ke1 Bxe2 45.Bxe2 Rxg3 46.Ra8 Bc7 0-1.