The Chigorin Defense is a chess opening named for 19th-century

Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-eig ...

n master

Mikhail Chigorin Mikhail Ivanovich Chigorin (also ''Tchigorin''; russian: Михаи́л Ива́нович Чиго́рин; – ) was a Russian chess player. He played two World Championship matches against Wilhelm Steinitz, losing both times. The last great ...

. An uncommonly played defense to the

Queen's Gambit The Queen's Gambit is the chess opening that starts with the moves: :1. d4 d5 :2. c4 It is one of the oldest openings and is still commonly played today. It is traditionally described as a ''gambit'' because White appears to sacrifice the ...

, it begins with the following moves: :1. d4 d5 :2. c4 Nc6 The Chigorin Defense violates several classical principles: Black does not maintain the center pawn at d5, the c-pawn is blocked, and Black must be willing to trade a

bishop A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is c ...

for a

knight A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood finds origins in the Gr ...

. In return, Black gets quick and piece pressure on the . Although opening assessments change as improvements are found for each side, the Chigorin is generally considered for Black, and it is useful as a surprise weapon against the Queen's Gambit.

Alexander Morozevich Alexander Sergeyevich Morozevich (russian: Александр Серге́евич Морозе́вич, translit=Aleksandr Sergéevich Morozévich; born July 18, 1977) is a Russian chess player. He was awarded the title of Grandmaster by FIDE ...

is perhaps the only modern grandmaster who regularly plays the Chigorin Defense; in the 1980s,

Vasily Smyslov Vasily Vasilyevich Smyslov ( rus, Васи́лий Васи́льевич Смысло́в, Vasíliy Vasíl'yevich Smyslóv; 24 March 1921 – 27 March 2010) was a Soviet and Russian chess grandmaster, who was World Chess Champion from 1957 t ...

did employ the opening against

Garry Kasparov Garry Kimovich Kasparov (born 13 April 1963) is a Russian chess grandmaster, former World Chess Champion, writer, political activist and commentator. His peak rating of 2851, achieved in 1999, was the highest recorded until being surpassed by ...

, achieving a draw. Morozevich has also published a book on the Chigorin Defense,Alexander Morozevich & Vladimir Barskij, ''The Chigorin Defence According to Morozevich'', 2007 in which he gives both a theoretical and a personal view on the opening. The Chigorin Defense has the '' ECO'' classification D07.

Main variations

Because the Chigorin is an unusual defense, the theory of this opening is not as well developed as that for more popular openings. After 1.d4 d5 2.c4 Nc6, some of the most commonly played variations are:

3.Nc3

*3...Nf6 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 e5 7.d5 Nb8 or 7.Nf3 exd4. *3...dxc4 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.e4 Bg4 6.Be3 e6 7.Bxc4 Bb4 (

pinning Pinning may refer to: * Pinning, the effect of certain weapons that cause their targets to be pinned down * Pinning ceremony (nursing), a symbolic welcoming of new graduates into the nursing profession * Pinning force, a force acting on a pinned ...

both of White's knights) is a position that occurs very frequently in current practice.

3.Nf3

*3...Bg4 4.cxd5 Bxf3 (see first diagram) **5.gxf3 Qxd5 6.e3 and now Black has two very different, but proven ways of playing: 6...e5 7.Nc3 Bb4 and 6...e6 7.Nc3 Qh5. **5.dxc6 Bxc6 6.Nc3 and Black has now two well-established options: 6...Nf6 and 6...e6. *3...e6 is fine.

3.cxd5 Qxd5

*4.e3 e5 5.Nc3 Bb4 6.Bd2 Bxc3 (see second diagram) **7.bxc3 and now Black's main moves are 7...Nf6 and 7...Qd6. **7.Bxc3 has received considerable attention in recent years, and 7...exd4 8.Ne2 Nf6 9.Nxd4 0-0 seems to be considered Black's most reliable choice, but the 8...Bg4 is also sometimes played. *4.Nf3

Notes

References