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Chigorin Defense: 3 quick facts

  • The Chigorin Defense, named for legendary Russian chess player Mikhail Chigorin, is an unconventional, attacking response to the Queen’s Gambit. Although it’s generally considered sound, it’s not commonly played at top levels.
  • This opening gives Black fast development and immediate center pressure and avoids highly theoretical lines in the Queen’s Gambit.
  • Unlike in most lines of the Queen’s Gambit, the Chigorin has Black placing their knight on c6, preventing the c-pawn from advancing.

Chigorin Defense: The moves

Here are the moves for the Chigorin Defense:

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1. d4 d5 2. c4 Nc6

A gif showing the opening moves for the Chigorin Defense: 1. White’s d-pawn moves to d4 and Black’s d-pawn moves to d5. 2. White’s c-pawn moves to c4 and Black’s knight moves to c6.

A different way to meet 1. d4

If you’re an intermediate to advanced player looking for an unorthodox surprise weapon that avoids typical Queen’s Gambit positions, try the Chigorin Defense!

If you’re looking for more openings, check out our guide featuring over 30 options for every skill level!