Chigorin Defense
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The Chigorin defense after 2.… Nb8 – c6
The chigorin defense - not to be confused with the chigorin system of the Spanish game - is an opening of the chess game . It is one of the closed games and is named after its inventor, the Russian master Mikhail Chigorin . In the opening system of the ECO codes , it is classified under the key D07.
The chigorin defense arises after the moves ( see also : chess notation ):
- 1. d2-d4 d7-d5 2. c2-c4 Sb8-c6
Characterization and evaluation
The Chigorin defense usually leads to an open, sharp game, since White usually opens lines with 3. c4xd5 or creates tangles in the center with 3. Nb1 – c3 d5xc4 4. d4 – d5. 3. c4xd5 has long been considered a refutation of the defense, since Black has to answer Qd8xd5 and the queen is exposed to attacks early on. In addition, the black knight on c6 blocks the c-pawn and thereby the usual attack on the white d-pawn with c7 – c5 in closed games. For these reasons, the Chigorin defense has long been considered incomplete, but this rating has recently been questioned.
Today one judges less dogmatically than in the time of Chigorin. Because c7 – c5 is not the only conceivable lever in the Queen's Gambit, in some positions it is also the move ... e6 – e5, which here in the Chigorin defense can be made directly from e7. For example immediately after 3. e2 – e3. Furthermore, after 3. c4xd5 Qd8xd5 the queen and the knight put pressure on the d4 pawn. If after 4. e2 – e3 e7 – e5 White tries to drive away the black queen with 5. Nb1 – c3 , then 5.… Bf8 – b4 follows and the knight c3 is tied , after which the d4 pawn is still threatened. The unleashing 6. Bc1 – d2 leads after 6.… Bb4xc3 7. Bd2xc3 e5xd4 to maintaining the restraint of the black pawn d4 with 8. Ng1 – e2 . A normal development move by Black like 8.… Ng8 – f6 would now lead to the recovery of Black's d4 pawn with free play for White's pair of bishops. The counter shackling of Springer e2 through 8. ... Bc8-g4 forces the black after unleashing 9. f2-f3 for bishop sacrifice 9 ... 10 Lg4xf3 g2xf3 Dd5xf3 . Now Black is threatening both Th1 and Bc3. 11. Bc3xd4, however, there is a threat of 12. Bd4xg7 and the recovery of a rook that was lost on h1. After 11.… Nc6xd4 12. Qd1xd4 there is a threat of 13. Qd4xg7 and the recovery of a rook lost on h1.
The lever e7 – e5 can hardly be prevented by 3. Ng1 – f3, because 3.… Bc8 – g4 4. c4xd5 Bg4xf3 first eliminates Nf3 and after 5. g2xf3 Qd8xd5 6. e2 – e3 it is back on the agenda.
Alexander Morosewitsch , a world-class grandmaster , has taken up the Chigorin defense in his repertoire and also plays it against strong opponents from time to time.
literature
- Valeri Bronznik: The Chigorin Defense . Schachverlag Kania, 2001, ISBN 3-931192-21-0 .
- Alexander Morosewitsch and Wladimir Barsky: The Chigorin Defense According to Morozevich . New in Chess, 2007, ISBN 90-5691-200-3 .