QGD Chigorin Defense-Your thoughts?

1.d4 d5 2.c4 Nc6

Just wanted to get feedback from others who may play this defense as black. Strengths, weaknesses, general ideas, etc....

Thanks!

Just started fooling around with it. Easy for Black to misplace his Q early. Mostly, though, exceeds expectations.

Originally posted by luctruc
Just started fooling around with it. Easy for Black to misplace his Q early. Mostly, though, exceeds expectations.

yeah, the only time i played around with it on a board by myself i realized there were some tricks that made the opening a hidden gem.. i should really do some research on it..
i only think theres 1 good book on it right?

I use to play it v The Reti players.

1.Nf3 Nc6 1.d4 d5 2.c4 - the blocking of the c-pawn in a QP game
can be quite a drawback so try not think along QP lines.
(that is the only theory I know on it).

Had OK results then realised I can play 1.Nf3 g6 instead and swing into a KID, Benoni,
Pirc without having to worry about any of the sharp f4 lines.

Eddie Dearing had a beautiful win against The Chigorin in the
English 4NCL. The game is on their site.

It's all about pressure on the white centre. You'll often have to give up the bishop pair. In return you'll get active play in the centre. White often gets a big pawn centre but not without pawn weaknesses.

I like it because I beat a GM with it in a simul:

Thanks for the comments, I think I'm going to try it out OTB.

I also found this free E-book on the Chigorin at Silman's website:

http://www.jeremysilman.com/chess_opng_anlys/chigorin_E_Book.html

Originally posted by passedpawn22
1.d4 d5 2.c4 Nc6

Just wanted to get feedback from others who may play this defense as black. Strengths, weaknesses, general ideas, etc....

Thanks!

I have never actually played it though have seriously considered doing so. If you really learn it and understand it, I have the feeling you could score quite well with it, especially at lower levels where white may have problems dealing with the tactical possibilities in the opening. (Though I actually saw an IM recently being wiped out in less than 20 moves by a lower rated player as white against the Chigorin.)

I have a lot of fun playing this opening. Mostly it's a tactical opening because Black puts a lot of pressure on White's d4 pawn and then attacks White's defenders. Sometimes the game takes on the character of an Albin's counter gambit or it can turn into a positional battle with the resulting ending of the two bishops (White) vs. the two knights (Black). Even rarer, through a faulty transposition of moves, Black can easily get an inferior game. I keep playing it because I hope one day to uncork a brilliancy like Chigorin himself, but I guess until then I will have to settle for games like this:

Game 4819358

Free e-book on Silman's site (chessbase style).

http://www.jeremysilman.com/chess_opng_anlys/chigorin_E_Book.html


Unfortunately I cannot comment on how good it is but I like the strategic explanations so far.

Super-GM Morovevich played the Tchigorin for many years, and has recently written a book about the opening.

IM Gary Lane recommends the Tchigorin in his book, Ideas Behind Modern Chess Openings: Black.

GM Keene and IM Levy also recommend the Tchigorin in their Opening Repertoire for the Attacking Player (2nd ed.).