Queen's Gambit Declined: Chigorin Defense

Queen's Gambit Declined: Chigorin Defense is a chess opening with the ECO code D07, part of the Queen's Gambit Declined family. It goes 1. d4 d5 2. c4 Nc6. White opens with 1. d4 (the queen's pawn) and Black answers 1... d5. After 4 moves it is White to move. The lesson on the board explains every move of the line and lets you play it yourself; it is free.

The moves

• 1. d4 – White plays the pawn to d4
• 1... d5 – Black plays the pawn to d5
• 2. c4 – White plays the pawn to c4
• 2... Nc6 – Black plays the knight to c6

In chessGM's opening book this position continues with 3. Nf3.

About the Queen's Gambit Declined

After 1.d4 d5 2.c4, Black keeps the d5 pawn with ...e6 instead of taking on c4. It is solid, classical and very reliable.

• Black develops calmly: ...Nf6, ...Be7, ...O-O, and keeps a strong pawn on d5.
• The light-squared bishop on c8 is often stuck behind e6; freeing it is a main task.
• Black frees the position with the breaks ...c5 or ...e5; White often plays for a minority attack with b4-b5.

chessGM has a full course for this line: open the Queen's Gambit Declined: Chigorin Defense course lesson.

Related openings

• It extends: Queen's Gambit (1. d4 d5 2. c4)
• Continues with: Queen's Gambit Declined: Chigorin Defense – adds 3. Nc3
• Continues with: Queen's Gambit Declined: Chigorin Defense, Exchange Variation – adds 3. cxd5 Qxd5
• Continues with: Queen's Gambit Declined: Chigorin Defense, Lazard Gambit – adds 3. Nf3 e5
• Continues with: Queen's Gambit Declined: Chigorin Defense, Main Line – adds 3. Nf3 Bg4
• Related line: Queen's Gambit Declined: Zilbermints Gambit (1. d4 d5 2. c4 b5)
• Related line: Queen's Gambit Declined: Chigorin Defense (1. d4 d5 2. c4 Nc6 3. Nc3)
• Related line: Queen's Gambit Declined: Marshall Defense, Tan Gambit (1. d4 d5 2. c4 Nf6 3. cxd5 c6)
• Related line: Queen's Gambit Declined: Chigorin Defense (1. d4 d5 2. c4 Nc6 3. Nc3 dxc4)
• Related line: Queen's Gambit Declined: Marshall Defense (1. d4 d5 2. c4 Nf6)
• Related line: Queen's Gambit Declined: Chigorin Defense (1. d4 d5 2. c4 Nc6 3. Nc3 e6 4. Nf3 Nf6)

Browse every named opening · Opening courses