Chess Opening Theory/1. d4/1...d5/2. Nc3

Queen's Pawn Game
a b c d e f g h 8 8 7 7 6 6 5 5 4 4 3 3 2 2 1 1 a b c d e f g h
Position in Forsyth-Edwards Notation (FEN) rnbqkbnr/ppp1pppp/8/3p4/3P4/2N5/PPP1PPPP/R1BQKBNR b
Moves: 1. d4 d5 2. Nc3

Queen's Pawn Game: Chigorin Variation

The Chigorin Variation (Named after Mikhail Chigorin) is an opening that may often transpose to other lines. It is rarely played by masters and tournament players, as the c-pawn is blocked, disallowing it from contesting the d5-pawn. Nonetheless, this line is considered sound and leads to closed positions involving much slow, strategic maneuvering.

The main lines after this are the 2... Nf6 3. Bf4, the Jobava London System, and 2... Nf6 3. Bg5, the Richter–Veresov Attack (which transposes into the French Defense after 3... e6 or remains in independent lines after 3... Nbd7).

Black can also reasonably play 2... e6 (which likely leads to the aforementioned lines), 2... c6 (likely transposing to the Caro–Kann after 3. e4), 2... g6, 2... Bf5, or even 2... f5!? (the Dutch Variation), 2... c5!? (the Irish Gambit, which is a fairly unexplored option), or the unclear 2...e5!? (the Shaviliuk Gambit).

2... Nc6 transposes to the Nimzowitsch Defence after 3. e4, normally reached by 1. e4 Nc6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3.

Theory table

For explanation of theory tables, see theory table and for notation, see algebraic notation..

1. d4 d5 2. Nc3

	2	3	4	5
Nimzowitsch Defense	... Nc6	e4 dxe4	d5 Nb8!?	Nxe4 c6	=
Alburt Defense	... Bf5	Bf4 Nc6	e3 e6	g4 Bg6	=
Jobava London	... Nf6	Bf4 a6	e3 e6	g4 Bb4	=