1.d4
d5
2.c4
[ 2.Nf3
Nc6
Transposes to Beaton - Norris, Scottish Ch, Aviemore 1997 3.Bf4
Bf5
4.e3
e6
5.Bd3
Nge7
6.0-0
h6!?
intending ...g5 and ...Bg7.]
2...Nc6
Chigorin's defense is a very reasonable attempt by Black to seize the initiative and already obtain a slight lead in development.
3.Nc3
[ 3.cxd5
Qxd5
4.Nf3
e5!
5.dxe5
Qxd1+
6.Kxd1
Bg4
7.Bf4
Nge7
8.Nbd2
Ng6
9.Bg3
0-0-0
Threatening ...Bxf3 followed by ...Bb4 10.Kc1
Bb4
Planning ...Rhe8 with abundant activity, deadly development and high harmony in Black's army.; 3.e3
e5!
4.dxe5
( 4.cxd5
Qxd5
5.Nc3
Is answered by 5...Bb4
) 4...d4
( 4...Bb4+
5.Bd2
dxc4
Leitao - Vescovi, Sao Paulo 1997) 5.Nf3
Bb4+
6.Bd2
dxe3
7.fxe3
( 7.Bxb4
exf2+!
) 7...Qe7
Is fun for Black.; 3.Nf3
Bg4
4.cxd5
Bxf3
( 4...Qxd5?
5.Nc3
Qa5
6.d5
0-0-0
7.Bd2
Is terrible for Black.) 5.gxf3
( 5.dxc6
Bxc6
6.Nc3
Nf6
( 6...e6
7.e4
Bb4
8.f3
Qh4+
9.g3
Qh5
Planning ...0-0-0 and ...f5.) 7.f3
e5!?
8.dxe5
Qxd1+
9.Kxd1
0-0-0+
10.Kc2
Nd7
11.e6
( 11.Bf4
Re8
( or 11...Bc5
followed by ...Rhe8 or ...Bd4.) ; 11.f4
f6!
12.exf6
( 12.e6
Nc5
13.f5
g6
14.b4
Ne4
15.b5
Bd5
) 12...Nxf6
) 11...fxe6
12.e4
Bc5
13.Bc4
Rde8
Planning ...Rhg8 and ...g5-g4 14.h4
Ne5
15.Bb3
Bd7!
Intending the maneuver ...Nc6-d4+.) 5...Qxd5
6.e3
e5
( 6...e6
7.Nc3
Qh5
Also merits attention. Karpov - Miles, Bugojno 1986) 7.Nc3
Bb4
8.Bd2
Bxc3
9.bxc3
exd4
( 9...Nge7
Allows White's pawns to advance. 10.c4
Qd6
11.d5
; But 9...Qd6
is a reasonable alternative) 10.cxd4
Nge7
Is rich in possibilities for both players.]
3...Nf6
4.cxd5
[ 4.Bg5
Ne4!
5.Nxe4
dxe4
6.d5
e6!!
A typically tricky tactic in the Chigorin. 7.Bxd8
( 7.dxc6?
Qxg5
8.cxb7??
Bb4+
9.Qd2
Qxd2#
) 7...Bb4+
8.Qd2
Bxd2+
9.Kxd2
Nxd8
Is very comfortable for Black.; 4.e3
Bf5
5.Qb3
e6
6.cxd5
exd5
7.Qxb7
Nb4
8.Bb5+
Ke7!
9.Ba4
Rb8
10.Qxa7
Ra8
11.Qc5+
( 11.Qb7
Rb8
( or 11...Rxa4
12.Nxa4
Nc2+
) 12.Qa7
Ra8
) 11...Ke6
12.Qxb4
Bd3!
13.Qb7
Ba6
Traps White's wandering Queen.; 4.Nf3
Bg4
( 4...dxc4
5.e4
Bg4
6.Be3
e6
7.Bxc4
Bb4
8.Qc2
0-0
( 8...Bxf3
9.gxf3
Nxd4?
10.Bxd4
Qxd4
11.Qa4++-
) 9.Rd1
Van Wely - Morozevich, Amsterdam 1995.; 4...Bf5!
5.Bg5
( 5.cxd5
Nxd5
Transposes to the main game.) 5...Ne4!
6.Nxd5
( 6.cxd5
Nxc3
7.bxc3
Qxd5
Black has a nice active game.) 6...Nxg5
7.Nxg5
e6
Both of White's Knights are en prise.) 5.cxd5
Nxd5
6.e4
Nxc3
7.bxc3
e5
8.d5
Nb8
9.Qa4+!
Nd7
( 9...Bd7
Leaves Black with his b- and e-pawns simultaneously en prise.) 10.Nxe5
Qf6
11.f4
( 11.Be2!!
Bxe2?
( 11...Qxe5
12.Bxg4
Qxc3+
13.Bd2!
Qxa1+
14.Ke2
Qxh1
15.Qxd7#
; 11...b5
12.Qxb5
Qxe5
13.Bxg4
Qxe4+
14.Qe2
) 12.Qxd7#
) 11...Bd6
]
4...Nxd5
5.Nf3
[ 5.e4
Nxc3
6.bxc3
e5
7.d5
( White can maintain the tension in the centre by playing 7.Nf3
Then 7...exd4
8.cxd4
Bg4
9.d5
Bb4+
leads to: 10.Bd2
( 10.Ke2
Qe7!!
11.dxc6
Qxe4+
12.Be3
Rd8
13.Qb3
Rd2+!
14.Ke1
Rxa2+
15.Kd1
Rxa1+
16.Ke2
( or 16.Bc1
Qe1+
17.Kc2
Rxc1+
18.Kd3
Bf5+
19.Kd4
Qe4#
) 16...Re1#
) 10...Bxf3!
11.gxf3
Bxd2+
12.Qxd2
Qf6!
13.Rb1
Ne5
( or 13...Nd4
Is crushing.) ) 7...Ne7
8.Nf3
Ng6
Followed by ...Bc5 or ...Bd6 is fine for Black.]
5...Bf5
6.Bd2?!
[ 6.e4
Can be answered with 6...Nxc3
7.bxc3
Bxe4
; 6.g3
Looses to 6...Ndb4!
7.e4
Bg4
8.Bg2
Nxd4!
9.Qa4+
( 9.0-0
is best.; 9.Qxd4?
Looses immediately to the fork 9...Nc2+
) 9...b5!
10.Nxb5
Ndc2+
11.Ke2
( or 11.Kf1
Qd1+
12.Ne1
Qxe1#
) 11...Qd3#
; 6.e3
Ndb4
7.e4
Bg4
8.a3!
Bxf3
( or 8...Nxd4
9.axb4
Nxf3+
10.gxf3
Qxd1+
11.Nxd1
( 11.Kxd1?
Bxf3+
) 11...Bxf3
12.Rg1
e6
13.Bd2
Bxe4
14.Nc3
) 9.gxf3
; 6.e3
e6
Is sensible. ( 6...Ncb4?
7.e4
Nxc3
8.bxc3
And the pieces on b4 and f4 are simultaneously en prise.; 6...e5
7.Bb5!
Is a powerful reply. ( hoping for 7.dxe5?!
Ndb4!
8.e4
Qxd1+
9.Kxd1
0-0-0+
10.Bd2
Bg4
) ) 7.Bd3
Bb4
8.Qc2
Bxd3
9.Qxd3
Qf6!
10.0-0
0-0-0
With an interesting position.]
6...e6
7.g3
Ndb4!
[ A quieter option is 7...Be7
8.Bg2
0-0
9.0-0
Bf6
]
8.Rc1
[ 8.e4?
Looses immediately to 8...Bg4
]
8...Nxd4
9.Qa4+
[ 9.Nxd4
Qxd4
10.Nb5
Is refuted by 10...Nd3+
( 10...Qe4
11.f3??
( 11.Nxc7+
Ke7
( 11...Kd7??
12.Bxb4+
) 12.Bg2
( 12.Bxb4+
Qxb4+
13.Qd2
Qxd2+
14.Kxd2
Rd8+
15.Ke3
Kf6
16.Bg2
Bb4!
17.Rhd1
Rxd1
18.Rxd1
Bc5+
19.Kf3
h5
20.h3
Ke5
; 12.Bg5+
f6
13.f3
( 13.Nxa8
fxg5
14.Rc7+?
Kf6
15.f3
Qe3
16.Rc3
Nd3+!
17.Rxd3
Bb4+
18.Rd2
Rd8
) 13...Qe5
14.Bf4
Qa5
) 12...Qxg2
13.Bxb4+
Kf6
14.Bc3+
( 14.Qd4+
Looses to 14...e5
15.Nd5+
Kg6!
) 14...Kg6
And Black's King is safer than White's.) 11...Nd3#
) 11.exd3
Qe5+
12.Be2
Qxb5
]
9...c6
10.Nxd4
Qxd4
11.Qb3
[ Black now threatens a stunning Queen sacrifice in the following variation: 11.--
Nc2+
12.Kd1
( 12.Rxc2
Qxa4
13.Nxa4
Bxc2
) 12...Qxd2+!!
13.Kxd2
0-0-0+
14.Nd5
Bb4+
15.Qxb4
Nxb4
]
11...Qe5
12.Bg2
0-0-0
13.Be3
Bc5
14.Nd1
[ 14.Bxc5
Nd3+
15.Kf1
Nxc1
16.Qa3
Qxe2+
17.Nxe2
Rd1#
]
14...Rxd1+
15.Qxd1
[ 15.Rxd1
Nc2+
16.Kf1
( or 16.Kd2
Bxe3+
17.fxe3
Nxe3!
18.Qxe3
Rd8+
) 16...Bxe3
17.fxe3
Nxe3+
; 15.Kxd1
Bxe3
16.Qxe3
( or 16.fxe3
Rd8+
17.Ke1
Nd3+!
Transposing into the actual game.) 16...Rd8+
17.Ke1
Nc2+
18.Rxc2
Bxc2
19.Qxe5
Rd1#
]
15...Bxe3
16.fxe3
Rd8
17.Qb3
Nd3+!
[ 17...Nd3+
White resigned in view of 18.exd3
Qxe3+
19.Kd1
Bxd3
20.Re1
Be4+
21.Qd5
Rxd5#
] 0-1