Semi-Slav Defense: Chigorin Defense (10… O-O 11. Qc2)
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 8. Bd3 Bd6 9. O-O Bb7 10. a3 O-O 11. Qc2
The Semi-Slav Defense: Chigorin Defense is a chess opening classified as ECO D46, reached after 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 8. Bd3 Bd6 9. O-O Bb7 10. a3 O-O 11. Qc2. It is a line of the Semi-Slav Defense. Black is to move.
This exact move order didn't appear in our sample of 12.6 million Lichess games: it's a rare line.
Engine evaluation: +0.17 (Stockfish, depth 50; best line 11… Re8 12. h3 e5 13. Bd2 h6 14. Rad1)
- ECO
- D46
- Moves
- 21 plies
- FEN
r2q1rk1/pb1n1ppp/2pbpn2/1p6/3P4/P1NBPN2/1PQ2PPP/R1B2RK1 b - - 2 11- PGN
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 8. Bd3 Bd6 9. O-O Bb7 10. a3 O-O 11. Qc2
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Master games
3 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 33%, draw 67%, Black 0%). The strongest:
- GM Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (2747) – GM David Navara (2734) 1/2-1/2 · IMSA Blitz 2016 · 2016-02-28
- GM Vugar Rasulov (2510) – FM Mohamed Anees M (2317) 1-0 · Sahibkiran Amir Temur Cup · 2023-04-15
- GM Borko Lajthajm (2429) – IM Dejan S Pavlovic (2387) 1/2-1/2 · TCh-SRB Premier 2016 · 2016-09-28
Search all games of the Semi-Slav Defense: Chigorin Defense and its sub-variations
Comes from
Semi-Slav Defense: Meran Variation (7. Bxc4 b5) 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5
More Semi-Slav Defense lines (all)
- Semi-Slav Defense: Quiet Variation (4… e6 5. Nbd2) D30
- Semi-Slav Defense: Quiet Variation (5. Nbd2 Nbd7) D30
- Semi-Slav Defense: Accelerated Move Order D31
- Semi-Slav Defense: Anti-Noteboom, Stonewall Variation D31
- Semi-Slav Defense: Anti-Noteboom, Stonewall Variation, Portisch Gambit D31
- Semi-Slav Defense: Gunderam Gambit D31
- Semi-Slav Defense: Marshall Gambit D31
- Semi-Slav Defense: Marshall Gambit, Forgotten Variation D31
- Semi-Slav Defense: Marshall Gambit, Main Line D31
- Semi-Slav Defense: Marshall Gambit, Tolush Variation D31
- Semi-Slav Defense: Noteboom Variation D31
- Semi-Slav Defense: Noteboom Variation, Abrahams Variation D31
Opening names and moves from the Lichess openings dataset; statistics from the Lichess open database, 2026-09 (CC0), sample of 12.6 million games, bots excluded; evaluations from Lichess cloud analysis (all CC0). Master games from The Week in Chess #920–#1664 by Mark Crowther, used with permission.