Chess Openings Lab
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Queen's Gambit Declined: Chigorin Defense, Main Line

The Chigorin Main Line is 3.Nf3 Bg4, where Black pins the knight to add pressure to d4. White can take on d5 to force ...Bxf3 and win the bishop pair, while Black wants fast development, long castling and active piece play against the center.

Moves
1.d4 d5 2.c4 Nc6 3.Nf3 Bg4
ECO
D07
Engine
+0.77 · a clear edge for White (Stockfish 17.1, depth 20)
Played
653 games in our lichess sample
White scores
52.1%

Key ideas for both sides

White

  • 4.cxd5 Bxf3 5.gxf3 Qxd5 gives White two bishops and a semi-open g-file.
  • After e3 and Nc3, the queen on d5 gets kicked and White gains time.
  • Bg5 or Nbd2 are quieter, keeping the structure and aiming for e3, a3 and b4.
  • Qa4 is another try, pinning the c6 knight and hitting the g4 bishop indirectly.

Black

  • Recapture ...Qxd5 after the trade on f3 and keep the queen active on h5 or d5.
  • Castle long with ...O-O-O to put a rook on d8 against d4.
  • ...e6 with ...Nf6 completes development quickly and keeps the f8 bishop flexible.
  • Against quiet moves, ...e6, ...Nf6 and ...Be7 give a safe QGD-type setup.

Plans and pawn structure

After 4.cxd5 Bxf3 5.gxf3 Qxd5 the position is unbalanced. White has the bishop pair and a solid center with e3, but the kingside pawns are broken, so White's king often stays in the middle or goes long. Black castles long, puts the queen on h5 to hit f3 and h2, and piles on d4. In quiet lines with Nbd2 and e3, White plays a3 and b4 for queenside space while Black aims for ...Ne4.

What the engine plays from here

Stockfish 17.1 at depth 20 rates the position +0.77: a clear edge for White. Its three top choices for White:

  1. +0.77 4.cxd5 Bxf3 5.gxf3 Qxd5 6.e3 O-O-O
  2. +0.46 4.Bg5 h6 5.Bh4 Qd7 6.Nc3 e6
  3. +0.40 4.Nbd2 e6 5.e3 Nf6 6.a3 Be7

Pawns, from White's side.

How it scores on lichess

653 rated lichess games reached this position; White scored 52.1%.

1200–159949.7%
1600–199949.4%
2000 and up54.8%

Light: White wins. Grey: draws. Dark: Black wins. About the sample.

Where it goes next

  • Chigorin Defense, Main Line, Alekhine Variation4.Qa4 · rare

How to play against it

As White, play 4.cxd5 and take the bishop pair, then develop with e3 and Nc3 before castling. As Black, recapture with the queen and castle long fast; leaving the king in the center against the bishops is dangerous. Keep h5 and f3 in mind for the queen.

Questions

What are the moves of the Queen's Gambit Declined: Chigorin Defense, Main Line?

The Queen's Gambit Declined: Chigorin Defense, Main Line starts 1.d4 d5 2.c4 Nc6 3.Nf3 Bg4. Its ECO code is D07.

Is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Chigorin Defense, Main Line good for Black?

Stockfish 17.1 rates the position +0.77 at depth 20, which is a clear edge for White. In 653 lichess games from our sample, White scored 52.1%. An entertaining line for Black players who like long castling and piece activity; White needs to use the bishops well.

What is the main idea of the Queen's Gambit Declined: Chigorin Defense, Main Line?

Black pins the f3 knight to pressure d4. White usually releases with cxd5 and accepts broken pawns for the bishop pair, leading to a sharp unbalanced middlegame.

What should White play next?

The engine's first choice is cxd5, with Bg5 and Nbd2 close behind. 4.cxd5 forces Black to choose, and after ...Bxf3 White gets the bishop pair.

Updated October 2026. Sources and method.