French Chigorin variation 2. Qe2!

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French Chigorin variation 2. Qe2!
Compiled by Elesius

The Chigorin variation begins with 1. e4 e6 2. Qe2. While it may look odd to move the queen one square to block in the bishop, databases show that the Chigorin is one of the most successful variations against the French!

The queen move has two purposes. First, white temporarily restrains black from advancing to d5 by pinning the e pawn. If white captures on d5, black would have to recapture with the queen. Second, white's long term plan is to enter a line of King's Indian Attack in which the queen is well-placed on e2.

The most common response for black, and the one recommended by theory, is 2. ...c5. This typically leads to well-trodden lines of the King's Indian Attack. Alternatives like 2. ...Be7 often simply transpose.

Another option for black is to move ...e5, either immediately or after ...Nc6. Black gives up a tempo, relying on the white queen being misplaced on e2. White can respond in several ways, the most exciting being an improved version of the King's Gambit after 3. f4!?

Because the opening often leads to a KIA formation, many of the main line games are included in the separate collection "King's Indian Attack with Qe2."

3. Nc3
Chigorin vs Tarrasch, 1893
(C00) French Defense, 43 moves, 1-0
2. .. Be7
Chigorin vs Tarrasch, 1893
(C00) French Defense, 62 moves, 1-0
3. g3
Chigorin vs Tarrasch, 1893
(C00) French Defense, 59 moves, 0-1
2. ..Be7
Chigorin vs Tarrasch, 1893
(C00) French Defense, 66 moves, 1-0
2. ..Be7
Chigorin vs Tarrasch, 1893
(C00) French Defense, 58 moves, 1-0
3. f4
Fedorov vs P Claesen, 2017
(C00) French Defense, 25 moves, 1-0
2. ..e5
Zvjaginsev vs Morozevich, 2005
(C00) French Defense, 26 moves, 0-1
3. g3 with f4
Nepomniachtchi vs Morozevich, 2014
(C00) French Defense, 19 moves, 1/2-1/2
3. g3 with f4
Nepomniachtchi vs R Svane, 2015
(C00) French Defense, 34 moves, 1-0
3. Nf3
Zvjaginsev vs S V Manukyan, 2011
(C00) French Defense, 56 moves, 1-0
2. ..Be7
Zvjaginsev vs A Riazantsev, 2005
(C00) French Defense, 38 moves, 1-0
2. ..e5
Zvjaginsev vs P Ponkratov, 2009
(C00) French Defense, 50 moves, 1-0
3. g3
G Stoltz vs Botvinnik, 1946
(A07) King's Indian Attack, 37 moves, 0-1
2. ..Nc6
Chigorin vs Lasker, 1899
(A07) King's Indian Attack, 42 moves, 0-1
2. ..b6
Chigorin vs Blackburne, 1895
(A07) King's Indian Attack, 56 moves, 1-0
3. g3
Chigorin vs Tarrasch, 1893
(A07) King's Indian Attack, 62 moves, 0-1
“Chigorin’s Patent”
Chigorin vs Tarrasch, 1893
(A07) King's Indian Attack, 34 moves, 1-0
3. g3
Kasparov vs P Albalate, 1997
(A07) King's Indian Attack, 29 moves, 1-0
2. .. Nc6
Chigorin vs R Falk, 1899
(A07) King's Indian Attack, 43 moves, 1-0
2. ..Nc6
Chigorin vs Showalter, 1898
(A07) King's Indian Attack, 33 moves, 1-0
2. ..Nc6
Chigorin vs Showalter, 1898
(A07) King's Indian Attack, 43 moves, 1-0
3. f4
Short vs Korchnoi, 1997
(C00) French Defense, 52 moves, 1/2-1/2
3. f4
Short vs Korchnoi, 1997
(C00) French Defense, 50 moves, 1/2-1/2
"A Case of the Wrong Queen"
Chigorin vs Blackburne, 1898
(C00) French Defense, 45 moves, 0-1
3. Nc3
Chigorin vs Olland, 1907
(A07) King's Indian Attack, 80 moves, 1-0
"Josef and the Amazing Technicolor Sacrifices"
S Fulkerson vs J Friedman, 1970
(A07) King's Indian Attack, 30 moves, 0-1
3. g3
Carlsen vs Xiong, 2020
(C00) French Defense, 104 moves, 1/2-1/2
2. ..e5
Sax vs Chandler, 1992
(C00) French Defense, 40 moves, 0-1
2. ..e5
M Chierici vs A Rudolf, 2010
(C00) French Defense, 39 moves, 0-1
3. f4
Maroczy vs Swiderski, 1904
(C00) French Defense, 46 moves, 1-0
2. ..Nc6
Nakamura vs B Savchenko, 2014
(C00) French Defense, 87 moves, 1-0
2. ..d5; 3. exd5
T L Petrosian vs F Libiszewski, 2019
(C00) French Defense, 43 moves, 1-0
2. ..e5
Chigorin vs G Marco, 1895
(C00) French Defense, 37 moves, 1-0
3. f4
Alekhine vs V Vasilevsky, 1910
(C00) French Defense, 32 moves, 1-0
2. .. Be7
Chigorin vs A Zinkl, 1897
(A07) King's Indian Attack, 31 moves, 1-0
"Sucha Shame"
Alekhine vs R Sucha, 1943
(A07) King's Indian Attack, 30 moves, 1-0
3. g3
Bronstein vs O Pastuhoff, 1952
(A07) King's Indian Attack, 37 moves, 1-0
3. f4
V Kirillov vs I Mazel, 1931
(C00) French Defense, 23 moves, 0-1
2. .. Nc6
Chigorin vs Rubinstein, 1903
(C00) French Defense, 33 moves, 1-0
3. f4
Maroczy vs O Krause, 1907
(B21) Sicilian, 2.f4 and 2.d4, 45 moves, 1-0
3. f4
Tartakower vs Kmoch, 1927
(C00) French Defense, 32 moves, 1-0
3. f4
E Lundin vs Reti, 1928
(B21) Sicilian, 2.f4 and 2.d4, 30 moves, 0-1
3. f4
Short / Hou vs Ye / Maric, 2014
(C00) French Defense, 37 moves, 1-0
3. f4
L Day vs K Neven, 2010
(C00) French Defense, 36 moves, 1-0
3. f4
McShane vs Korchnoi, 2005
(C00) French Defense, 58 moves, 1/2-1/2
3. f4
A Hoffmann vs J Bonin, 1989
(C00) French Defense, 73 moves, 1-0
3. f4
A Hoffmann vs Koss, 1983
(C00) French Defense, 31 moves, 1-0
2. ..d5; 3. exd5
R Mamedov vs A Zontakh, 2012
(C00) French Defense, 26 moves, 1/2-1/2
2. ..d5; 3. exd5
V Laznicka vs L Gerzhoy, 2013
(C00) French Defense, 35 moves, 1-0
2. ..d5; 3. exd5
Miroshnichenko vs A Anastasian, 2011
(C00) French Defense, 35 moves, 1-0
2. ..e5
G Stoltz vs Stahlberg, 1930
(C00) French Defense, 37 moves, 1/2-1/2
2. ..e5
A Hoffmann vs Shipman, 1983
(C00) French Defense, 35 moves, 1-0
2. .. e5
F Bohatirchuk vs J Repecka, 1946
(C00) French Defense, 26 moves, 1-0
2. ..Be7
Vachier-Lagrave vs R Noblet, 2005
(A07) King's Indian Attack, 40 moves, 1-0
2. ..Be7
K Treybal vs Stahlberg, 1936
(C00) French Defense, 46 moves, 1-0
2. ..e5
Maroczy vs W P Shipley, 1906
(A07) King's Indian Attack, 61 moves, 1-0
2. ..Nc6
N Yakubboev vs M Antipov, 2018
(C00) French Defense, 24 moves, 1-0
2. ..Nc6
W Napier vs Marshall, 1896
(C00) French Defense, 68 moves, 1-0
2. ..b6
G Stoltz vs Stahlberg, 1931
(C00) French Defense, 26 moves, 1-0
2. .. d5; 3. d3
Morozevich vs Lputian, 2000
(C00) French Defense, 37 moves, 1-0
2. ..b6
L Day vs R Panjwani, 2004
(C00) French Defense, 47 moves, 1-0
2. ..b6 (notes by Tarrasch)
Chigorin vs Tinsley, 1895
(C00) French Defense, 39 moves, 1-0
2. .. b6
Smyslov vs D Atlas, 1995
(C00) French Defense, 32 moves, 1-0
2. ..b6
Tartakower vs G A Thomas, 1929
(A07) King's Indian Attack, 22 moves, 1/2-1/2
2. ..Nf6
Zvjaginsev vs S Volkov, 2009
(C00) French Defense, 61 moves, 1-0
2. ..Nf6
Stripunsky vs Robson, 2011
(C00) French Defense, 24 moves, 0-1
2. ..Nf6
A Florean vs J Kraai, 2006
(C00) French Defense, 44 moves, 0-1
2. ..Nf6
Ehlvest vs Vaganian, 1995
(C00) French Defense, 38 moves, 1-0
2. ..Nf6
Vasiukov vs Vaganian, 1980
(C00) French Defense, 44 moves, 1-0
2. ..Nf6
D Rigby vs T Mueller, 1991
(C00) French Defense, 33 moves, 1-0
"Magic Bus"
M Bus vs R Othman, 2000
(A07) King's Indian Attack, 52 moves, 1-0
2 ..e5
F Bohatirchuk vs W Jursevskis, 1946
(C00) French Defense, 24 moves, 1-0
"Take the C Paun"
Sanduleac vs C Paun, 2012
(C00) French Defense, 12 moves, 1-0
2. .. d5; 3. d3
Morozevich vs P Nikolic, 2000
(C00) French Defense, 44 moves, 1-0
2. ..d5; 3. exd5
S Zaric vs Shri Sameer A Salgaocar, 1998
(C00) French Defense, 23 moves, 1-0
2. ..e5
Chigorin vs Teichmann, 1895
(C00) French Defense, 31 moves, 1-0
2. ..e5
Ivanchuk vs I Rogers, 2000
(C00) French Defense, 73 moves, 1-0
2. ..e5
A Szieberth vs D Collier, 2007
(C00) French Defense, 32 moves, 1-0
2. ..e5
A Rombaldoni vs P Formento, 2012
(C00) French Defense, 36 moves, 1-0
2. ..e5
F Bohatirchuk vs R Drummond, 1949
(C00) French Defense, 26 moves, 1-0
3. g3 with f4
Rapport vs Bluebaum, 2015
(C00) French Defense, 43 moves, 1-0
3. Nf3
Alekhine vs Journal Excelsior, 1925
(C00) French Defense, 42 moves, 1-0
2. ..d5
Leko vs D Bunzmann, 1999
(C00) French Defense, 43 moves, 1-0
2. ..Nc6
R Mamedov vs O Organdziev, 2010
(A07) King's Indian Attack, 55 moves, 1-0
2. ..e5
Chigorin vs Albin, 1895
(C00) French Defense, 50 moves, 1/2-1/2
2. ..e5
K Treybal vs Torre, 1925
(A07) King's Indian Attack, 54 moves, 1-0
2. ..d5
Y Vovk vs S Vysochin, 2006
(C00) French Defense, 26 moves, 1-0
3. f4
Chigorin vs Tarrasch, 1905
(C00) French Defense, 52 moves, 0-1
2. .. Ne7
Swiderski vs Marshall, 1908
(C00) French Defense, 45 moves, 1/2-1/2
2. ..Ne7
C Bauer vs A Choukri, 2015
(C00) French Defense, 30 moves, 1-0
3. g3
Hromadka vs A Vaits, 1912
(A07) King's Indian Attack, 23 moves, 1-0
3. g3
Karjakin vs F Vallejo Pons, 2011
(C00) French Defense, 56 moves, 1-0
2. ..b6
M Chigaev vs A Kim, 2019
(C00) French Defense, 40 moves, 1-0
2. ..e5
S R Chowdhury vs Z Praful, 2011
(C00) French Defense, 27 moves, 1-0
2. ...e5
P Zhao vs D Yang, 2010
(C00) French Defense, 47 moves, 1-0
2. ...Ne7
Z Andriasian vs B S Escalante Ramirez, 2021
(C00) French Defense, 55 moves, 1-0
Liu Qingnan vs Ding Liren, 2012
(C00) French Defense, 30 moves, 1/2-1/2
E Canal vs Spielmann, 1929
(A07) King's Indian Attack, 59 moves, 1-0
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