The Cheeky Chigorin

Snatch White's initiative in 1.d4 with an offbeat but creative opening!

The Chigorin Defense arises after 1.d4 d5 2.c4 Nc6. What a clumsy move!

Instead of maintaining their center, Black blocks their c-pawn (either for supporting the center or breaking it open). And likely, they will have to surrender their bishop pair soon. Talk about stepping on your own tail!

So why would two strong Grandmasters with a hard-fought reputation to maintain, make a course on it?

Grandmaster Abhijeet Gupta is a World Junior Champion, Olympic Silver Medalist, Indian Champion, and winner of many international events, including five Commonwealth Championships and the prestigious 2016 Reykjavik Open.

Grandmaster Sahaj Grover is an Under-10 World Champion, Junior World Bronze medalist, Indian Junior Champion, and boasts a 2-0 score against Alireza Firouzja.

Why risk their credibility by endorsing a shaky opening, then?

Well…it’s named after the Great Mihail Chigorin, so there must be something to it!

Not shaky, but Cheeky

Black’s Knight move accomplishes more than meets the eye:

✅ Pressures White’s center,
✅ Puts one Black piece more than White’s into play,
✅ Prepares the opening of the position with ...e5
✅ Poses unusual problems from move two

The Chigorin is an offbeat attempt by Black to snatch White’s initiative. In the hands of a dynamic player, it can be a deadly weapon, as proven time and again by former world #2, GM Alexander Morozevich, one of the most creative players of all time.

Failing to adapt to its fast pace, the practical problems it poses, and its uncommon positions, unwary players often fall for a quick knock-out blow.

Yes, when it comes to underappreciated openings that can turn White in their head from the get-go, none comes close to the Chigorin Defense!

In this course, you’ll learn how to

Gain a development lead with Black,
and unleash a 1-2-3 fatal combo!

GM Gupta and Grover have worked together for a long time and know each other very well. So, for this course, they joined forces to deliver the best analysis on the Cheeky Chigorin Defense.

With over 500 trainable lines and a cascade of comments to conceptualize the madness on the board, this is an easy guide to an ambitious opening for attacking players against 1.d4.

The Chigorin is so dazzling that it will unveil a universe of possibilities in chess. For example, how to:

🎯 Get a fierce activity for a central pawn as early as move six
🎯 Conduct and crown a Queenless attack
🎯 Overpower White's bishop pair with you Knights in an open position.

But the course not only covers 2.c4. You will get a comprehensive repertoire against sidelines like the Trompowsky, the London, the Veresov, the Jobava, and so on.

With the Cheeky Chigorin

Throw your opponents off their ground
and surprise them with a flashy finish