Queens Gambit Declined Chigorin Lazard Gambit

Queen's Gambit Declined (QGD)

Definition

The Queen’s Gambit Declined arises after the moves 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6. Black politely refuses to capture White’s c-pawn, maintaining a firm pawn center instead of entering the Queen’s Gambit Accepted. The opening is one of the oldest, most thoroughly analysed structures in chess, appearing in tournaments since the mid-19^th century.

Typical Move Order

A “classical” sequence might continue 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 O-O 6. Nf3 Nbd7, but countless sub-variations exist (Tartakower, Lasker, Cambridge-Springs, Exchange, &c.).

How It Is Used

Chosen by players seeking solidity and long-term strategic play.
Favours piece activity over immediate pawn grabs; the tension on c4–d5 often remains for many moves.
Equally viable in classical, rapid, and blitz time controls.

Strategic Significance

Flexibility: Black keeps the central structure fluid, ready to strike with …c5 or …e5 at the right moment.
Light-square strategy: Black’s bishop on c8 can be passive; many systems (Tartakower’s …b6, Lasker’s …Ne4) revolve around activating it.
End-game Friendly: Symmetrical pawn structure often leads to sound endgames, a reason Capablanca and Karpov made it a staple.

Famous Examples

Capablanca – Alekhine, World Championship 1927 (many QGD battles).
Kasparov – Karpov, Seville 1987, Game 24 – Kasparov had to win with Black; he chose the QGD and succeeded.
Carlsen – Anand, World Championship 2013, Game 5 – Carlsen used the Exchange Variation to grind out a trademark end-game win.

Interesting Facts

In early manuals the line was called simply “Queen’s Pawn Game, Center Countered by …e6.” The modern name settled in the 1920s.
Despite being “declined,” Black still occasionally captures on c4 later, leading to rich IQP positions.
Computers rate the QGD as one of the most resilient openings: success rates for both sides hover near 50 % at master level.

Mini-Demonstration

– a typical “Slow Slav” structure transitioning from the QGD.

Chigorin Defense

Definition

Named after the great Russian master Mikhail Chigorin, the Chigorin Defense appears after 1. d4 d5 2. c4 Nc6. Instead of supporting the pawn on d5 with …e6 or …c6, Black develops a knight, aiming for rapid piece activity at the cost of a potentially weak d-pawn and less stable structure.

Main Ideas

Pressure on d4: …Nc6 and …Bg4 can pin and attack White’s center immediately.
Unbalanced Play: By eschewing …e6, Black keeps the light-square bishop free and invites imbalanced pawn structures.
Early …e5 or …dxc4: Black often challenges the center directly rather than maintaining tension.

Typical Continuations

3. Nc3 Nf6 4. cxd5 Nxd5 – the most critical line, leaving Black with an IQP but active pieces.
3. Nf3 Bg4 – pinning the knight, eyeing d4.
3. cxd5 Qxd5 – queen development combined with pressure on d4 and c4.

Strategic & Historical Significance

Chigorin employed the defense repeatedly against Steinitz in the 1890 World Championship. Although ultimately unsuccessful, the idea influenced later hyper-modern concepts:

Flexibility over classical pawn chains.
Value of piece play versus strict adherence to center occupation.

Notable Games

Chigorin – Steinitz, Havana 1890 (the debut on a grand stage).
Short – Kasparov, Linares 1993: Kasparov used the defense as Black to beat a top grandmaster in just 31 moves.
Nakamura – Morozevich, Tal Memorial 2012, featuring an ultra-sharp …e5 break on move 5.

Interesting Facts

The Chigorin Defense is one of the very few d-pawn openings where both Black knights can land on c6 and f6 without the move …e6.
The ECO code range is D07–D09, overlapping directly with some Queen’s Gambit Declined entries.
Modern engines evaluate the opening as roughly equal, but practical results favour the better-prepared player.

Mini-Demonstration

– a central clash typical of the Chigorin.

Lazard Gambit (in the Chigorin Defense)

Definition

The Lazard Gambit is a sharp sub-variation of the Chigorin Defense: 1. d4 d5 2. c4 Nc6 3. Nc3 e5!?. By immediately striking at the center and offering a pawn, Black seeks rapid development, open lines, and tactical chances reminiscent of the Danish and Scotch gambits. The line is named after the French master Frédéric Lazard, who analysed and popularised it in the 1920s.

Critical Lines

4. cxd5 Nxd4 5. e3 Bb4 – Black sacrifices a second pawn for piece activity and pressure on c3 and d5.
4. dxe5 d4! – a pawn wedge that drives away White’s knight and opens the long diagonal for the bishop on c8.
4. Nxd5 Nxd4 – a wild line where both sides ignore material count in favour of initiative.

Strategic Themes

Tempo over Material: Black gambits a pawn to seize the initiative.
Piece Coordination: Knights on c6 and d4, bishop on b4 or b4+, and queen on h4 or g5 often appear rapidly.
King Safety: Both sides’ kings can remain in the center for many moves, leading to tactical melees.

Model Game

Lazard – Réti, Paris 1924 (analysis session) is regarded as the “showcase”:

Practical Usage

Seen occasionally in correspondence and online blitz where surprise value is high.
Rare in elite OTB play; still, grandmasters such as Morozevich and Jobava have tried it in rapid events.

Interesting Facts & Anecdotes

Frédéric Lazard was more famous as a composer of chess problems than as a tournament player; the gambit reflects his love of creativity.
The line was almost forgotten until databases made it easy to revive off-beat openings; its win-rate in online blitz is substantially higher than in classical play.
Because the ECO code (D07) overlaps with other Chigorin systems, some books label the gambit simply “3…e5” without a formal name, causing occasional confusion among students.

Evaluation

Modern engine assessments hover around +0.6 to +0.9 for White after best play, indicating objective risk for Black, yet the complications can easily tilt a practical game.