Chigorin Defense According to Jobava + PGN June 19, 2025

We are thrilled to present Chigorin Defense According to Jobava – the latest addition to our Legendary Openings series. In this fascinating course, GM Baadur Jobava breathes new life into the once-dismissed Chigorin Defense, offering a full, aggressive repertoire for Black after 1.d4 d5 2.c4 Nc6.

For years, the Chigorin was viewed as an offbeat, borderline-dubious choice—an opening where Black voluntarily breaks traditional positional rules. But the times have changed. With the help of modern engines and creative minds like GM Jobava’s, old evaluations are being overturned.

GM Grigor Grigorov shares his perspective:
“For a long time, the Chigorin Defense was considered a dubious sideline—tactically risky and positionally unsound. But this course reveals that with modern preparation and deep strategic insight, those assumptions no longer hold. The combination of engine power and human creativity has completely reshaped the theoretical landscape. For me, the most groundbreaking discovery is that the Carlsbad structure—arising after 1.d4 d5 2.c4 Nc6 3.Nf3 e6 4.Nc3 Nf6 5.cxd5 exd5—is not only playable, but highly dynamic for Black. This revitalizes the Tango move order (1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 Nc6 3.Nf3 e6) as well. What impressed me most is how convincingly the course deals with White’s most ambitious tries. It’s a harmonious blend of strategic depth and tactical richness.”

In this course, you will:

✅ Discover how modern engines fully endorse the knight on c6, once thought to be a positional misstep.
✅ Learn sharp, aggressive systems that avoid stale symmetry and allow Black to fight for the initiative.
✅ Understand how the Chigorin Defense can be reached through the Tango move order, adding flexibility to your repertoire.
✅ See how to punish the opponent’s unfamiliarity with these rare structures—and win not just practically, but stylishly.

🧩 Course Features:

• 12 Theoretical Chapters

• 20 Interactive Test Positions

• Memory Booster

• Video Version (2h 44min)

Whether you’re looking to surprise your opponents or explore a deeply creative alternative to mainstream openings, this course is a strategic revolution—crafted by one of the most original minds in modern chess.