Chigorin Defense (Two Knights Defense) (C59) in the Italian Game
In the last few years, the elite players have been using more and more the Italian Game, namely 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4.
In most of the games I have seen, black replies 3...Bc5, and we have seen many games in which White goes for a d3 system, which is known as the Giouco Pianissimo, instead of Giouco Piano, which arises after 3...Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d4.
My curiosity is awakened to the fact that I have not seen the Chigorin Defense, also known as the Two Knights Defense, played too often!
Mikhail Chigorin
I shall post a selection of games, and add comments in the next few days. Mostly, I am interested in games in which Black wins, validating Chigorin's idea....he played this line against Steinitz in their WC match, which is why, I believe, his name is attached to this variation, although he is certainly not the originator of it.
Daniel Harrwitz
Adolf Anderssen
Ignatz Von Kolisch
Howard Staunton
Emil Schallopp
Semion Alapin
Emmanuel Schiffers
Henry Edward Bird
Isidor Gunsberg
Jackson Whipps Showalter
Emanuel Lasker
Rudolf Rezso Charousek
José Raúl Capablanca
Ilya Rabinovich Levenfish
Spielmann Eliskases
Vasja Pirc
Ragozin Geller
Ciocaltea Nezhmetdinov
Honfi Tal
Hartoch Bisguier
Ljubojevic Van der Sterren
David Bronstein
Grischuk Malaniuk
Kosintseva Dronavalli
Jan Gustafsson
