Play the Queen's Pawn Game: Chigorin Variation, Anti-Veresov as Black

This opening asks Black to solve a very direct problem: White has a compact queen’s-pawn setup, and your bishop move has been committed early. The engine verdict is not subtle — the position favours White, and it stays that way unless you know the best replies.

The practical goal is simple: keep your pieces coordinated, avoid drifting into passive defence, and be ready for White’s most natural developing moves. In this drill, you are not trying to “win the opening”; you are trying to stay solid in a line where your opponent already has the upper hand.

The engine’s best move here is f3, and the continuation given is f3 Bc8 e4 e6. That tells you what Black is often fighting against: White expands in the centre and forces you to react cleanly.

For training purposes, focus on the defensive theme rather than the exact move order. When White chooses the most direct option, your task is to keep the bishop safe, stay flexible, and avoid making the position easier for White than it already is.

In 137,040 games at this exact position, the most common continuations are Bf4, f3, h3, Nf3, Qd3, and e4. That is a useful clue: White is usually aiming for development, pressure, or a central push rather than a slow manoeuvre.

The most-played move is Bf4 with 47,601 games, and f3 is also very common with 34,611 games. h3 appears in 28,604 games, while Nf3 and Qd3 are less frequent. The rare e4 option stands out because it is not just unusual — it is the move you most want to understand how to punish.

There are clear practical mistakes in this position. Nf3 is an inaccuracy and loses about 0.6 pawns, with f3 better. Qd3 is also an inaccuracy and loses about 0.6 pawns, again with f3 better. e4 is much worse: it is a blunder and loses about 6.9 pawns, with f3 better.

That means you should stay alert whenever White plays too casually in the centre. If your opponent chooses one of these weaker continuations, the drill is about recognising that White has drifted and then meeting the position with calm, accurate defence rather than overreacting.

This opening usually leads to a position where White has the easier game and Black has to work for equality. The numbers back that up: White wins 47.7%, draws 3.6%, and Black wins 48.8% across the database sample, so the result is still fighting chess, but the engine’s verdict remains clearly in White’s favour.

That is exactly why this line is worth training. If you play Black here, you are learning how to survive a slightly unpleasant opening structure, meet central pressure, and keep the game playable without giving White extra help.