This defense was developed by the Soviet chess grandmaster Viacheslav Ragozin who contributed much to opening theory for Black to achieve equality in the Queen’s Gambit and Nimzo-Indian. He was also a World Correspondence Chess Champion, popular author, and a sparring partner for Mikhail Botvinnik in his preparation for World Championship matches – Ragozin’s contribution is considered a significant factor in Botvinnik’s success.
Recently, the chess opening has seen a rise back to popularity after players such as Anish Giri and Levon Aronian added it to their repertoire, scoring well with Black.
In this exclusive iChess Club video, part 1 of a 3-part series on the Ragozin, IM Robert Ris takes a look at lines after White plays 5.Qa4.
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