Mikhail Ivanovich Chigorin Михаи́л Ива́нович Чиго́рин 1850 - 1908),was an important Russian chess player, during the years 1883 and 1898 he was one of the five best players in the world, he has been considered as the founder of the Russian imperial school of chess.

He was born near St. Petersburg, where he settled after finishing his studies. He learned to play chess at the age of 16, but was not drawn to the game until after completing his education and taking up a position in the Imperial government.

In 1873 he became passionate about the game, quit his job and became a professional chess player.

His first international tournament was Berlin in 1881, where he finished third. He finished second in the Hastings 1895 tournament ahead of world champions Lasker and Steinitz. Only the winner, Harry Nelson Pillsbury, beat Chigorin. In addition to Richard Teichmann (+8 -3 =1) he had the measure taken but against Lasker (+1 -8 =4) and David Janowski reaped very negative partials (+4 -17 =4).

In Havana (Cuba) he played the World Championship against Wilhelm Steinitz on two occasions, with respectable results: in 1889 he lost 10.5-6.5 and in 1892 he lost 12.5-10.5.

He was a lover of gambits and a great connoisseur of the Evans gambit. Chigorin gave names to different opening variants. The most important was the Chigorin Variation of the Spanish Opening.

He died in Lublin, Poland in 1908, and his remains were transferred to the Saint Petersburg cemetery in 1914.

Coin specification:
Russian, famous people series
Catalogue code: World Coins y704
Issue date: 2000-11-10
Last issue date: 2000-11-10
Distribution: Numismatic Products
Minted at: Goznak Mint, Saint Petersburg, Russia
Composition: Silver
Edge: Fluted/Striped
Orientation: Medal alignment ↑O↑
Circular shape
Border: Raised, not decorated; both faces
Weight: 17 grams
Diameter: 33 mm
Thickness: 2.4 mm
Face value: 2 ₽ - Russian ruble
Known mintage: 5,000
Composition details: 925/1000 Silver 0.5 Oz ASW
Score: 96% Accuracy: Low
Description: Obverse: in the centre - the Emblem of the Bank of Russia (the double-headed eagle designed by I.Bilibin, below - the semicircular inscription - "БАНК РОССИИ" (Bank of Russia) framed by a circle of dots and inscriptions along long the edge: above - "ДВА РУБЛЯ" (Two rubles), at the bottom - "2000", the letters on the left indicate the metal sign and fineness, on the right - the content of fine metal and the mark of mint
The reverse: on the left - the portrait of M. Chigorin, below - the inscription made on a ribbon: "М.И.ЧИГОРИН" (M. Chigorin), on the right - a chessboard with chessmen, below - the dates on two lines "1850" "1908".
The Artist: A.V. Baklanov
Sculptors: A.V.Baklanov, A.A.Dolgopolova
Saint Petersburg (СПМД)
The edge: 195 corrugations