Chigorin Variation, Shropshire Defense

The Shropshire Defense is Black's reply 2...h5 to the Chigorin Variation (1. d4 d5 2. Nc3). Rather than developing a piece or stopping e2-e4, Black pushes the rook's pawn. The move does nothing to contest the center and leaves White free to occupy it. White most often answers 3. Bf4, with 3. e4 and 3. Nf3 the next choices. Engines prefer 3. e4 and give White a slight edge. The line is a seldom-played curiosity, and White scores well in it on Lichess.