The title compound, C(10)H(10)Cl(3)N(3), features a delocalized unsaturated N C N C N chain and strong intra-molecular N-H⋯N hydrogen bonding across the chelate ring and also intra-molecular N-H⋯Cl contacts to a CCl(3)-group Cl atom. The only inter-molecular contacts in the lattice are non-classical hydrogen bonds between methyl and CCl(3) groups. The pseudo-six-membered ring is distinctly non-planar by virtue of rotation about the N-C bond between the carboximidamide and imine components [C-N-C-N torsion angle = -23.6 (2) °].