We estimated the relative role of various chloride binding sites in determining the oxygen affinity of hemoglobin using abnormal hemoglobins such as Hb York (Hb Y) (alpha 2 beta 2(146)Pro), Hb Malmö (Hb M) (alpha 2 beta 2(97)Gln), and Hb S and chemically modified hemoglobins such as cross-linked Hb S, Hb Y, and asymmetrical SY hemoglobin with bis(3,5-dibromosalicyl)fumarate. The chloride effect on the p50 values of Hb S and Hb M was identical to that of Hb A. In contrast, the effect of chloride on the p50 values of Hb Y was only 20% of that of Hb A. Cross-linking between the two beta 82 lysyl residues with fumarate decreased the chloride effect by 40%. The effect of chloride on cross-linked Hb Y, in which both beta 82 lysyl and beta 146 histidyl residues were modified, was unchanged from that on Hb Y (20% of Hb A). The effect of chloride on the p50 value of SY asymmetrical hybrid hemoglobin was 40% of that of Hb A or Hb S, which is midway between the values obtained for cross-linked Hb S and Hb Y. From these results, the contribution of beta 146 His and beta 82 Lys on oxygen affinity by binding of chloride was calculated to be 40% each; the remaining 20% chloride effect was attributed to alpha 1 Val.