Modern Defense
You play Black · 24 variations
Mixed practice
The machine picks a different variation every time.
Take a quiz
10 positions: find the next theory move in each. No take-backs, no hints.
Main variations · 2
Other variations · 22
- Semi-Averbakh Variation, Pterodactyl Variation AcceptedA041. Nf3 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. e4 d6 4. c4 c5 5. dxc5 Qa5+5 moves
- Semi-Averbakh Variation, Pterodactyl Variation DeclinedB061. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. c4 c5 4. Nf3 d6 5. Be2 Qa5+5 moves
- Semi-Averbakh Variation, Polish VariationA041. Nf3 c5 2. c4 g6 3. d4 Bg7 4. e4 Qb64 moves
- Semi-Averbakh Variation, Pterodactyl VariationA041. Nf3 c5 2. c4 g6 3. d4 Bg7 4. e4 Qa5+4 moves
- Bishop Attack, Monkey's BumB061. e4 g6 2. Bc4 Bg7 3. Qf3 e6 4. d4 Bxd44 moves
- Bishop Attack, Bücker GambitB061. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Bc4 b53 moves
- Lizard Defense, Mittenberger GambitB061. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 d53 moves
- Lizard Defense, Pirc-Diemer GambitA401. d4 g6 2. h4 Nf6 3. h53 moves
- Mongredien Defense, with Nc3B061. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 b63 moves
- Mongredien Defense, with Nf3B061. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nf3 b63 moves
- Anti-ModernB061. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 c6 4. Bc4 d6 5. Qe25 moves
- Averbakh Variation, Pseudo-SämischA421. d4 g6 2. c4 Bg7 3. e4 d6 4. Be3 Nf6 5. f35 moves
- Beefeater VariationA401. d4 g6 2. c4 Bg7 3. Nc3 c5 4. d5 Bxc3+ 5. bxc3 f55 moves
- Dunworthy VariationB061. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. c4 d5 4. exd5 c6 5. dxc6 Bxd45 moves
- Geller's SystemB071. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nf3 d6 4. c34 moves
- Masur GambitB061. e4 g6 2. d4 Nh6 3. Nc3 f5 4. Bxh6 Bxh6 5. exf5 O-O5 moves
- Modern PterodactylB061. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 c53 moves
- Neo-Modern DefenseA411. d4 g6 2. c4 Bg7 3. e4 e53 moves
- Norwegian Defense, Norwegian GambitB061. e4 g6 2. d4 Nf6 3. e5 Nh5 4. Be2 d64 moves
- Pterodactyl VariationB271. e4 c5 2. Nf3 g6 3. d4 Bg7 4. Nc3 Qa54 moves
- Westermann GambitB061. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Bd23 moves
- Wind GambitB061. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Bd33 moves
What is the Modern Defense?
The Modern Defense begins with 1.e4 g6. Black fianchettoes the king's bishop first and lets White build a broad pawn centre, planning to undermine it later with ...d6 and well-timed pawn breaks. Unlike the Pirc, Black delays ...Nf6, which keeps options such as ...c6 and ...d5, ...a6 and ...b5, or an early ...c5. It is a flexible, hypermodern and slightly provocative opening, less mainstream than the Sicilian or 1.e4 e5 but played at all levels.
Main ideas and plans
A typical start is 1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 d6. Your main breaks are ...e5 and ...c5, which strike at d4, and the queenside expansion ...a6 and ...b5, which gains space and prepares ...Bb7 against e4. Against the aggressive 1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 d6 4.Be3 a6 5.Qd2 b5, White often plans f3, Bh6 and a kingside pawn storm, while you counter on the queenside and in the centre. The Gurgenidze Defense, 1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 c6 4.f4 d5 5.e5 h5, is a completely different idea: you build a solid chain on the light squares, rather like a Caro-Kann, and accept less space in return for a very stable position.
The Pterodactyl lines combine the fianchetto with an early ...c5 and often ...Qa5, putting immediate pressure on the dark squares and the d4 pawn. White can also grab even more space with c4, reaching Averbakh-type positions, or play an early f4; in both cases your counterplay comes from ...c5 or ...e5 combined with knights on c6 or d7. The Bishop Attack, in which White develops the bishop to c4 early and sometimes adds Qf3 against f7, needs specific attention, because natural moves can walk into tactics on f7.
Who is it for?
The Modern suits creative, counterattacking players who are comfortable with less space and like to play for a win from unbalanced positions; it needs less memorisation than mainstream defences but a good feel for timing. The main risk is that White gets a big centre and attacking chances for free if your breaks come too late, especially in the lines with Be3, Qd2 and a kingside pawn storm. Start by learning when to strike with ...c5 or ...e5, and how to handle the Be3 and Qd2 set-up.