Modern Defense
1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 d6 · B06
Starting positionWhite to move
0 / 12
The bishop comes out before the plan exists
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The idea
Black fianchettoes on move one and delays the knights entirely, keeping every structure available and inviting White to overreach.
Main line: 1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 d6 4.f4 Nf6 5.Nf3 O-O 6.Bd3 Na6
What White wants
- Take the centre and decide whether to attack with f4 or play quietly
- Develop with Bd3, Nf3 and O-O and press the kingside
- Watch for ...c5 and ...e5 breaks and the g7 bishop's diagonal
What Black wants
- Fianchetto first and choose the knight setup afterwards
- Hit the centre with ...c5 or ...e5 once White commits
- Keep the position flexible — the Modern is a system, not a line
Key idea
Understand this and the moves stop needing to be memorised.
The bishop comes out before the plan exists
...g6 and ...Bg7 give Black a piece on the long diagonal and complete freedom to choose the pawn structure later. The cost is that White gets the whole centre for free and can attack on either wing.
Common mistake
Assuming a broad centre means every exchange favours White. After e5 dxe5 fxe5, ...Nd5 can offer a knight trade and bring the queen into play. Calculate what remains of the centre and finish development before committing more pawns.
Mistake example: Qxd5.
Representative position
The position this opening is aiming at. Copy the FEN, or open it in the analysis board and let the engine tell you what it is worth.
r1bq1rk1/ppp1ppbp/n2p1np1/8/3PPP2/2NB1N2/PPP3PP/R1BQK2R w KQ - 5 7
Analyze this positionVariations
1 line branching from here.