Modern Defense
What is the Modern Defense?
The Modern Defense is a chess opening that begins with 1. e4 g6. It is classified under ECO A04–B27 and has 39 named variations. Black chooses it with the move g6.
Moves: 1. e4 g6
ECO: A04–B27
Chosen by: Black
Main variations
1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7
1. e4 g6 2. d4 f5
1. e4 g6 2. d4 Nf6
1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Bc4
1. d4 g6 2. h4 Nf6 3. h5
1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3
All 39 variations
| ECO | Variation | Moves |
|---|---|---|
| B06 | Main line | 1. e4 g6 |
| B06 | Main line | 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 |
| B06 | Fianchetto Gambit | 1. e4 g6 2. d4 f5 |
| B06 | Norwegian Defense | 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Nf6 |
| B06 | Bishop Attack | 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Bc4 |
| A40 | Lizard Defense, Pirc-Diemer Gambit | 1. d4 g6 2. h4 Nf6 3. h5 |
| B06 | Standard Line | 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 |
| B06 | Three Pawns Attack | 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. f4 |
| B06 | Westermann Gambit | 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Bd2 |
| B06 | Wind Gambit | 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Bd3 |
| A41 | Main line | 1. d4 g6 2. c4 Bg7 3. Nc3 d6 |
| B06 | Bishop Attack, Bücker Gambit | 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Bc4 b5 |
| B06 | Lizard Defense, Mittenberger Gambit | 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 d5 |
| B06 | Modern Pterodactyl | 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 c5 |
| B06 | Mongredien Defense, with Nc3 | 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 b6 |
| B06 | Mongredien Defense, with Nf3 | 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nf3 b6 |
| A41 | Neo-Modern Defense | 1. d4 g6 2. c4 Bg7 3. e4 e5 |
| B06 | Standard Defense | 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 d6 |
| A42 | Averbakh System | 1. d4 g6 2. c4 Bg7 3. Nc3 d6 4. e4 |
| B07 | Geller's System | 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nf3 d6 4. c3 |
| B06 | Pseudo-Austrian Attack | 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 d6 4. f4 |
| B06 | Two Knights Variation | 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 d6 4. Nf3 |
| B06 | Bishop Attack, Monkey's Bum | 1. e4 g6 2. Bc4 Bg7 3. Qf3 e6 4. d4 Bxd4 |
| A42 | Kotov Variation | 1. d4 g6 2. c4 Bg7 3. Nc3 d6 4. e4 Nc6 |
| B06 | Norwegian Defense, Norwegian Gambit | 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Nf6 3. e5 Nh5 4. Be2 d6 |
| B27 | Pterodactyl Variation | 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 g6 3. d4 Bg7 4. Nc3 Qa5 |
| A42 | Randspringer Variation | 1. d4 g6 2. c4 Bg7 3. Nc3 d6 4. e4 f5 |
| A04 | Semi-Averbakh Variation, Polish Variation | 1. Nf3 c5 2. c4 g6 3. d4 Bg7 4. e4 Qb6 |
| A04 | Semi-Averbakh Variation, Pterodactyl Variation | 1. Nf3 c5 2. c4 g6 3. d4 Bg7 4. e4 Qa5+ |
| B06 | Two Knights Variation, Suttles Variation | 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 c6 4. Nf3 d6 |
| B06 | Anti-Modern | 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 c6 4. Bc4 d6 5. Qe2 |
| A42 | Averbakh Variation, Pseudo-Sämisch | 1. d4 g6 2. c4 Bg7 3. e4 d6 4. Be3 Nf6 5. f3 |
| A40 | Beefeater Variation | 1. d4 g6 2. c4 Bg7 3. Nc3 c5 4. d5 Bxc3+ 5. bxc3 f5 |
| B06 | Dunworthy Variation | 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. c4 d5 4. exd5 c6 5. dxc6 Bxd4 |
| B06 | Gurgenidze Defense | 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 c6 4. f4 d5 5. e5 h5 |
| B06 | Masur Gambit | 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Nh6 3. Nc3 f5 4. Bxh6 Bxh6 5. exf5 O-O |
| A04 | Semi-Averbakh Variation, Pterodactyl Variation Accepted | 1. Nf3 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. e4 d6 4. c4 c5 5. dxc5 Qa5+ |
| B06 | Semi-Averbakh Variation, Pterodactyl Variation Declined | 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. c4 c5 4. Nf3 d6 5. Be2 Qa5+ |
| B06 | Two Knights Variation, Suttles Variation, Tal Gambit | 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 d6 4. Nf3 c6 5. Bg5 Qb6 6. Qd2 Qxb2 |
How to learn an opening
Learn the ideas before the moves: where the pieces go, which pawn breaks matter and what the typical middlegame plans are. Then play it, and after each game look up the point where you or your opponent left the known moves. MentoChess shows that point automatically for every game you import.
Opening lessons: Three golden opening rules · Scholar’s mate and how to stop it · Italian Game: plans, not just moves · Answering 1.d4: the Queen’s Gambit Declined · Meeting the Sicilian with 2.c3 · From moves to structures