Modern Defence

Play as BlackDefence

Black lets White take the center and then undermines it from the flanks.

The main line, move by move

1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 d6 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. Be2 O-O 6. O-O

1. 1. e4 — Claim the center and open lines for the queen and bishop.
2. 1... g6 — The Modern: prepare to fianchetto the bishop and let White build the center.
3. 2. d4 — Build a big center.
4. 2... Bg7 — Brings the bishop into the game.
5. 3. Nc3 — Brings the knight into the game.
6. 3... d6 — Prepare to develop the knights and hit the center later.
7. 4. Nf3 — Brings the knight into the game.
8. 4... Nf6 — Brings the knight into the game.
9. 5. Be2 — Brings the bishop into the game.
10. 5... O-O — Castle: your king gets safe and a rook joins the game.
11. 6. O-O — Castle: your king gets safe and a rook joins the game.

Related openings

• Sicilian Defense (Najdorf)
• French Defense
• Caro-Kann Defense
• Scandinavian Defense
• Pirc Defense

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