Modern Defense B06
B — Semi-open games · Family: Modern Defense
1. e4 g6
The Modern Defense (1.e4 g6) is radical flexibility: Black delays defining the center, fianchettoes the king's bishop and waits to strike with ...d5, ...c5, ...e5 or ...Nf6 depending on White's setup. Together with the Pirc it forms the flexible g6-system family beloved by club fighters and confirmed hypermodernists.
White's main setups: the Austrian Attack (f4, Nc3, c4) with a space grip and attacking chances, the so-called 150 Attack (Be3, Qd2, h4-h5 ideas aimed at the g6-bishop's king) and classical d4 systems. Black's counterplay comes from accurate central pawn breaks once White commits. The Modern demands understanding and gives back maximal imbalance — the opponent's preparation matters little when the position is undefined.
Play through the moves on the board above, explore the variations tree below — click any move of any branch — then test yourself against the engine from the position you picked.
- Position after 2 half-moves — White to move.
- Material is balanced.
- Family “Modern Defense” contains 39 recorded variation(s) here.
Variations tree of the Modern Defense family
Click any move to jump to that position; switch branches at any point with the alternative moves. Test your knowledge plays the shown position against the engine.
Variations of this family
| Name | ECO | Main line length |
|---|---|---|
| Modern Defense: Semi-Averbakh Variation, Polish Variation | A04 | 8 plies |
| Modern Defense: Semi-Averbakh Variation, Pterodactyl Variation | A04 | 8 plies |
| Modern Defense: Semi-Averbakh Variation, Pterodactyl Variation Accepted | A04 | 10 plies |
| Modern Defense: Beefeater Variation | A40 | 10 plies |
| Modern Defense: Lizard Defense, Pirc-Diemer Gambit | A40 | 5 plies |
| Modern Defense | A41 | 6 plies |
| Modern Defense: Neo-Modern Defense | A41 | 6 plies |
| Modern Defense: Averbakh System | A42 | 7 plies |
| Modern Defense: Averbakh Variation, Pseudo-Sämisch | A42 | 9 plies |
| Modern Defense: Kotov Variation | A42 | 8 plies |
| Modern Defense: Randspringer Variation | A42 | 8 plies |
| Modern Defense | B06 | 4 plies |
Related puzzles
Lichess tactics played in this opening — solve them right on the board:
Related openings
Nearby ECO codes in the B — Semi-open games volume — compare the move orders: