The Modern Defense - flexible Chess Opening

The Modern Defense is a chess opening against e4 and begins normally with the moves 1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7. This opening is related to the Pirc Defense. The difference is that in the Pirc-Defense Black develops his king-knight to f6. But in the Modern, it is not quite sure if the knight will go there at all. In fact nothing seems to sure here. Remarkable is that the bishop on g7 exercises pressure at the d4-pawn which will be enforced by the pawn-move c5 later on.

Black does nothing to stop White from occupying the center with pawns. He will later on undermine and attack the pawn formation in the center. This is a more positional play where you don't have to be afraid to run into prepared opening variations from White. The opening is very flexible and leaves room for maneuvers of all kinds.

If you are Black and don't like to learn much chess theorie in general this opening will be right for you. You just learn certain patterns and maneuvers that occur frequently in this opening and in the middle game. The Modern is hard to beat because it is pretty tough and extreme flexible.

F4 Variation - a complex aggressive Struggle

Nf3 Variation - a positional Struggle

Games

Return from Modern Defence to Opening Chess Moves