Modern Defense

Main line

1.d4 g6 2.c4 Bg7 3.Nc3 d6 4.e4 e5 5.d5 f5 6.exf5 gxf5 7.Qh5+ Kf8

Diagram shows the position after 6 half-moves of the main line. On SpeakChess you can drill this line move by move — the trainer plays the other side and corrects you instantly, then spaced repetition schedules each variation so you review it right before you would forget it.

Move by move

The first 12 moves of the main line, explained one at a time. Every move of every variation is annotated like this inside the trainer — this page shows the opening moves so you can judge the explanations before signing up.

1. 1.d4 White advances the pawn to d4, taking control of the center right from the start. This strong first move gives the bishops and queen room to develop later.
2. 1...g6 Black pushes the pawn to g6, making space for the bishop to slide out to g7. This is the start of the Modern Defense — Black lets White take the center and then attacks it later.
3. 2.c4 White plays c4, adding a second pawn to the center alongside d4. These two pawns together control a lot of important squares and give White a solid foundation.
4. 2...Bg7 Black develops the bishop to g7, placing it on a long diagonal where it can be very powerful. The bishop on g7 will keep a watchful eye over the center from a distance.
5. 3.Nc3 White brings the knight out to c3, a great central square. From c3 the knight helps support the d4 and e4 pawns and is ready to jump into the action.
6. 3...d6 Black pushes the pawn to d6, making room for pieces to develop and supporting the e5 square. This solid move helps Black build a careful defense before striking back.
7. 4.e4 White advances the pawn to e4, claiming even more space in the center. Now White has pawns on c4, d4, and e4 — a very large pawn center that puts Black under pressure.
8. 4...e5 Black pushes the pawn boldly to e5, striking right at the heart of White's big center. This challenges White's pawns directly and makes the game more exciting.
9. 5.d5 White advances the pawn to d5, closing the center and claiming a lot of space. This pawn march pushes Black's pieces back and limits where they can go.
10. 5...f5 Black pushes the pawn to f5, trying to create some action on the kingside. This aggressive move challenges White's pawn on e4 and shows Black wants to fight back.
11. 6.exf5 White captures the pawn on f5 with exf5, winning a pawn. Black gave up that pawn to open lines, so White must be careful about Black's counterplay.
12. 6...gxf5 Black recaptures on f5 with the g-pawn, taking back the pawn White won. Now the g-file is open, which could help Black's rook or bishop become active later.

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Win rates by rating

Results from real online games, measured after the line shown in each row. Most opening sites show one aggregate number — how an opening scores depends heavily on who is playing it.

Most played continuations (400-600 rating)

After 1.d4 g6:

• e4 — played 28.1% of the time (White wins 42.7%, draws 6.1%, Black wins 51.2%)
• Nf3 — played 13.4% of the time (White wins 35.9%, draws 7.7%, Black wins 56.4%)
• e3 — played 10.6% of the time (White wins 38.7%, draws 3.2%, Black wins 58.1%)

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between the Modern and the Pirc?

The knight on g8. By delaying ...Nf6 the Modern avoids e4-e5 tempo gains, keeps ...f5 available, and can meet c4 setups with a King's Indian feel — but cedes White even more central latitude. Many players use them as one repertoire, choosing the knight's moment by White's setup.

Who should play the Modern Defense?

Experienced counterpunchers who relish unbalanced, plan-driven middlegames and don't mind defending slightly worse positions for winning chances. It is a poor fit for beginners — the position-judgment demands are high — but a lifetime weapon for players who understand when each break works.