Openings Other answers to 1.e4
Modern Defense (1...g6): Lines, Plans and Stats by Rating
1...g6 lets White build any center and then attacks it from the side. The g7 bishop hits d4 and the pawns stay flexible, so the same setup works against almost anything. The risk is that White simply takes too much space.
B06Modern Defense
Games from this position (1600–1999): 64k
- 1.
- 2.
| Move | Played | Games | White · Draw · Black |
|---|---|---|---|
| 34% | 22k | ||
| 13% | 8,198 | ||
| 11% | 7,168 | ||
| 11% | 7,032 | ||
| 10% | 6,471 | ||
| 9% | 5,676 | ||
| 7% | 4,499 | ||
| 2% | 1,182 | ||
| 0.9% | 548 | ||
| 0.4% | 251 |
Plans for both sides
White
- 3.Nc3 d6 4.Be3 with Qd2, f3 and O-O-O is the most popular plan at 2000+: trade the g7 bishop with Bh6 and attack.
- 3.Nf3 with Be2 or Bc4 and O-O is a quiet, solid setup.
- 3.f4 (Three Pawns Attack) grabs the most space but needs care: Black hits the center with ...c5 or ...d5.
Black
- Usual setup: ...d6 with ...a6 and ...b5, or ...Nd7 and ...c5. Adding ...Nf6 turns it into a Pirc.
- Strike the center with ...c5 or ...e5 once your pieces are out; do not just wait.
- The Hippopotamus (...g6, ...b6, ...Bb7, ...Bg7, ...d6, ...e6, ...Nd7, ...Ne7) is a slow wall that works best against players who overpress.
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Modern Defense at each rating
How often the position after 1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 comes up in rated Lichess games, how it scores and what players answer next.
| Rating | Games (Share of games) | White · Draw · Black | Top next move |
|---|---|---|---|
| <1200 | 11k0.4% | 3.Nf344% | |
| 1200–1599 | 43k0.7% | 3.Nf341% | |
| 1600–1999 | 64k1.0% | 3.Nf334% | |
| 2000+ | 23k1.1% | 3.Nc336% | |
| All | 141k0.8% | 3.Nf335% |
What usually comes next
The most played moves from here, all ratings together. Thicker line = played more often.
Main variations
Black grabs queenside space with ...b5 and ...Bb7 while White prepares O-O-O and Bh6.
305 games from this position (all ratings, any move order). White won 44%, 7% were drawn, Black won 49%.
Show on the board: 1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 d6 4.Be3 a6 5.Qd2 b5Black builds a Caro-Kann-like wall with ...c6 and ...d5; White locks the center with e5.
81 games from this position (all ratings, any move order). White won 48%, 6% were drawn, Black won 46%.
Show on the board: 1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 c6 4.f4 d5 5.e5White takes the whole center. Black hits it with ...c5, or with ...Nf6 and ...O-O first.
6,818 games from this position (all ratings, any move order). White won 49%, 4% were drawn, Black won 47%.
Show on the board: 1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.f4 d6 4.Nf3Black hits d4 at once and often brings the queen to a5.
2,210 games from this position (all ratings, any move order). White won 51%, 4% were drawn, Black won 45%.
Show on the board: 1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 c5Black puts every piece behind the pawns on b6, d6, e6 and g6 and waits for White to overextend.
Too rare in our data for numbers.
Show on the board: 1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nf3 d6 4.Be2 b6 5.O-O Bb7 6.c4 e6 7.Nc3 Nd7White lines up on f7. ...e6 closes the diagonal, and the queen on f3 later becomes a target.
Too rare in our data for numbers.
Show on the board: 1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Bc4 d6 4.Qf3 e6The same setup works against 1.d4. After c4 and Nc3, ...Nf6 leads to a King’s Indian and ...c5 to a Benoni.
13k games from this position (all ratings, any move order). White won 49%, 5% were drawn, Black won 47%.
Show on the board: 1.d4 g6 2.c4 Bg7 3.Nc3 d6 4.e4
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At club level
Below 1600 the most common answer to 2...Bg7 is 3.Nf3, and below 1200 three in ten push 3.e5. At 2000+ 3.Nc3 leads (36%), and after 3...d6 the top choice is 4.Be3 (42%). White scores about 54% after 3.Nc3 d6.
Practice it
The trainer answers with the replies people at your rating choose, in the same proportions, and brings back your mistakes on a schedule.
Related openings
- Scandinavian Defense
1.e4 d5
- Caro-Kann Defense
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5
- French Defense
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5
- Owen Defense
1.e4 b6
- Nimzowitsch Defense
1.e4 Nc6
- Alekhine Defense
1.e4 Nf6