Opening family
Modern Defense Lines and Variations
The Modern Defense family contains 39 named lines in this opening book, spanning ECO A04 to B27. Use this page as the map, then open individual lines for exact move orders and diagrams.
How to study this family
White
White should use the move order as a checkpoint: finish development, identify the central break, and compare the continuations below before memorizing moves.
Black
Black should ask what White is threatening in the center, then choose development moves that prepare a clean pawn break or a useful exchange.
Start with the shortest line, then branch to the variations that change the pawn structure or tactical target. Memorizing every branch before understanding the family plan is usually wasted work.
Main named lines
- B06 · Modern Defense
- B06 · Modern Defense
- B06 · Modern Defense: Fianchetto Gambit
- B06 · Modern Defense: Norwegian Defense
- A40 · Modern Defense: Lizard Defense, Pirc-Diemer Gambit
- B06 · Modern Defense: Bishop Attack
- B06 · Modern Defense: Standard Line
- B06 · Modern Defense: Three Pawns Attack
- B06 · Modern Defense: Westermann Gambit
- B06 · Modern Defense: Wind Gambit
- A41 · Modern Defense
- A41 · Modern Defense: Neo-Modern Defense
- B06 · Modern Defense: Bishop Attack, Bücker Gambit
- B06 · Modern Defense: Lizard Defense, Mittenberger Gambit
- B06 · Modern Defense: Modern Pterodactyl
- B06 · Modern Defense: Mongredien Defense, with Nc3
- B06 · Modern Defense: Mongredien Defense, with Nf3
- B06 · Modern Defense: Standard Defense
- A42 · Modern Defense: Averbakh System
- B06 · Modern Defense: Pseudo-Austrian Attack
- B06 · Modern Defense: Two Knights Variation
- B07 · Modern Defense: Geller's System
- A04 · Modern Defense: Semi-Averbakh Variation, Polish Variation
- A04 · Modern Defense: Semi-Averbakh Variation, Pterodactyl Variation
Deep theory branches
- 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 d6 4. Nf3 c6 5. Bg5 Qb6 6. Qd2 Qxb2 — Modern Defense: Two Knights Variation, Suttles Variation, Tal Gambit
- 1. Nf3 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. e4 d6 4. c4 c5 5. dxc5 Qa5+ — Modern Defense: Semi-Averbakh Variation, Pterodactyl Variation Accepted
- 1. d4 g6 2. c4 Bg7 3. Nc3 c5 4. d5 Bxc3+ 5. bxc3 f5 — Modern Defense: Beefeater Variation
- 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. c4 d5 4. exd5 c6 5. dxc6 Bxd4 — Modern Defense: Dunworthy Variation
- 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 c6 4. f4 d5 5. e5 h5 — Modern Defense: Gurgenidze Defense
- 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Nh6 3. Nc3 f5 4. Bxh6 Bxh6 5. exf5 O-O — Modern Defense: Masur Gambit
- 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. c4 c5 4. Nf3 d6 5. Be2 Qa5+ — Modern Defense: Semi-Averbakh Variation, Pterodactyl Variation Declined
- 1. d4 g6 2. c4 Bg7 3. e4 d6 4. Be3 Nf6 5. f3 — Modern Defense: Averbakh Variation, Pseudo-Sämisch
- 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 c6 4. Bc4 d6 5. Qe2 — Modern Defense: Anti-Modern
- 1. Nf3 c5 2. c4 g6 3. d4 Bg7 4. e4 Qb6 — Modern Defense: Semi-Averbakh Variation, Polish Variation
- 1. Nf3 c5 2. c4 g6 3. d4 Bg7 4. e4 Qa5+ — Modern Defense: Semi-Averbakh Variation, Pterodactyl Variation
- 1. d4 g6 2. c4 Bg7 3. Nc3 d6 4. e4 Nc6 — Modern Defense: Kotov Variation
- 1. d4 g6 2. c4 Bg7 3. Nc3 d6 4. e4 f5 — Modern Defense: Randspringer Variation
- 1. e4 g6 2. Bc4 Bg7 3. Qf3 e6 4. d4 Bxd4 — Modern Defense: Bishop Attack, Monkey's Bum
- 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Nf6 3. e5 Nh5 4. Be2 d6 — Modern Defense: Norwegian Defense, Norwegian Gambit
- 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 c6 4. Nf3 d6 — Modern Defense: Two Knights Variation, Suttles Variation