Modern Defense

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Overview

Modern Defense is a variation within the Semi-Open Games family, indexed as ECO B06.

The Semi-Open Games group covers semi-open games — replies to 1.e4 where Black declines the symmetrical 1…e5 in favour of an asymmetric pawn structure.

Play reaches this position via 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7, after 4 plies of opening development.

It is a variation of Modern Defense, which itself descends from the root opening King's Pawn Game.

It is the root of 15 named variations, with Bishop Attack, Dunworthy Variation, Geller's System, and others among the most studied.

Below the direct variations, the full subtree contains 35 documented sub-variations.

Step through the moves on the interactive board below, review the live Lichess statistics, or play this position against Stockfish at one of six difficulty levels.

ECO code: B06
Group: Semi-Open Games (B)
Plies: 4
Parent: Modern Defense
Direct variations: 15
Total in subtree: 35

This overview is generated automatically from the opening's metadata. Know this line well? Write a description — submissions are reviewed before publishing.

Statistics from Lichess

26,725,640 games · White 49.7% / Draw 4.6% / Black 45.7%

Moves	Games	W / D / B
Nf3	8,350,213
Nc3	4,947,433
Be3	2,637,273
c3	2,511,431
e5	2,479,603
f4	2,248,582
c4	2,127,818
Bc4	516,929

Source: Lichess Opening Explorer · cached 2026-09-26 00:59:10

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Variations (15)

Show all 35 sub-variations (full subtree)

Overview

Statistics from Lichess

Variations (15)

Related variations at the same level