Modern Defense

• At a glance

  Modern Defense

  419 games, 57.6%: GMHess's Modern. The g7 bishop, …c5 right away, then the capture on c3 against the doubled pawns.

  15 cards, one idea each. Swipe to move on.

• The big idea

  Your games: 235× · you score 57%

  1…g6 and 2…Bg7, then 3…c5: GMHess hits d4 without waiting. Against 4.dxc5 or 4.d5, he takes the c3 knight and plays against the doubled c-pawns.

• The big idea

  Your games: 156× · you score 58%

  419 games, 231 wins, 21 draws and 167 losses, for 57.6%. Stockfish gives White about a 0.9 edge after 3…c5, and it disputes the capture 4…Bxc3+ against 4.d5.

• The big idea

  Your games: 5× · you score 80%

  Yet GMHess scores 63% there in 49 games.

• The big idea

  Your games: 63× · you score 53%

  The thread of the course: the queen on a5 against the c-pawns, the center blocked by …d6 once the g7 bishop is gone, the knight on h5 against e5, then the quieter lines after 3.Nf3 and 2.c4.

• Principle

  …c5 against d4

  Your games: 156× · you score 58%

  The g7 bishop and the c5 pawn aim at d4 together. White has to choose right away: take, advance or defend.

• Principle

  The doubled pawns as a target

  Your games: 56× · you score 56%

  After …Bxc3+ and bxc3, the c-pawns are doubled and isolated. 5…Qa5 attacks c3 and c5 at the same time.

• Principle

  Without the g7 bishop, close the center

  Your games: 49× · you score 63%

  Once the g7 bishop is gone, …d6 blocks the center. The two white bishops then have fewer open lines.

• Principle

  Against e5, the knight on h5

  Your games: 13× · you score 54%

  Chased by e5, the knight goes to h5. Then …d6 attacks the advanced pawn.

• Imbalance

  The g7 bishop for a structure

  Your games: 49× · you score 63%

  Black gives up the dark-squared bishop. In return, White's c-pawns are doubled, but White keeps the bishop pair and the space.

• Imbalance

  An extra pawn against two weak pawns

  Your games: 58× · you score 55%

  After 4.dxc5, White keeps the c5 pawn for a while. But c3 and c5 are isolated, and the black queen attacks both.

• Imbalance

  …f5 against the center

  Your games: 14× · you score 61%

  Against 1.d4 and 2.c4, GMHess plays …f5 after the capture on c3: the f5 pawn stops e4. White answers with h4 and h5 against g6.

• The trade-off

  What you gain

  • A clear plan from the third move: …c5, then the capture on c3 against the doubled pawns.
  • Against 4.d5, GMHess scores 63% in 49 games, despite the engine's view.
  • Against 4.dxc5, 5…Qa5 and 7…Qc7 are the engine's moves.
• The trade-off

  What you give up

  • Stockfish gives White about a 0.9 edge as early as 3…c5.
  • Without the g7 bishop, the dark squares are weak: after 4.d5 Bxc3+, White's edge goes past 1.5 according to Stockfish.
  • After 3.Nf3 d6 4.Bc4 e6 5.Bb3 Ne7 6.O-O, 25% in 8 games.
• That's all

  Your turn

  These ideas only stick once you play the moves. The chapters make you find the right ones.

  Start chapter 1

Card 1 of 15: Modern Defense

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