Modern Defense

• At a glance

  Modern Defense

  325 games, 92.6%: Hikaru's defense against 1.e4 and 1.d4 alike. A c-pawn that hits d4, and a g7 bishop he only gives up for a pawn structure.

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

• The big idea

  Your games: 271× · you score 91%

  With 1…g6 and 2…Bg7, Hikaru lets White build a center, then hits it. The g7 bishop eyes d4 from move two, and the c-pawn very often joins in.

• The big idea

  Your games: 3× · you score 67%

  325 games, 92.6%: one of his most played defenses.

• The big idea

  Your games: 25× · you score 90%

  The dossier flags only one recurring move that Stockfish disputes, 5…Qxc5 against 5.Nf3, and the course shows what the engine plays instead.

• The big idea

  Your games: 169× · you score 92%

  The thread of the course: …c5 against 3.Nc3, …Nh5 against 4.Be3 and e5, …b5 against queenside castling, …Bxc3+ when White's c-pawns can be doubled, and …Bh3 against the fianchetto.

• Principle

  Hit d4 with the c-pawn

  Your games: 67× · you score 91%

  The g7 bishop eyes d4 from move two. …c5 adds a pawn: White has to take, push or defend right away.

• Principle

  Guard c7 when the knight lands on d5

  Your games: 11× · you score 82%

  After 5.Bd2 Qxc5 6.Nd5, c7 is the weak point. The queen has to keep guarding it, even when Bb4 chases her.

• Principle

  Use the pinned knight

  Your games: 10× · you score 65%

  When White doesn't cover c3 with Bd2, …Bxc3+ takes the pinned knight and doubles the c-pawns.

• Principle

  Give up the g7 bishop only for a structure

  Your games: 6× · you score 100%

  …Bxc3+ is worth it when it leaves two doubled c-pawns that no pawn can defend anymore. Otherwise, the g7 bishop stays Black's best piece.

• Principle

  Stop the h-pawn at once

  Against Be3, Qd2 and queenside castling, h4 is White's first weapon. …h5 stops it before it opens the h-file.

• Imbalance

  Space against targets

  Your games: 169× · you score 92%

  White has the center. Black has a g7 bishop aimed at d4 and pawns ready to strike at that center.

• Imbalance

  A pawn against the dark squares

  After …Bxc3+ and …Qxc5, Black is a pawn up, but has no bishop left to guard the dark squares around the king.

• Imbalance

  Kings on opposite wings

  Your games: 3× · you score 67%

  Against White's queenside castling, Black attacks on the queenside with …b5 while White pushes the h-pawn. Every tempo counts.

• The trade-off

  What you gain

  • One simple plan against almost everything: hit d4.
  • Structures where White's c-pawns become targets.
  • Unbalanced positions, always with a plan to follow.
• The trade-off

  What you give up

  • After 5.Bd2 Qxc5 6.Nd5, White gains time against the queen.
  • Giving up the g7 bishop weakens the dark squares around the king.
  • Against queenside castling, the race is decided by a single tempo.
• 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 16: Modern Defense

Use the left and right arrow keys to change cards.