The Modern Defense in 3D

01

Watch the idea unfold.

Play the guided film, or select a scene to pause and study its position.

Setting up the board…

Opening

The Modern Defense in 3D

1.e4 g6. Black fianchettoes the king's bishop and delays ...Nf6, letting White build a centre and then attacking it with ...d6, ...c5 or ...c6.

White moveBlack moveThreatSupport / safe squarePlan

1 / 14

Follow the idea

14 scenes · Select any scene to study it at your pace.

02

Put the idea on the board.

Rebuild the sequence yourself. The board responds to each move, and hints are available.

Preparing your chess set…

Click or drag to move · Arrow keys + Enter to play

Your turn · white to play

Play the opening sequence

Play White's moves from the demonstration. Black replies automatically. Use a hint when you need a reminder.

0 of 6 moves practisedYour move

Select a piece, then its destination. Switch to 2D for a clear overhead view or rotate the 3D board to explore the position.

Position 1 of 1Understand why →

03

What to carry into your next game.

Modern Defense: Two Knights Variation, Suttles Variation, Tal Gambit, move by move: e4 g6 d4 Bg7 Nc3 d6 Nf3 c6 …

The white pieces

Your plan as White

Take the centre with d4, Nc3 and often f4 or Be3, without overextending. A quick Qd2 and Bh6 to trade Black's fianchettoed bishop is a common attacking plan.

The black pieces

Your plan as Black

Hit White's centre from the side with ...c5, or with ...c6 and ...d5. Queenside expansion with ...a6 and ...b5 gains space while White commits in the centre.

Look a little deeper · 01

The usual setup is ...g6, ...Bg7 and ...d6, with the knights kept flexible. Without an early ...Nf6, Black avoids e4-e5 hitting a knight and can choose between ...c6, ...a6 and ...b5, or ...c5 plans.

Look a little deeper · 02

After the Standard Line, 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 d6, White chooses between 4.f4 (the Pseudo-Austrian Attack), 4.Nf3 (the Two Knights Variation) or Be3 with Qd2 and long castling.

Look a little deeper · 03

The Gurgenidze Defense, 3.Nc3 c6 4.f4 d5 5.e5 h5, shows a different structure: Black closes the centre and builds on the light squares.

Look a little deeper · 04

Because Black has not committed the knight to f6, the Modern often transposes to the Pirc, or, if White plays c4, to King's Indian or Averbakh structures.

Modern Defense: Two Knights Variation, Suttles Variation, Tal Gambit, move by move: e4 g6 d4 Bg7 Nc3 d6 Nf3 c6 …

Explore the opening Next: The Italian Game

Keyboard: Space pauses, the arrow keys step. Gold arrows are White's moves, violet are Black's, red rays are threats, green shows support, blue shows plans.