Current position
Modern Defense
1.e4 g6
The Modern Defense starts with 1.e4 g6 and is catalogued under ECO B06, in the semi-open games half of the book. The catalog indexes 39 lines inside it, grouped into 37 named variations, and the position after those moves has 1 playable continuation to walk from here.
Root edges show how often each move is played around your Elo. Use the arrow on a position to reveal the next replies.
Current setup
Move ideas
Claims the center with a pawn and opens lines for the queen and king’s bishop.
Idea: Build quick development and make early castling possible.
Advances the g-pawn to gain kingside space and control new squares.
Idea: Create useful wing space while keeping the central structure flexible.
Advances to d4 to claim central space and control nearby key squares.
Idea: Give the pieces room to develop behind a durable central foothold.
Develops the knight to h6, bringing it into the game.
Idea: Improve piece coordination and clear the back rank for castling and the rooks.
Develops the knight to c3, bringing it into the game.
Idea: Improve piece coordination and clear the back rank for castling and the rooks.
Advances the f-pawn to gain kingside space and control new squares.
Idea: Create useful wing space while keeping the central structure flexible.
Captures the knight on h6 and changes the local pawn or piece balance.
Idea: Remove an active defender and improve the moving piece’s influence.
Captures the bishop on h6 and changes the local pawn or piece balance.
Idea: Remove an active defender and improve the moving piece’s influence.
Waiting for Lichess game popularity.
Each line below is an indexed entry under Modern Defense. Open one to load it on the board and keep exploring from that position.
13 more named lines sit inside this family — the tree above walks all of them.
ECO groups openings by the structures they lead to, so these families tend to share plans with the Modern Defense.