Chess opening · ECO B06
Modern Defense
The Modern Defense starts 1. e4 g6. It ranks #30 of the 174 openings on this site by how often rated players on Lichess reach it.
Move by move
- 1. e4White pushes the e-pawn two squares to e4, staking a claim in the center.
- 1... g6Black advances the g-pawn to g6.
What players choose next, by rating
The three most common White moves from this position in rated Lichess games, grouped by the rating of the player making the move. d4 is the most popular next move in every rating band.
| Rating | Most common | Second | Third |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 1200 | d4 29% | Nf3 23% | Bc4 16% |
| 1200–1399 | d4 35% | Nf3 24% | Bc4 12% |
| 1400–1599 | d4 39% | Nf3 26% | Bc4 12% |
| 1600–1799 | d4 52% | Nf3 22% | Bc4 9% |
| 1800–1999 | d4 64% | Nf3 16% | f4 8% |
| 2000 and up | d4 82% | Nf3 9% | Nc3 3% |
Related openings
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