Modern Defense · A41

Neo-Modern Defense

1. d4 g6 2. c4 Bg7 3. e4 e5

The pawns on d4 and e5 stand in direct tension - the first player to resolve it chooses the structure. Black's kingside bishop takes the long diagonal. ...g6 before anything: maximum flexibility, the g7 bishop as the anchor, and the pawn breaks chosen only after White commits.

The first 4 moves, explained

• 1. d4 Stakes a claim in the centre, controlling e5, and frees the bishop and queen.
• 1... g6 Prepares the fianchetto: the bishop will take the long diagonal via g7. Theory calls this the Modern Defense.
• 2. c4 Fights for d5 from the flank - contesting the centre without committing a centre pawn.
• 2... Bg7 Fianchettoes the bishop onto the long diagonal, pressuring d4 and e5 from a distance.

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