Modern Defense (2. d4 Bg7)

1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7

Modern Defense after 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 87654321abcdefgh

The Modern Defense is a chess opening classified as ECO B06, reached after 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7. White is to move. 15 named lines continue from this position.

In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 84,332 times by this move order. White won 49%, 5% were drawn and Black won 46%. The most popular continuation is 3. Nf3 (36% of games).

Engine evaluation: +0.48 (Stockfish, depth 57; best line 3. Nc3 d6 4. Be3 a6 5. a4 Nf6)

ECO
B06
Moves
4 plies
FEN
rnbqk1nr/ppppppbp/6p1/8/3PP3/8/PPP2PPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 1 3
PGN
1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7

Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess

Results by rating

Average ratingGamesWhite / draw / Black
0-149922,10449%47%
1500-199947,68150%46%
2000+14,54748%46%
All84,33249%46%

Most played moves

MoveGamesWhite / draw / Black
3. Nf330,353 (36%)50%46%
3. e512,534 (15%)46%49%
3. Nc3
Standard Line		11,751 (14%)52%43%
3. Be37,598 (9%)49%47%
3. c37,522 (9%)49%47%
3. f4
Three Pawns Attack		5,385 (6%)50%46%
3. c44,884 (6%)50%46%
3. Bc4
Bishop Attack		1,470 (2%)48%47%

Master games

12,575 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 38%, draw 17%, Black 45%). The strongest:

Search all games of the Modern Defense and its sub-variations

Highest-rated Lichess games

Comes from

Modern Defense (1. e4 g6) 1. e4 g6

Continuations

More Modern Defense lines (all)

Opening names and moves from the Lichess openings dataset; statistics from the Lichess open database, 2026-09 (CC0), sample of 12.6 million games, bots excluded; evaluations from Lichess cloud analysis (all CC0). Master games from The Week in Chess #920–#1664 by Mark Crowther, used with permission.