Modern Variation 4.Nf3 Bg4

Against 4.Nf3 Black pins the knight with ...Bg4, develops with ...e6 and ...Be7 and, after c4-c5, takes on f3 to bring the knight to c4.

1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.Nf3 Bg4 5.Be2 e6 6.O-O Be7 7.c4 Nb6 8.exd6 cxd6 9.Nc3 O-O 10.Be3 d5 11.c5 Bxf3

Move by move

1.e4 – White occupies the centre and opens diagonals for the queen and the f1-bishop.
1...Nf6 – The Alekhine Defence: the knight attacks e4 and invites the pawn forward, planning to attack the advanced white pawns later.
2.e5 – White accepts the challenge: the pawn chases the knight and gains space.
2...Nd5 – The knight centralises on d5, from where it eyes c3, b4, e3 and f4.
3.d4 – White adds a second pawn to the centre and supports e5.
3...d6 – Black immediately attacks the e5 spearhead: the typical way to challenge White’s centre.
4.Nf3 – The Modern Variation: White develops and defends e5 without pushing more pawns.
4...Bg4 – The bishop pins the f3-knight, the defender of e5 and d4, and threatens to exchange it.
5.Be2 – White breaks the pin on the queen and prepares castling.
5...e6 – Black reinforces d5 and opens the f8-bishop, with a solid French-like structure.
6.O-O – White castles and keeps the option of c4 to chase the knight.
6...Be7 – Black develops the bishop and also prepares to castle.
7.c4 – The pawn chases the d5-knight and gains central space.
7...Nb6 – The knight retreats to b6, from where it keeps pressing on c4.
8.exd6 – White exchanges on d6 to avoid ...dxe5 and obtain a clearer structure.
8...cxd6 – Black recaptures with the c-pawn: a compact d6-e6 structure and a half-open c-file.
9.Nc3 – The knight develops and controls d5 and e4.
9...O-O – Black castles and completes the safety of his king.
10.Be3 – The bishop defends d4 and completes the development of White’s minor pieces.
10...d5 – Black spends a tempo to hit c4: he forces White to decide the central structure.
11.c5 – White advances with tempo on the b6-knight and takes queenside space.
11...Bxf3 – Before moving the knight, Black takes on f3: after Bxf3 the bishop leaves e2 and the c4-square is free for the b6-knight.

How to exploit the position

White has queenside space with c5, Black has a solid d5-e6 chain and has given up the bishop for the f3-knight.

The b6-knight goes to c4: it is an outpost there and is often traded for the e3-bishop.
...b6 undermines the c5-pawn and opens the b- or c-file for Black’s rooks.
...Nc6, ...Bf6 and ...Qd7 increase the pressure on d4.
White aims for b4-b5 and the f4-f5 break: watch the f5-square and do not leave the b1-h7 diagonal open against your king.

Master tips

Pinning the f3-knight

In the Modern Variation 4...Bg4 is the most logical move: it threatens to eliminate the white knight, the defender of d4 and e5.

The timing of ...Bxf3

After c5 the b6-knight must move: first ...Bxf3, then ...Nc4.