The Sniper vs 3.c3: Flank Reroute 4...Na6

Against solid 3.c3, Black strikes with 3...c5! and answers 4.dxc5 with the Knight hop 4...Na6, regaining the c5 pawn and opening lines for the b7 Bishop.

1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.c3 c5 4.dxc5 Na6 5.Bxa6 bxa6 6.Nf3 Bb7 7.Qe2 Qc7

Move by move

1.e4 – White opens with the classical 1.e4, staking a claim in the center and freeing diagonals for both the f1 bishop and the queen.
1...g6 – The Modern Defense! With 1...g6 you delay defining the center and developing the Knight, preparing the Bishop fianchetto on g7.
2.d4 – White seizes the opportunity to occupy the entire center with pawns on e4 and d4, establishing a broad territorial dominance.
2...Bg7 – You place the Bishop on g7, aiming directly at the undefended d4 pawn along the entire long dark-squared diagonal with great pressure.
3.c3 – White plays 3.c3 to erect a solid pawn pyramid supporting d4, but concedes dynamic piece speed and rapid piece mobilization.
3...c5 – An immediate Sniper strike with 3...c5! You challenge the head of White's pawn chain before White can mobilize comfortably.
4.dxc5 – White gives in to temptation and captures with 4.dxc5, hoping to hold material but opening central files to Black's pieces.
4...Na6 – A clever Knight detour with 4...Na6! The Knight heads toward c5 to recapture the pawn without obstructing the g7 Bishop.
5.Bxa6 – White parts with their Bishop with 5.Bxa6 to compromise your queenside pawns, but hands you the invaluable bishop pair in return.
5...bxa6 – You recapture with 5...bxa6: opening the b-file for your Rook and clearing the long a8-h1 diagonal for your light-squared Bishop.
6.Nf3 – White develops the Knight to f3, shoring up e4 and preparing to complete kingside castling in a simple and classical fashion.
6...Bb7 – You deploy the Bishop to b7 with superb coordination: placing White's central e4 pawn under heavy fire along the long diagonal.
7.Qe2 – The white Queen steps up to e2 to defend the attacked e4 pawn, but blocks the natural diagonal of the light-squared Bishop.
7...Qc7 – You centralize the Queen to c7: protecting the queenside, preparing to recover the c5 pawn, and retaining lasting initiative.

How to exploit the position

Shatter White's solid setup with the immediate 3...c5 counter-thrust

Mobilize the Knight via a6 to comfortably recapture the c5 pawn
Position the light-squared Bishop on b7, targeting White's e4 pawn
Centralize the Queen on the prime c5 square, unifying your forces
Exploit your active bishop pair along both fully open great diagonals

Master tips

The ...Na6 maneuver is ideal: it recovers c5 without blocking the g7 Bishop

The bishop pair on b7 and g7 gives Black immense long-range firepower