The Modern Defense
by GM Magesh and GM ArunThe Modern Defense is not one of the mainstream opening choices for elite chess players. However, it still surfaces at the top as an occasional surprise weapon. It is quite natural that several side lines that were deemed bad back in the days are revived with the help of computers in modern days. Even though the Modern Defense was never a bad choice, it still remains low on the priority given that white is allowed to take complete control of the center and at times even gain a huge amount of space.
Interestingly enough I find it confusing to play against such openings. Sometimes you just feel you have to have a big advantage because of black's passivity, but in reality he does not have a glaring weakness in the position which means any amount of good moves will not help you breakthrough.
Our first game today is between Veselin Topalov and Alexey Shirov. In this game Shirov was lucky to snatch a full point from a seamingly difficult position. Let us take a look at the game now.
Topalov, Veselin (2640) vs. Shirov, Alexei (2705)
Linares 12th | Linares | Round 5| 1994 | ECO: B15 | 0-1
1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 c6 ( 3... d6 ) 4. Nf3 ( 4. f4 d5 5. e5 Nh6 6. Nf3 f6 7. h3 Nf5 8. Bd3 Ng3 9. Rg1 f5 10. Be3 Qb6 11. Qc1 Na6 12. Na4 Qd8 ( 12... Qa5+ 13. Bd2 Qxa4?? 14. b3 ) 13. Bxa6 Qa5+ 14. Qd2 Qxa6 ( 14... Qxa4 ) 15. Nc5 Qb6 16. O-O-O Qb5 17. Kb1 b6 18. Nd3 Ne4 19. Qe1 Be6 20. Ng5 Kd7 21. g4 Raf8 22. Nxe4 fxe4 23. Nc1 Rf7 24. Ne2 h5 25. f5 gxf5 26. gxh5 f4 27. Nxf4 Bf5 28. b3 e6 29. a4 Qa6 30. Qd2 Qc8 31. Rg3 Bh6 32. Nxd5 cxd5 33. Bxh6 e3 34. Bxe3 Rxh5 35. Qe2 Qc3 36. Bf4 Bxc2+ 37. Qxc2 Qxc2+ 38. Kxc2 Rxf4 39. Rg7+ Ke8 40. Rd3 ) 4... d5 5. h3 Nh6 6. Bf4 ( 6. Bd3 O-O 7. O-O f6 8. Ne2 Na6 9. Bd2 ) 6... f6 7. Be2 Nf7 8. Bh2 O-O 9. O-O b6 10. Re1 Bb7 11. Bf1 Nd7 12. a4 a6 13. a5 b5 14. exd5 cxd5 15. Re6! Rc8 16. Nxb5!? axb5 17. Bxb5 f5 18. Qe2 Nf6 19. a6 ( 19. Rxe7 Rxc2 20. Qxc2 Qxe7 21. Qc5 ) 19... Ba8 20. Rxe7 Rxc2 21. Qxc2 Qxe7 22. Qa4 Qe6 23. b4 Ne4 24. Bf1 ( 24. a7 ) 24... g5 25. b5 g4 26. Ne1 Qb6 27. Nc2 Rc8 28. Bf4 Bh6 29. Bxh6 Qxh6 30. hxg4 Qd2 31. f3 Qf2+ 32. Kh2 Nfg5 33. Ne1 Qh4+ 34. Kg1 Nh3+
Our second game is to show a clear plan for black in this position. Bologan plays the opening with very good understanding. Let us take a look at our second game now:
Tkachiev, Vladislav (2535) vs. Bologan, Viktor (2600)
Tilburg rapid20 | Tilburg | Round 1| 1994 | ECO: B15 | 0-1
1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 c6 4. Nf3 d5 5. h3 dxe4 6. Nxe4 Bf5 7. Ng3 Be6 8. c3 Nf6 9. Bd3 O-O 10. O-O Bd5 11. Re1 ( 11. c4 Bxf3 12. Qxf3 Qxd4 ) 11... Nbd7 12. Bg5 c5 13. Qe2 cxd4 14. Nxd4 ( 14. Qxe7 Qxe7 15. Rxe7 Nc5 ) 14... e5 15. Nc2 ( 15. Nb5 ) 15... Qb6 16. Ne3 h6 17. Bxf6 ( 17. Nxd5 Nxd5 18. Qf3 hxg5 19. Qxd5 Rad8 ) 17... Nxf6 18. Nc4 Bxc4 19. Bxc4 Rae8 20. Qc2 Kh8 21. Rad1 h5 22. Re2 Bh6 23. Rde1 Bf4 24. Nf1 e4 25. Qb3 Qc7 26. Ne3 b6 27. Bb5 Re5 28. g3 Bh6 29. Qc4 Rc5 30. Qb4 h4 31. g4 Kh7 32. Qb3 Rd8 33. a4 Kg7 34. Qc2 Bf4 35. Rd2 Bxe3 36. Rxe3 Rxd2 37. Qxd2 Rd5 38. Qc2 Qd6 39. Re2 Nxg4 40. Rxe4 Rd1+ 41. Kg2 Qh2+ 42. Kf3 Qxh3+ 43. Ke2 Qf1+ 44. Kf3 Nh2+ 45. Kf4 Qg1 46. Qe2 Rd6 47. Re8 Rf6+ 48. Ke4 Rxf2 49. Qe3 Qg2+ 50. Kd4 Ng4 51. Qg5 Nf6 52. Qe5 Rd2+ 53. Kc4 Qd5+ 54. Qxd5 Rxd5 55. Re3 g5 56. b4 g4 57. Bc6 Rg5 58. a5 bxa5 59. b5 h3 60. Rg3 Nh5 61. Rg1 g3 62. Kd4 a4 63. Ke3 g2 64. Kf2 Nf4 65. c4 h2 66. Rxg2 Nxg2 67. Bxg2 a3
It is easy to see the resemblance between the Modern Defense and the Pirc Defense. The piece placement and the idea of giving central control to white and fighting back for it at a later time is the same in both openings. However, there is some difference in the move order. In the Modern Defense black delays the development of the king knight thereby allowing white to play c4 and transpose the game into the King's Indian Defense in the queen pawn opening. We hope our readers gained a good insight into the Modern Defense.
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