This course gives you a complete, ready-to-play Modern Defense repertoire for Black (1…g6 and …Bg7), built on flexible setups, typical plans and the …a6–…b5 queenside expansion. One system you can play against 1.e4, 1.d4 and 1.Nf3.

Main Lines against 1.e4:

• Standard Line (3.Nc3 d6 4.Be3 a6 5.Qd2 b5 6.f3) – The main theoretical battleground with …a6–…b5 queenside play
• Two Knights Variation (2.Nf3 Bg7 3.Nc3 d6 4.d4 a6) – Queenside expansion with …b5 and …Bb7
• Pseudo-Austrian Attack (4.f4) – Meeting White’s big center with …a6, …b5 and …Bb7
• Bishop Attack (4.Bc4) – A solid setup with …Nc6 and …Nf6 against the early bishop
• Early h4 (2.Nc3 Bg7 3.h4) – How to hit back in the center with …c5 instead of waiting
• 4.Be2 Side Line – Castling and …a6–…b5 against the quiet approach
• Early Bd3 Side Line – Striking with …c5 and queenside play with …b5
• Super early 2.g3 – A direct answer with 2…d5

Against 1.d4, 1.c4 and 1.Nf3:

• London System – …Nd7 and …e5, taking over the center with tempo
• Averbakh Variation (1.d4 g6 2.c4 Bg7 3.Nc3 d6 4.e4) – The …Nd7, …e5 and …Ne7 setup
• Réti and early g3 – Central play with …Nd7 and …e5
• 1.Nf3 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nbd2!? – An active answer with …d5 and …c5

5 Model Games showing the plans in practice, including Caruana – Carlsen, Kosteniuk – Abdusattorov, Andreikin – Kadric, Kukov – Livaic and my own win against Toma (Romania Grand Prix 2025).

What’s inside:

• 17 chapters: 12 theoretical chapters and 5 annotated model games
• Annotated PGN file, ready for ChessBase, Lichess Studies or any chess GUI
• Typical plans: …a6–…b5 queenside play, …c5 and …e5 central breaks, dark-square control

by FM Mihailo Djokic – FIDE 2259, Peak 2319