Modern Defense: Standard Line

Chess opening · ECO B06 · 5 half-moves

1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3

The Modern Defense: Standard Line is reached after 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3. It is Black's move in the position shown.

It branches from the Modern Defense with 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3.

How often it is played

The Modern Defense: Standard Line and its variations appeared in 0.37% of games — 11,030 of 3,000,000 rated games sampled from Lichess in September 2026. That makes it number 117 of the openings listed here.

Results

White won 51%, 3.8% were drawn and Black won 45%. These are games between players of every strength and time control, so they say how the opening does in practice rather than how sound it is.

What the engine thinks

Stockfish, at depth 18, evaluates the position at +0.74 — a clear edge for White. Positive numbers favour White; see reading the evaluation bar.

Similar openings

The most-played alternatives — what else could have been chosen around the move where this opening begins.

Main continuations

Check your own games

Paste a game, or share one straight from lichess or chess.com, and Chess Analyzer names the opening, marks where the game left known theory and grades every move after it.