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 The Modern or Robatsch DefenseThis opening tends to confuse many average players since it resembles other openings or can transpose to or from other openings.For example,if I open up with 1.Nf3,d5 2.c4(or g3) this initially is classified as a Reti Opening.But through transposition or slightly varied moves like... Nf3,g6 2.e4,c5 3.c4,Bg7 this then becomes a Modern Defense.Also playing 1.e4,g6 2.d4,Bg7 without an immediate 1.Nf3 is also classified as a Modern.See? So a Reti unlike a Modern refers to only the variations in which black plays d5,white plays c4 after Nf3,fianchettos at least one Bishop and does not play an early d4...which would transpose into a Catalan or Neo-Grunfeld. Lost you already? That's ok!My desire is to simply show you some options to play as white or black,instead of the same Ruy Lopez or Sicilian which is so heavily analyzed and has book lines as deep as 50 moves or more...that it can be tedious,a grind,drawish on the higher rating levels and even boring!Experiment!Try different openings or opening defenses.Must you always respond as white with 1.e4 or 1.d4? Must you always respond as black to 1.e4 with 1....e5 or 1.....c5? Boring!Stagnant!Dusty!Wipe off that dust,temporarily throw out those ways you have been playing for years and try new things!Sometimes the element of surprise can throw your opponent off balance.You would be shocked at how many of your opponents have little knowledge of the Modern.Statistically,as I will illustrate,it is better to be on the white side of the Modern,but with careful play,black can equalize and has many response choices,more than other defenses. So,in a nutshell,there generally is more Queenside positional play in the Modern,white has an opening theoretical advantage by occupying the center in the first few moves,and potentially staking out the center with high advantage.Blacks advantage is a very flexible position and many different plans of attack in which case,white may not necessarily be prepared. Do GM's use the Modern?Sure do.Vastly?No.But use it they do. Names like GM Persson(Swedish),Davies and Mcnab(British). Good points for White in the Modern Defense: White is given a free hand to set up the center just as they like. White holds the center so it is much easier for White to get pieces from one side to the other. White can use the big center to attack down the middle of the board with e4-e5 or f4-f5 Black has weakened the King's-side and White has a little start towards a King's-side attack down the h-file. Good points for Black about the Modern Defense: It is unusual and White may not have a clue how to behave It is difficult and unbalanced and so is a good system to play for a win with. Bad points about the Modern Defense: The Modern Defense is one of the most difficult and awkward defenses played by Grandmasters, and you can often lose games without ever understanding why you lost. Juniors and amateurs may have much more fun, and learn much more about the basics of chess, when playing the familiar open games beginning 1. e4 e5. Some stats on the Modern: www.365chess.com According to the chart above(which I tend to agree with),black pars even better than white in the wins stats,depending upon whites 2nd move,for example 2.Nf3. or 2.f4.So much depends upon how your white opponent opens the game.And as to the reverse,white does very well with 2.Ne2 as an initial move.Just click on the variations and more charts and games will pop up. Now I have pared well against the Modern as white,but had a few draws and losses over the years as well. My most recent ongoing game is here:  game Diagram below:After move #5 from my game above,which is a typical positional setup and sometimes temporary central control for white.Black must quickly learn to exploit whites square control.Although in this position,black is not bad off at all.Position is approx = at that position. Books and DVD's on the Modern are many.Here are just a few available through the USCF.perhaps Amazon has a cheaper deal,but I have not checked.You can also buy many of the books used online. www.uscfsales.com I have always recommended "Romans Lab"for the fine detail they get into various openings/variations.I have that one and Lakdawala shop worn,and Modern Defense,move for move.I get mine electronically loaded now,but there are many paperbacks.I have "the Modern Defense"by Smith and Hall.Its an oldie,from 1994 but very excellent and easy to read. I will probably be getting into the Modern and more of the variations in time,but this will do for starters.Any other club members are encouraged to add to this thread if they play or have played the Modern as black or the white side.Perhaps if you were not doing well,I can dissect your game and see where you should have moved and define the "root"of your weakness to better your game next time from that position again,if it arises.Or maybe avoid that particular line altogether! Again,I highly suggest playing a Modern as black and hopefully playing against it as well with white to supplement your arsenal of weapons.For if you do not,then one of your future opponents may give you a nice 1.....g6 surprise.Will you be surprised?Probably.How about YOU giving the surprise of 1....g6?Better yet! Or do you want to continue to get the dust rags out on that 1.....c5 response? Think like a master...remember my other post? TA |
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Modern Maximum Destructiongame chesstempo.com I pick and choose my opponents carefully.I felt this opponent was a challenge that I must overcome.He is #5(was #3)on the slow ladder and he is the highest rated player in the "Going Postal"chess club.For some reason,I felt the necessity to destroy the postal chess clubs most strongest member.I have my reasons.Nothing against fenek,he is a great guy and fantastic player,but I aimed my gun at the club through fenek.Brutal I know,but "symbolically" necessary.I suppose some of their members might destroy a club member here that is easier prey,but not me. My main goal here is to illustrate to club members that the Modern Defense can be both good and bad depending upon several factors.In a nutshell,opening up the game as white with 1.Nf3 is not automatically a Modern,but a Reti Opening.Transpositions can wildly fluctuate,but in this case,my opponent decided to transpose to a Modern Defense.Trouble is,Fenek,for unknown reasons moved out of book too early...and this was the initial root of his destruction.You guys know how I stress keeping in book and using an up to date excellent book,right?If not,reread many of my posts,you will find it in there somewhere! Someone in my club previously mentioned that they were advised against initiating a Modern Defense by their mentor.I disagree with that advice.The modern is very safe....as long as you know how to proceed with it as black.And white could fail,if it also wanders away from the book or overextends its wings or central pressure.So,as long as one plays carefully and smart,there is nothing to fear on either side of the Modern! So fenek was fine up to move #8.His move # 8 with 8....Nh5 is weaker for 2 reasons.1.When I move my Bishop to c1,there is some retracted tempo loss,but,it still in a safe spot 2.The tempo loss(minute)is compensated with blacks edge file Knight placement,reducing its point value on that edge.Better would have been the in book move of 8.....e5,placing more central control on the e file.Then my response would have been 9.Bg5.At this juncture in the game,the position would have been almost dead = with no specific advantage for either side according to my deep analysis of the position. Notice,by move #41,feneks Knight is STILL on that edge file square h6!See what I mean by reduced point value?Kind of a useless knight...see? On move #42.....d5,Fenek began his major decent with my capture of his Rook on b5.After that,I knew the game was over.He hung on,all the way to move #72,but i'm sure he knew it was over long before that.He conducted a GK computer analysis,so you can check that out if you want.Perhaps he thought I might blunder or time-out,who knows,but after move #42,it was over.I could actually say that in "theory"the game was over by move #8 with his out of book move,which is not advised in the Modern.Maybe the Trompowsky with the different pawn and Knight positions and perhaps doubled pawns on blacks f6 square(as happens in a true Trompowski)...but not in a Modern Defense.Why?Because a Modern Defense requires more precise piece maneuvering since it is "hypermodern" and delays central board control.So,would a move like 8....Nh5(feneks move) contribute to better development and better piece point value?Answer:Absolutely not.Delay + weaker out of book move + frozen edge file Knight=Doom.And no escape from the dark abyss. So,in conclusion,I would suggest to you guys that playing the modern as white or black is actually a good thing.....as long as you stay within book lines(better statistical ones) for approx the first 10 moves or so on either side.If you move out of book prior to move #10,especially if your on the black side,your asking for trouble. But,if I have a few good wins opening up with 1.Nf3,so can you!And if you were the black and played 8....e5,in a game like feneks and mine,instead of that weak 8....Nh5 move,you would have created equality when moving out of book by move #9. So experiment,even if you failed in the past and explore more openings and opening defenses.1.e4 and 1.....e5 or 1....c5 has its place,but altering your style with 1.Nf3 can have surprise value against some opponents who may not play it regularly. Did I surprise Fenek at least a bit?I think so and his move # 8 kinda proves that,since most masters and senior masters would never had made that move.It was not a blunder move,just much weaker than the best book moves.And on the master and above levels,as I mentioned before,you need ALL the edge you can muster.The top rated player in the postal chess club failed to do this against the abyss,and paid for it.Perhaps winning only 1 game does not prove much to others,but its enough for me.And enough to prove some good game pointers to my club members.If I would have been on the black side,I am certain of at least a draw,since I would have never mirrored the moves of Fenek,who I do highly respect.Just saying. TA |
