Checkmate opponents in vicious opposite-side castling games!

Play like a positional GENIUS against White's 1. d4/c4

Destroy the Catalan, London, and other annoying openings

An elite, tactical, easy-to-play defense against ALL of White's openings

The G6 Modern is an opening that allows White to occupy the center, but allows you to strike back at some point. You will play g6 and fianchetto on g7, while also playing your pawn to d6. 

In Chapters 1 and 2 of the Modern course, we’ll be looking at the 150 Attack by White which is characterized by White activating the queen and the bishop to e3 and d2, respectively.

This chapter will focus on White castling short.
4.Be3 is the most popular fourth move by White, and it has occurred in more than 1.8 million games!


Video 1 

Study 1: 150-Attack - White plays 4. Be3, 5. a4, or 4. Bf4/Bg5

Drill 1: White Plays e4/d4/Nc3 (with 4. Bf4, 5. d5)

Drill 2: White Plays e4/d4/Nc3 (with 4. Bf4, 5. Nf3 and 6. d5)

Drill 3: White Plays e4/d4/Nc3 (with 4. Bf4, 5. Nf3 and 6. Bb5)

Drill 4: White Plays e4/d4/Nc3 (with 4. Bf4, 5. Bb5)

Drill 5: White Plays e4/d4/Nc3 (with  4. Bg5, 5. Qd2, 6. 0-0-0)

Drill 6: White Plays e4/d4/Nc3 (with 4. Bg5, 5. Qd2, 6. a4)

Drill 7: White White Plays e4/d4/Nc3 (with 4. Bg5, 5. f4)

Quiz 1

Quiz 2

Quiz 3

Quiz 4

Quiz 5

Quiz 6

Quiz 7

Quiz 8

Strategy Quiz 1

Strategy Quiz 2

Video 2

Study 2: 150-Attack - White plays 4. Be3

Drill 8: White Plays e4/d4/Nc3 (with 4. Be3, 5. a4, 6. h3)

Drill 9: White Plays e4/d4/Nc3 (with 4. Be3, 5. a4, 6. f3)

Drill 10: White Plays e4/d4/Nc3/Be3 (with 5. Nf3 and 6. Bd3)

Drill 11: White Plays e4/d4/Nc3/Be3 (with 5. Nf3, 6. a3)

Drill 12: White Plays e4/d4/Nc3/Be3 (with 5. Qd2 and 7. Nd1)

Drill 13: White Plays e4/d4/Nc3/Be3 (with 5. Qd2 and 7. Nce2)

Quiz 9

Quiz 10

Quiz 11

Quiz 12

Quiz 13

Quiz 14

Strategy Quiz 3

Strategy Quiz 4

Chapter 1: 150-Attack Part 1 (Sidelines, White castles short)

This chapter should be the foundation of not only how to play against the 150-Attack, but also to lay some general principles and help you better understand how the Modern opening works as a whole.

There will often be mixed ideas, like advancing on the queenside with …a6 and …b5, or rather playing in the center or the kingside with …f5, but that’s the beauty of the opening!


Chapter 2 will be similar to Chapter 1 in the sense that White will develop in almost the same way, placing the bishop on e3 and the queen on d2.

However, we will analyze positions in which White castles long! In particular, the two approaches where White either pushes a4 to try and break apart our already seen queenside structure, or when White goes for the aggressive h4, trying to attack on the kingside.

We will point out the differences between the two chapters and how you can use White castling long to your advantage.


Study 1: 150 Attack (4. Be3, 5. Qd2, 6. f3), White plays a4 to break up the Queenside

Drill 1: White Plays e4/d4/Nc3/Be3/Qd2 (with 6. f3, 7. a4, 8. Nd1, 10. Qd2)

Drill 2: White Plays e4/d4/Nc3/Be3/Qd2 (with 6. f3, 7. a4, 8. Nd1, 10. dxc5)

Drill 3: White Plays e4/d4/Nc4/Be3/Qd2 (with 6. f3, 7. a4, 8. Nd5)

Video 2 

Study 2: 150 Attack (4. Be3, 5. Qd2, 6. f3), White pushes h4/g4 to attack the Kingside

Drill 4: White Plays e4/d4/Nc4/Be3/Qd2 (with 6. h4)

Drill 5: White Plays e4/d4/Nc3/Be3/Qd2 (with 6. f3, 7. h4)

Drill 6: White Plays e4/d4/Nc3/Be3/Qd2 (with 6. f3, 7. g4, 9. gxh5)

Drill 7: White Plays e4/d4/Nc3/Be3/Qd2 (with 6. f3, 7. g4, 9. g5)

Drill 8: White Plays e4/d4/Nc3/Be3/Qd2 (with 6. f3, 7. 0-0-0, 8. g4)

Drill 9: White Plays e4/d4/Nc3/Be3/Qd2 (with 6. f3, 7. 0-0-0, 8. h4)

Chapter 2: 150-Attack Part 2 (White castles long)

Now we’re finally done with the 150-Attack.
The great thing about it is, whatever White plays, you can implement almost the same general ideas and you’ll get a good position!

You just have to know those ideas in-depth.


Let’s move on to the Austrian Attack in Chapter 3, which is definitely a confrontational way to play by White. 

It’s characterized by them placing three pawns in the center: e4, d4 and f4.

It’s the third most popular move, played 15% of the time (more than 870,000 games).

I will introduce a critical fourth move to fight against this, 4…Nc6, and we will analyze positions based on various reactions by White to that move.


Study 1: Austrian Attack, 4... Nc6, White protects d4 with 5. Nf3

Drill 1: Austrian Attack (with 5. Nf3, 6. Bb5)

Drill 2: Austrian Attack (with 5. Nf3, 6. d5)

Drill 3: Austrian Attack (with 5. Nf3, 6. Be3, 8. exd5)

Drill 4: Austrian Attack (with 5. Nf3, 6. Be3, 8. Nxd5)

Drill 5: Austrian Attack (with 5. Nf3, 6. Be3, 8. e5)

Drill 6: Austrian Attack (with 5. Nf3, 6. Be3, 8. Qd2)

Study 2: Austrian Attack, 4... Nc6, other 5th moves by White

Drill 7: Austrian Attack (with 5. d5)

Drill 8: Austrian Attack (with 5. Be3)

Drill 9: Austrian Attack (with 5. Bb5, 6. Bxc6)

Drill 10: Austrian Attack (with 5. Bb5, 6. Ba4)

Chapter 3: Austrian Attack (4... Nc6 setup)

When White players get the chance to, they love pushing pawns early and grabbing as much space in the center as possible with f4. This is a motif we will also see in the Four Pawns Attack in Chapter 13.

The point is not to be afraid but to realize that pushing a pawn always creates a weakness, and exploiting those weaknesses in various ways should be the crucial takeaway from this chapter.

For example, …Bg4 and …Bxf3, leaving White’s f-pawns doubled and weak, is one way to do it.


Chapter 4 will cover probably the most natural setup by White, but still the second most popular: the Classical Two Knights setup. White will simply develop both knights to c3 and f3 before doing anything else.

Since our usual idea is to expand on the queenside with …b5, we will differentiate between positions where White allows that by activating the light-squared bishop first, and where they don’t with 5.a4, or where they play 5.Be3, since our own setups will vary significantly depending on that.


Video 1

Study 1: Two Knights Setup, White develops the light squared Bishop first

Drill 1: Two Knights (with 5. Bc4 and 6. Bb3)

Drill 2: Two Knights (with 5. Bc4 and 6. Bd5)

Drill 3: Two Knights (with 5. Be2 and 8. d5)

Drill 4: Two Knights (with 5. Be2 and 8. h3)

Drill 5: Two Knights (with 5. Bd3, 6. Be3)

Drill 6: Two Knights (with 5. Bd3, 6. h3)

Study 2: Two Knights Setup, White plays 5. a4 before developing the light squared Bishop

Drill 7: Two Knights (with 5. a4 and 6. Bc4)

Drill 8: Two Knights (with 5. a4 and 6. Be2)

Drill 9: Two Knights (with 5. a4 and 6. Bd3)

Video 3

Study 3: Two Knights Setup, White plays 5. Be3

Drill 10: Two Knights - White Plays e4/d4/Nc3/Nf3/Be3/Bd3 (with 9. a4)

Drill 11: Two Knights - White Plays e4/d4/Nc3/Nf3/Be3/Bd3 (with 9. dxc5)

Drill 12: Two Knights - White Plays e4/d4/Nc3/Nf3/Be3/Bd3 (with 9. Qd2)

Strategy Quiz 5

Strategy Quiz 6

Chapter 4: Two Knights Classical Setup

Some key ideas from this chapter:

In Study 1, we learned that White developing the bishop to c4 first even helps us achieve our queenside plans with tempo, like …a6 and …b5.

Study 2 taught us that even though a4 slows us down, we can still implement a solid development plan and look to strike in the center with …e5 and …f5 later.

Study 3 showed a great queenside expansion you can keep in mind, with …b5, …c5 and …b4.


Chapter 5 will introduce a completely different approach by White; developing the knight to f3 on move 3, which is actually the most popular third move!

We will see how this chapter deviates from our usual queenside idea with …a6 and …b5 and how we’ll have to adjust our development plans depending on how White chooses to play.

Namely, we will see how …e5, striking back in the center, can prove to be very helpful, oftentimes combined with …f5, expanding on the kingside.


Study 1: White plays Nf3 + Bc4

Drill 1: White Plays e4/d4/Nf3/Bc4 (with 5. 0-0, 6. Qe2, 8. Rd1, 9. h3)

Drill 2: White Plays e4/d4/Nf3/Bc4 (with 5. 0-0, 6. Qe2, 8. Rd1, 9. dxe5)

Drill 3: White Plays e4/d4/Nf3/Bc4 (with 5. 0-0, 6. Qe2, 8. d5)

Drill 4: White Plays e4/d4/Nf3/Bc4 (with 5. 0-0, 6. Qe2, 8. dxe5)

Drill 5: White Plays e4/d4/Nf3/Bc4 (with 5. 0-0, 6. Re1, 8. d5)

Drill 6: White Plays e4/d4/Nf3/Bc4 (with 5. 0-0, 6. Re1, 8. dxe5)

Drill 7: White Plays e4/d4/Nf3/Bc4 (with 5. 0-0, 6. e5)

Study 2: White defends the center with Nf3 + c3 + Bd3

Drill 8: White Plays e4/d4/Nf3/c3 (with 5. Bd3, 6. d5, 8. Nc3)

Drill 9: White Plays e4/d4/Nf3/c3 (with 5. Bd3, 6. d5, 8. exf5)

Drill 10: White Plays e4/d4/Nf3/c3 (with 5. Bd3, 6. dxe5)

Drill 11: White Plays e4/d4/Nf3/c3 (with 5. Bd3, 6. Be3)

Drill 12: White Plays e4/d4/Nf3/c3 (with 5. Bb5)

Drill 13: White Plays e4/d4/Nf3/Bd3

Chapter 5: Nf3 Setup

This chapter is a great example of how we have to be aware of the key differences in similar positions all the time.

In Chapter 5, we implemented many ideas we had learned beforehand, but still had to change our game in certain spots significantly, which is not the case for all of the chapters in this course!

For example, in Study 1 we combined …e5 with …Bg4 and …Bxf3, while in Study 2 …f5 came earlier, mixed with some queenside action!


Chapter 6 deals with the less popular ways White can approach the position after 1.e4 g6: the unique e4 setups.

In one study, we’ll go over multiple different variations by White, like trying to fianchetto the light-squared bishop early with 2.g3 or going for a kingside initiative right away with 2.h4.

We can’t always play the same moves no matter how White responds, so this chapter is definitely important to learn.


Study 1: Unique e4 setups (early h4, g3, Nc3 + f4, etc)

Drill 1: White Plays 1. e4 (with 2. h4 and 3. h5)

Drill 2: White Plays 1. e4 (with 2. h4, 3. exd5, 4. c4)

Drill 3: White Plays 1. e4 (with 2. h4, 3. exd5, 4. Nc3)

Drill 4: White Plays 1. e4 (with 2. g3)

Drill 5: White Plays 1. e4 (with 2. Nc3 and 3. g3)

Drill 6: White Plays 1. e4 (with 2. Nc3, 3. f4 and 6. Bc4)

Drill 7: White Plays 1. e4 (with 2. Nc3, 3. f4 and 6. g3)

Drill 8: White Plays 1. e4 (with 2. Nc3, 3. d4)

Chapter 6: Unique e4 setups

To finish off analyzing positions after 1.e4 (although they often transpose into one another), now you should be prepared against any surprise White might throw your way after 1.e4.

I hope this chapter has taught you how you can quickly neutralize White’s aggressive attempts to attack in the position, and how accepting sacrifices is very often the way to go if you know how to follow it up!

We’ll start dealing with 1.d4 in Chapter 7.


Chapter 3 dealt with the Austrian attack where White had three pawns on e4, d4 and f4. In this chapter, we’ll also focus on White placing three pawns in the center, but on e4, d4 and c4!

After 1.d4 g6, the most popular second move is actually c4, so you could encounter this a lot in your games.

We’ll see that in these types of positions, an early …e5 will often help us play with ease, independent from whether White defends d4 with the knight or the bishop.


Study 1: White defends d4 with Nf3 or Ne2

Drill 1: White Plays d4/c4/e4/Nf3 (with 5. d5 and 6. Nxd4)

Drill 2: White Plays d4/c4/e4/Nf3 (with 5. d5, 6. Be3 and 7. Bd3)

Drill 3: White Plays d4/c4/e4/Nf3 (with 5. d5, 6. Be3 and 7. dxc6)

Drill 4: White Plays d4/c4/e4/Nf3 (with 5. Be3 and 7. Nxc6)

Drill 5: White Plays d4/c4/e4/Nf3 (with 5. Be3 and 7. Nb5)

Drill 6: White Plays d4/c4/e4/Nf3 (with 5. dxe5 and 7. f4)

Drill 7: White Plays d4/c4/e4/Nf3 (with 5. dxe5 and 7. Be2)

Study 2: White defends d4 with Be3 or d5

Drill 8: White Plays d4/c4/e4 (with 4. d5, 5. Nc3)

Drill 9: White Plays d4/c4/e4 (with 4. d5, 5. Ne2, 7. Bd3)

Drill 10: White Plays d4/c4/e4 (4. d5, 5. Ne2, 7. Nd2)

Drill 11: White Plays d4/c4/e4 (with 4. d5 and 5. Be3)

Drill 12: White Plays d4/c4/e4 (with 4. Be3 and 5. dxe5)

Drill 13: White Plays d4/c4/e4 (with 4. Be3, 5. d5, 6. Nc3, 7. Bd3)

Drill 14: White Plays d4/c4/e4 (with 4. Be3, 5. d5, 6. Nc3, 7. dxc6)

Drill 15: White Plays d4/c4/e4 (with 4. Be3, 5. d5, 6. Ne2)

Quiz 15

Chapter 7: White Plays d4, c4, e4 (3 Pawns)

This chapter is the first one in analyzing the positions after 1.d4.

Keep in mind that it is often all about that d4-pawn; we want to attack it with the bishop on g7, the knight on c6 and challenge it with the pawn on e5!

That’s why it’s important to know how White defends that pawn and adjust accordingly.


We’ll continue looking into d4 and c4 setups by White in Chapter 8, however this one will deal with a very particular way to develop I often recommend: the Beefeater.

It’s going to consist of a quick fianchetto and then the swift …c5 to strike in the center, sometimes even giving up the dark-squared bishop early, which might seem unconventional to you.

We’ll split the chapter into three studies, where White plays the “normal” fourth moves, the passive alternatives and how we can take advantage of them, and some aggressive lines after 6.h4!


Study 1: Beefeater with Nf3/e3/dxc5 on Move 4

Drill 1: White Plays d4/c4/Nc3 (with 4. dxc5, 6. Qd4, 7. Nf3)

Drill 2: White Plays d4/c4/Nc3 (with 4. dxc5, 6. Bd2)

Drill 3: White Plays d4/c4/Nc3 (with 4. dxc5, 6. Qd4, 7. Bg5)

Drill 4: White Plays d4/c4/Nc3, (with 4. Nf3 and 6. e3)

Drill 5: White Plays d4/c4/Nc3 (with 4. Nf3 and 6. Nxc6)

Drill 6: White Plays d4/c4/Nc3 (with 4. e3 and 5. Nf3)

Drill 7: White Plays d4/c4/Nc3 (with 4. e3 and 5. dxc5)

Drill 8: White Plays d4/c4/Nc3 (with 4. e3 and 5. d5)

Study 2: Beefeater - 4. d5 and Passive Lines on Move 6

Drill 9: White Plays d4/c4/Nc3 (with 4. d5 and 6. Nf3)

Drill 10: Beefeater (with 4. d5 and 6. Bg5)

Drill 11: Beefeater (with 4. d5 and 6. Qc2)

Study 3: Beefeater - 4. d5 and 6. e4 and 6. h4!

Drill 12: Beefeater (with 4. d5, 6. e4, 8. dxe6, 9. exd7)

Drill 13: Beefeater (with 4. d5, 6. e4, 8. fxe4)

Drill 14: Beefeater (with 4. d5 and 6. h4)

Quiz 16

Quiz 17

Quiz 18

Chapter 8: White Plays d4, c4, Nc3 - Beefeater with ...c5!?

The Beefeater can be a really fun but complicated opening at the same time, especially if your opponent knows what they’re doing, like in Study 3.

The problem might be that it requires knowing a lot of different lines, even when they utilize similar ideas. However, that’s the price you have to pay for playing a fun opening!

If you don’t like quick and aggressive lines in the Beefeater, then the Accelerated King’s Indian that we work on in Chapter 9 might be for you.


The King’s Indian is one of the most famous and most studied openings and setups for Black in chess.

In Chapter 9, we’ll introduce the Accelerated King’s Indian setup as a weapon against White’s 1.d4: going for the early fianchetto, as per usual, and then striking with …e5 as early as move 4!

Just like …e5, we’ll combine some ideas from the previous chapters that should make learning this one easier for you. The chapter is split into three studies depending on what White plays on the critical move 5.


Study 1: The King's Indian - White Pushes d5 on Move 5

Drill 1: The King's Indian (5. d5, 6. Bd3 and 7. a3)

Drill 2: The King's Indian (with 5. d5, 6. Bd3 and 7. h4)

Drill 3: The King's Indian (with 5. d5 and 6. Nge2)

Study 2: The King's Indian - White Trades on 5. dxe5

Drill 4: The King's Indian (with 5. dxe5 and 7. Be3)

Drill 5: The King's Indian (with 5. dxe5 and 7. f4)

Drill 6: The King's Indian (with 5. dxe5 7. Bg5)

Study 3: The King's Indian - White Defends with the Knight 5. Nf3

Drill 7: The King's Indian (with 5. Nf3 and 6. d5)

Drill 8: The King's Indian (with 5. Nf3 and 6. dxe5)

Drill 9: The King's Indian (with 5. Nf3 and 6. Be3)

Chapter 9: White Plays 1. d4 - Accelerated Kings Indian Setup

Not many players know about the Accelerated King’s Indian, and even less know how to play against it, especially at lower levels.

That’s why learning this chapter might be great for not just your overall understanding of the opening, but your elo increasing rapidly!

Now it’s all about learning when it’s a good idea to go for …a5, for example, as we saw in Study 1, or retreat with the knight to e7 and go for …f5 as we saw in Study 3!


3.Nf3 is the second most popular move after 1.d4 g6 2.c4 Bg7, played in more than 3.5 million games.

There are many different ways White can go about this: will they play the Two Knights setup, will they go for the more active 4.e4 or will they suffice with the slower 4.e3?

Chapter 10 should cover all these alternatives, and as you will see, sometimes it will be required from us to play a slower and positional game, while other times a quick …e5 strike is best.


Study 1: White d4/c4/Nf3/Nc3 - Two-Knights setup

Drill 1: d4/c4 Two Knights Setup (with 5. d5, 7. e4 and 8. Bd3)

Drill 2: d4/c4 Two Knights Setup (with 5. d5, 7. e4 and 8. f4)

Drill 3: d4/c4 Two Knights Setup (with 5. d5 and 7. f4)

Drill 4: d4/c4 Two Knights Setup (with 5. e3, 7. d5 and 9. e4)

Drill 5: d4/c4 Two Knights Setup (with 5. e3, 7. d5 and 9. dxe6)

Drill 6: d4/c4 Two Knights Setup (with 5. e3 and 7. 0-0)

Study 2: White Plays d4/c4/Nf3/e4

Drill 7: White Plays d4/c4/Nf3/e4 (with 5. Be2 and 6. d5)

Drill 8: White Plays d4/c4/Nf3/e4 (with 5. Be2, 6. Be3 and 7. d5)

Drill 9: White Plays d4/c4/Nf3/e4 (with 5. Be2, 6. Be3 and 7. dxc5)

Drill 10: White Plays d4/c4/Nf3/e4 (with 5. Be3)

Study 3: White Plays d4/c4/Nf3 and 4. e3

Drill 11: White Plays d4/c4/Nf3/e3 (with 6. Be2)

Drill 12: White Plays d4/c4/Nf3/e3 (with 6. dxe5)

Drill 13: White Plays d4/c4/Nf3/e3 (with 6. d5)

Chapter 10: d4/c4/Nf3 lines

I hope this chapter has proven to you that learning the overall ideas is much more important than knowing every variation move by move.

Whichever line White goes for, whether it’s 4.Nf3, 4.e4 or 4.e3, remember to push that e-pawn and complicate matters in the center.

After that, it’s basically a matter of nuances: sometimes it’s better to trade some pieces, like in Study 2, while other times we’ll look to play aggressively with a move like …f5, as we saw in Study 1.
