Semi-Closed · a defense for Black

Modern Defense: Averbakh System

7/7
1.d4g62.c4Bg73.Nc3d64.e4
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Modern Defense: Averbakh System3.6M games · Black to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
13%456k48%
6.7%240k47%
5.3%190k50%
3.7%132k44%
2.7%95k47%
2%71k47%
1.8%64k45%
Famous games in this line9.3k master games
Praggnanandhaa, R. (2767)Carlsen, M. (2837)2025½–½Nakamura, Hi (2787)Kasparov, G. (2812)2016½–½Caruana, F. (2795)Firouzja, Alireza (2762)20251–0Nakamura, Hi (2777)Vachier Lagrave, M. (2779)20181–0Anand, Viswanathan (2801)Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar (2752)20071–0Kramnik, Vladimir (2785)Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar (2752)20070–1Kramnik, Vladimir (2785)Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar (2752)20071–0Le Quang, Liem (2693)Carlsen, Magnus (2837)20120–1
Heroes of this opening Caruana, F. · Nakamura, Hi · Anand, Viswanathan · Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar
Category
Semi-Closed
First move
1.d4
ECO
A42
Line
1. d4 g6 2. c4 Bg7 3. Nc3 d6 4. e4
FianchettoHypermodern
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Letting White build the entire centre while fianchettoing quietly was considered close to disrespectful; Ufimtsev was playing it in the late 1930s, and Karl Robatsch did the theoretical work that turned it into a system — across much of Europe it is still called the Robatsch Defence. The big centre is not an asset — it's a target.

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