Semi-Open · a defense for Black

Modern Defense: Gurgenidze Defense

10/10
1.e4g62.d4Bg73.Nc3c64.f4d55.e5h5
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Modern Defense: Gurgenidze Defense17k games · White to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
68%11k49%
13%2.1k49%
7.2%1.2k51%
6.5%1.1k51%
2.2%36849%
1.2%19537%
1.1%18946%
0.7%11351%
0.2%3139%
0.2%2730%
Famous games in this line726 master games
Duda, J. (2730)Nakamura, Hi (2745)20190–1Sjugirov, S. (2696)Nakamura, Hi (2760)20220–1Duda, J. (2693)Jobava, Ba (2713)20171–0Rublevsky, Sergei (2649)Bologan, Viktor (2669)20041–0Korneev, Oleg (2645)Chernyshov, Konstantin (2543)2008½–½Ivanisevic, I. (2643)Indjic, A. (2538)20141–0Motylev, Alexander (2639)Riazantsev, Alexander (2511)20020–1Skripchenko, Almira (2458)Kamsky, Gata (2692)20060–1
Heroes of this opening Nakamura, Hi · Duda, J. · Rublevsky, Sergei · Ivanisevic, I.
Category
Semi-Open
First move
1.e4
ECO
B06
Line
1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 c6 4. f4 d5 5. e5 h5
FianchettoHypermodern
Read the guide: Modern DefenseExplore all 40 Modern Defense lines
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From the archives

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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