Chessy
The Modern Defense: Mongredien Defense with Nf3 e5 – Black's Survival Guide
The Modern Defense invites White to build a big centre while you undermine it from the flanks. After 1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nf3, the Mongredien Defense continues 3...b6, aiming to pressure White's centre with the bishop on b7. When White pushes 4.e5 to gain space, you strike back with 4...Bb7, pinning the e5 pawn against the rook on a8. This position has been played over 418,000 times on Lichess, with Black scoring a very respectable 48.2% — but the engine sees +0.94 for White, meaning you are clearly worse if both sides play perfectly. The drill below will teach you the critical ideas and the most common mistakes White makes so you can outplay them in practice.
Play the Modern Defense: Mongredien Defense, with Nf3: e5 against the engine
Free, no signup — you play black, the engine adapts to your level.
Play through the position in the interactive drill below — you'll get real-time feedback as Black and learn to punish White's inaccuracies. Create a free Chessy
Create a free account →What You're Fighting For: The Central Pawn on e5
The whole opening revolves around one square: e5. Your bishop on b7 attacks it, and your g7-bishop eyes the d4 square. White wants to keep the pawn chain d4-e5 intact, restricting your pieces. You want to trade off or undermine that centre. The engine rates the position +0.94 in White's favour, so the objective assessment is that you start slightly worse. But that small edge is hard to hold over the board — the statistics show Black wins slightly more often than White does (48.2% vs 47.7%), with only 4.1% of games ending in draws. This is a sharp, double-edged position where practical chances matter more than the computer evaluation.
The Engine's Recommendation: How White Should Reply
Stockfish's top move at depth 16 is Nc3, developing a piece and defending the e5 pawn indirectly. The suggested continuation runs: Nc3 Nc6 Bf4 d6. Black answers with ...Nc6, attacking the e5 pawn again, then ...d6 to break the centre. This line is principled and keeps White's advantage alive. You should be ready for this — it's the toughest test of your opening. The good news? Many White players don't find the best move. Let's look at what they actually play.
What White Actually Plays (and What to Punish)
The most popular White move in the position is Be2, played over 110,000 times. However, the engine marks Be2 as an inaccuracy that loses about 0.6 pawns of advantage. White's best was Nc3 instead. The second-most common move is the engine's recommendation Nc3 (92,000 games), which is the toughest to face. After that comes Bc4 (57,000 games), putting pressure on f7, and c3 (33,000 games), shoring up d4. Both c4 (18,000 games) and Be2 are marked as inaccuracies — c4 loses about 0.9 pawns compared to the best move (which was h4). Whenever White plays an inaccuracy, your job is to seize the initiative. The drill below will show you exactly how.
Mistakes to Look For and How to Exploit Them
Two specific inaccuracies stand out from the database analysis. If White plays Be2, the engine says they threw away ~0.6 pawns. White likely wants to castle quickly, but this move does nothing to address the tension in the centre. You should immediately look to increase the pressure on e5, perhaps with ...Nc6 or ...d6. If White plays c4, the mistake is even bigger — losing ~0.9 pawns. White is trying to gain space on the queenside, but neglecting the centre is dangerous. Your bishops on g7 and b7 are perfectly placed to punish such a slow move. Remember: in this opening, you start slightly worse according to the engine (+0.94 for White), so when White slips, you must be ready to make them pay.
Results across 418,041 Lichess games
| Most-played continuation | Games | White wins |
|---|---|---|
| Be2 | 110,565 | 47.4% |
| Nc3 | 91,995 | 49.1% |
| Bc4 | 56,822 | 48.1% |
| c3 | 32,645 | 46.8% |
| Bd3 | 22,468 | 47.8% |
| c4 | 18,083 | 46.1% |
Frequently asked questions
Is the Modern Defense: Mongredien Defense a good opening for beginners?
Yes, it's a fine choice for beginners who want to learn hypermodern ideas. The position after 4...Bb7 has been played over 418,000 times, and Black actually wins more often than White at the club level (48.2% vs 47.7%). Just be aware the engine gives White an edge (+0.94), so you're defending a slightly worse position against perfect play.
What is White's best move against the Mongredien Defense with Nf3?
Stockfish recommends Nc3, protecting the e5 pawn while developing. The suggested continuation is Nc3 Nc6 Bf4 d6. Other common moves like Be2 and c4 are considered inaccuracies that give you extra chances as Black.
Why does Black play ...b6 in this line?
The move ...b6 prepares ...Bb7, putting immediate pressure on White's e5 pawn. This is a key hypermodern idea: instead of occupying the centre with pawns, you attack it with pieces from the flank. The bishop on b7 targets the long diagonal and can become very powerful if White's centre pawns advance or are traded.
How should Black respond to White playing Be2?
Be2 is an inaccuracy from White (losing about 0.6 pawns of advantage). You should seize the chance to increase pressure in the centre. Moves like ...Nc6, attacking e5 again, or preparing ...d6 to break the pawn chain are logical. Your bishop pair on the long diagonals is your greatest asset.