Chessy
Modern Defense: Standard Line – 4.e5
After the moves 1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5, you've reached one of the most critical test positions in the Modern Defense. Black's knight is attacked, and the engine rates your position at +1.50, a near-winning edge for White. That might sound too good to be true, but the statistics back it up: across over 370,000 games, White wins 60.0% of the time, with Black managing only 36.7%. Your job now is to keep the pressure on. The drill below will help you practice exactly that.
Play the Modern Defense: Standard Line: Nf6 against the engine
Free, no signup — you play white, the engine adapts to your level.
Play the position against the adaptive engine below—see if you can convert White's near-winning advantage, whether Black retreats or blunders.
Create a free account →What Black Should Do (and Why They Rarely Do It)
The engine's best move here is Ng8, retreating the knight back to its starting square. It's the only move that keeps the disadvantage manageable—Black admits the knight was misplaced and tries to regroup. But in the real world, most players find retreating deeply unsatisfying. Out of 370,700 games, Black retreated with Ng8 only about half the time (186,467 games), and Black's win rate in those games was lower than average. The psychology works in your favour: most opponents will try something more ambitious, and that's where you get your best chances.
The Three Mistakes to Punish
Black has three popular replies that the engine flags as clear mistakes. Each one loses significant material or positional equity, and each one improves your winning odds dramatically. Knowing which moves to punish—and how—is the key to crushing the Modern Defense at club level.
Nh5 – The Most Common Mistake
This is Black's second-most-played reply (154,176 games), and it's a mistake that loses roughly 2.9 pawns of advantage. Black places the knight on the rim, where it's both vulnerable and out of play. Your winning chances shoot up: White scores 65.2% from here. When you face Nh5, you can look for ways to attack the knight while building your centre—pinning or chasing it with g4 ideas often follows naturally.
Nd5 and Ng4 – Quick Punishment
Nd5 (9,428 games) loses about 3.0 pawns and gives White a crushing 72.8% score. The knight on d5 looks central but is unstable—you can chase it with c4 or attack it with pieces. Ng4 (7,526 games) loses about 2.5 pawns, and White scores 69.5%. The knight on g4 is aggressive but poorly supported, often becoming a target for h3 or a later f3. In both cases, Black is trying to be tricky rather than solid, and the statistics show exactly how well those tricks work for you.
Your Next Moves After Ng8
If Black finds the best move, Ng8, don't let up. The engine's top continuation is Ng8 Bf4 a6 Qf3. Your bishop goes to f4, controlling key dark squares and preventing ...e6 or ...d5 from being played comfortably. Then Qf3 puts immediate pressure on the queenside and the f7-square. Your advantage remains enormous, and Black still has to solve the problem of the misplaced knight. Even in Black's best line, you're the one with all the attacking chances.
Results across 370,700 Lichess games
| Most-played continuation | Games | White wins |
|---|---|---|
| Ng8 | 186,467 | 53.9% |
| Nh5 | 154,176 | 65.2% |
| Nd5 | 9,428 | 72.8% |
| Ng4 | 7,526 | 69.5% |
| O-O | 6,821 | 69.9% |
| d6 | 4,116 | 71.7% |
Frequently asked questions
Why is Nh5 a mistake in the Modern Defense after 4.e5?
Nh5 loses about 2.9 pawns of advantage according to the engine. The knight is exposed on the rim, where it can become a target for moves like g4 or Bg5. White scores 65.2% after Nh5, compared to a lower win rate after the correct retreat Ng8.
Is the Modern Defense a bad opening for Black?
Not inherently, but the Standard Line with 4.e5 gives White a near-winning advantage of +1.50. White wins 60.0% of games from this position. Black's best move, Ng8, keeps the position playable but difficult. Most popular replies are outright mistakes that make things much worse.
What is the best move for Black after 1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5?
The engine's best move is Ng8, retreating the knight back to g8. It's not a pretty move, but it's better than Nh5, Nd5, or Ng4, all of which the engine flags as clear mistakes. After Ng8, the engine suggests Bf4 a6 Qf3 as a strong plan for White.
How should White continue after Black plays Ng8 in this line?
The engine recommends Bf4 followed by Qf3. The bishop on f4 controls key dark squares and prevents Black from comfortably playing ...e6 or ...d5. Then Qf3 targets the queenside and puts pressure on f7. Your advantage stays close to +1.50 with active piece play.