Chessy
Crushing the Modern Defense: Three Pawns Attack with b6
The Modern Defense is a hypermodern favourite, but when Black plays 3...b6 against your f4 pawn storm, they are asking for trouble. After 1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.f4 b6 4.Nc3, you have set up a massive centre and ready development. Stockfish already gives you a clear +0.83 — that means you are better. With 53.5% wins across over 34,000 games, the stats back it up. The drill below will teach you exactly how to turn this lead into a full point.
Play the Modern Defense: Three Pawns Attack: b6 against the engine
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This isn't a quiet positional game. By pushing f4 early, you have declared that you will steamroller Black's kingside and dominate the centre. Black's ...b6 attempt to fianchetto their queen's bishop is their way of fighting back, but it comes at a cost: they have spent a tempo on a flank move while you built a powerful pawn duo on d4 and e4. Your job as White is to develop quickly, keep the centre solid, and prepare an attack. The engine's top suggestion after 4.Nc3 is for Black to play e6 (blocking your bishop and preparing ...Bb7), which tells you that Black's main defensive task is just to survive your coming initiative.
Facing the Most Popular Reply: 4...Bb7
The overwhelming majority of games — 31,325 out of 34,262 — see Black fianchetto immediately with 4...Bb7. This is natural; they want to pressure your e4 pawn. But White still scores a healthy 53.4% from here. Your plan is straightforward: develop with Nf3, then Be3 (or Bd3), castle kingside, and consider pushing e5 or f5 to open lines. The engine's best continuation against 4...Bb7 is the same as against 4...e6: develop your knight to f3 and bishop to e3. Do not rush — your position is already more comfortable, and Black must solve the problem of their exposed king.
The Critical Mistake: 4...Ba6
One of Black's less common moves is a real gift. The move 4...Ba6 is played in 321 games but is marked as a clear inaccuracy — it loses roughly 0.7 pawns of advantage compared to the better 4...e6. Black tries to swap off your light-squared bishop, but they are wasting time and neglecting their centre. When you see 4...Ba6, simply take on a6 or ignore it and continue developing — either way you come out ahead. The engine confirms your advantage jumps after this, so stay sharp and punish the delay.
What the Statistics Tell You
The numbers paint a clear picture across all major Black replies. Against 4...d6 (488 games) your score jumps to 59.0% — Black's passive set-up lets you build even more freely. Against 4...c5 (312 games) you score 55.4%, and against 4...Nc6 (270 games) you score 51.1%. Even the engine's recommended 4...e6 only holds White to 50.3%, which is still a slight edge thanks to your space advantage. No matter what Black does, the engine evaluation stays firmly in your favour. You have the easier game — focus on development, keep the centre, and the attack will come naturally.
Results across 34,262 Lichess games
| Most-played continuation | Games | White wins |
|---|---|---|
| Bb7 | 31,325 | 53.4% |
| e6 | 983 | 50.3% |
| d6 | 488 | 59.0% |
| Ba6 | 321 | 49.2% |
| c5 | 312 | 55.4% |
| Nc6 | 270 | 51.1% |
Frequently asked questions
Is the Modern Defense: Three Pawns Attack good for White?
Yes, very much so. Stockfish gives White +0.83, a clear advantage, and across over 34,000 real games White wins 53.5% of the time. Black's ...b6 move is slightly too slow against your f4-pawn storm.
What is Black's best move after 4.Nc3?
The engine recommends 4...e6, which prepares ...Bb7 and shores up the centre. Even then White scores 50.3% and keeps the advantage. The most popular reply is 4...Bb7 (31,325 games), but that also leaves White with a comfortable edge.
Why is 4...Ba6 a mistake?
The move 4...Ba6 is classified as an inaccuracy that loses roughly 0.7 pawns of advantage compared to 4...e6. Black wastes time attacking your bishop instead of developing properly, and you can simply develop or trade on a6 to increase your lead.
What is the engine's recommended plan for White?
After any Black reply, the engine likes Nf3 and Be3 as the next natural developing moves. Build your centre, get your king to safety, and then look to break with e5 or f5. Your space advantage makes White's attack much easier to organise.
How many games feature the Modern Defense: Three Pawns Attack: b6?
Over 34K Lichess games have reached the Modern Defense: Three Pawns Attack: b6 position. White wins 53.5%, Black wins 43.1%, with 3.4% draws — based on real rated games.