Answers.Body: <p>I'm not a long time member here but I was pretty sure that question regarding this opening will show up. First of all, this kind of defense is really great against weaker players, let's say &lt;1800, who don't know how to place their pieces/how to maneuver properly. By doing this, black dodges theoretical conversation, which can be pretty desirable. Since you gave us only two moves of black <code>g6 and b6</code>, I can't provide you lines or variations, no point to consider all possible setups of black pieces. If you want - share a game with us, I'll be glad to point out not-the-best moves. For now I can only give you few tips:</p>
  
  <ul>
  <li>Avoid playing <code>Bd3 and Be3</code>. That's too squeezed. The light-squared bishop should be placed on <code>c4</code> in most cases. (I assume black plays <code>e6 and d6</code> not <code>d5</code>. (See, you should be more precise!:)).</li>
  <li>You can wait to develop the dark-squared bishop a bit. <code>g5</code> might be a nice spot occasionally.</li>
  <li>As "waiting moves" to use above, you can castle, or play <code>Qe2</code>.</li>
  <li>When your opponent plays <code>a6</code> consider responding with <code>a4</code> to avoid some <code>b7-b5-b4</code> followups.</li>
  <li>And the most important: do NOT hurry here. Don't go all in too early, in such set-ups black has an easy counter-attack in the center once you commit to go all in on a side. It's serious. I saw many people losing games due to immediate attacks like <code>Be3, Qd2, Bh6, h4</code> and stuff.</li>
  </ul>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2017-06-30T13:33:04.547Z
Answers.Text: Can't agree that white's white squared bishop normal belongs on c4 - it's too open to being kicked by b5 or sometimes Na5. I would say by default e2 is the square for the bishop in the quiet systems you seem to be advocating, but a fianchetto or d3 are also possibilities
Answers.UserDisplayName: Ian Bush
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2017-07-02T03:24:36.853Z
Answers.Text: I agree with a lot here. Regardless of where you put your bishops, d3 and e3 is too cramped. I would recommend either spreading them out like the answer suggest or stacking them on the same file (i.e. e3 and e2). Most importantly, i totally agree not to hurry! It sounds like their defensive setup is pretty solid. If they are not 1700+, they may not be as comfortable on the attack.
Answers.UserDisplayName: rougon
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2014-10-04T16:24:54.653Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2017-06-30T12:08:46.173Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2017-06-30T12:08:46.173Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Pijotrek
Answers.Body: <p>I agree with @PhilipRoe. </p>
  
  <p>The Modern defense is a sound opening and OP's setup is sound against the defense. So if you keep losing, it's because the opponent is stronger, not because of the opening. </p>
  
  <p>Also, Nimzowitch once said, if you fear one particular opening the other colour uses, you should play that opening yourself (when using that colour)</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2017-06-30T15:57:02.573Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2017-06-30T15:57:02.573Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: jf328
Body: <p>I am having some trouble on defeating this opening. Any general tips you can offer me? I use the d4-Nf3-Nc3-Bd3-Be3 formation.</p>
  
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2014-10-04T14:48:55.057Z
Comments.Text: Do you mean a setup with b6 and g6 or just one of them?
Comments.UserDisplayName: Cleveland
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2014-10-04T15:05:40.970Z
Comments.Text: A setup with both of them. But the people who play it sometimes chose b6, sometimes g6.
Comments.UserDisplayName: MikhailTal
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2014-10-04T15:38:09.390Z
Comments.Text: @MikhailTal, remember to add as relevant tags to your post as you can so that it can be easily seen.
Comments.UserDisplayName: Pablo S. Ocal
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2014-10-04T15:47:04.407Z
Comments.Text: This isn't the pirc
Comments.UserDisplayName: MikhailTal
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2014-10-04T15:48:29.510Z
Comments.Text: It is the modern defense
Comments.UserDisplayName: MikhailTal
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2014-10-04T16:18:09.440Z
Comments.Text: There is no real difference between Pirc and Modern. In fact, the only "difference" in the main line is the order in which `d6` and `Nf6` are played. You may want to check [this](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modern_Defense). As you don't mention anything deeper, both tags apply. You may very well use a similar setup against both, which would save you some time studying the openings.  
  Now that I mention it, you can even have transpositions to Sicilian and others. But if played in this order, mainly Modern and Pirc. My tagging was correct.
Comments.UserDisplayName: Pablo S. Ocal
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2014-10-04T20:18:07.437Z
Comments.Text: There is a difference between the Pirc and the Modern. From [Wikipedia:](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modern_Defense) "The Modern Defense is closely related to the Pirc Defence, the primary difference being that in the Modern, Black delays developing his knight to f6. (The delay of ...Nf6 attacking White's pawn on e4 gives White the time to sometimes blockade the g7-bishop with c2–c3.) Transpositional possibilities between the two openings are rife." This does actually create a significant difference in White's ability to respond.
Comments.UserDisplayName: Cleveland
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2014-10-05T08:11:17.063Z
Comments.Text: Well, looks like you are saying exactly the same thing as I am. I wonder how you will differentiate a Pirc from Modern when you play `g6` then `d6` or `d6` then `g6`.
Comments.UserDisplayName: Pablo S. Ocal
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2014-10-08T00:08:45.190Z
Comments.Text: The difference is in White's possible replies.
Comments.UserDisplayName: Cleveland
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2017-06-30T12:47:52.447Z
Comments.Text: Your question asks "How to beat?" What does that mean? The modern defence is a sound opening. There is no way to beat it. In fact, Black really hopes that White will launch a premature attack.
  
  Perhaps you really mean "How to stop losing against" There is some prospect of answering that.
Comments.UserDisplayName: Philip Roe
Tags: <opening><modern-defense>
Title: How to beat 1.e4 g6/b6?
ThreadText: # How to beat 1.e4 g6/b6?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2014-10-04)
  
  I am having some trouble on defeating this opening. Any general tips you can offer me? I use the d4-Nf3-Nc3-Bd3-Be3 formation.
  
  **Tags:** opening, modern-defense
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_1**: Do you mean a setup with b6 and g6 or just one of them?  
  > **username_0**: A setup with both of them. But the people who play it sometimes chose b6, sometimes g6.  
  > **username_2**: @username_0, remember to add as relevant tags to your post as you can so that it can be easily seen.  
  > **username_0**: This isn't the pirc  
  > **username_0**: It is the modern defense  
  > **username_2**: There is no real difference between Pirc and Modern. In fact, the only "difference" in the main line is the order in which `d6` and `Nf6` are played. You may want to check [this](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modern_Defense). As you don't mention anything deeper, both tags apply. You may very well use a similar setup against both, which would save you some time studying the openings.   Now that I mention it, you can even have transpositions to Sicilian and others. But if played in this order, mainly Modern and Pirc. My tagging was correct.  
  > **username_1**: There is a difference between the Pirc and the Modern. From [Wikipedia:](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modern_Defense) "The Modern Defense is closely related to the Pirc Defence, the primary difference being that in the Modern, Black delays developing his knight to f6. (The delay of ...Nf6 attacking White's pawn on e4 gives White the time to sometimes blockade the g7-bishop with c2–c3.) Transpositional possibilities between the two openings are rife." This does actually create a significant difference in White's ability to respond.  
  > **username_2**: Well, looks like you are saying exactly the same thing as I am. I wonder how you will differentiate a Pirc from Modern when you play `g6` then `d6` or `d6` then `g6`.  
  > **username_1**: The difference is in White's possible replies.  
  > **username_3**: Your question asks "How to beat?" What does that mean? The modern defence is a sound opening. There is no way to beat it. In fact, Black really hopes that White will launch a premature attack.  Perhaps you really mean "How to stop losing against" There is some prospect of answering that.  
  
  ---
  
  ## 2 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_4 on 2014-10-04. Score: 6
  
  I'm not a long time member here but I was pretty sure that question regarding this opening will show up. First of all, this kind of defense is really great against weaker players, let's say <1800, who don't know how to place their pieces/how to maneuver properly. By doing this, black dodges theoretical conversation, which can be pretty desirable. Since you gave us only two moves of black `g6 and b6`, I can't provide you lines or variations, no point to consider all possible setups of black pieces. If you want - share a game with us, I'll be glad to point out not-the-best moves. For now I can only give you few tips:
  
  * Avoid playing `Bd3 and Be3`. That's too squeezed. The light-squared bishop should be placed on `c4` in most cases. (I assume black plays `e6 and d6` not `d5`. (See, you should be more precise!:)).
  * You can wait to develop the dark-squared bishop a bit. `g5` might be a nice spot occasionally.
  * As "waiting moves" to use above, you can castle, or play `Qe2`.
  * When your opponent plays `a6` consider responding with `a4` to avoid some `b7-b5-b4` followups.
  * And the most important: do NOT hurry here. Don't go all in too early, in such set-ups black has an easy counter-attack in the center once you commit to go all in on a side. It's serious. I saw many people losing games due to immediate attacks like `Be3, Qd2, Bh6, h4` and stuff.
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_5**: Can't agree that white's white squared bishop normal belongs on c4 - it's too open to being kicked by b5 or sometimes Na5. I would say by default e2 is the square for the bishop in the quiet systems you seem to be advocating, but a fianchetto or d3 are also possibilities  
  > **username_6**: I agree with a lot here. Regardless of where you put your bishops, d3 and e3 is too cramped. I would recommend either spreading them out like the answer suggest or stacking them on the same file (i.e. e3 and e2). Most importantly, i totally agree not to hurry! It sounds like their defensive setup is pretty solid. If they are not 1700+, they may not be as comfortable on the attack.  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_7 on 2017-06-30. Score: 0
  
  I agree with @PhilipRoe.
  
  The Modern defense is a sound opening and OP's setup is sound against the defense. So if you keep losing, it's because the opponent is stronger, not because of the opening.
  
  Also, Nimzowitch once said, if you fear one particular opening the other colour uses, you should play that opening yourself (when using that colour)
  
  
  ---
  
  