ECO A40 · Modern Defense

Modern Defense: Beefeater Variation

1. d4 g6 2. c4 Bg7 3. Nc3 c5 4. d5 Bxc3+ 5. bxc3 f5

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White to move. The arrow shows Stockfish’s best move.
Best move

6. e4+0.92

White is clearly better. Stockfish 18, depth 18.

Analyze this position

In the Modern Defense: Beefeater Variation (A40), reached after 1. d4 g6 2. c4 Bg7 3. Nc3 c5 4. d5 Bxc3+ 5. bxc3 f5, Stockfish 18 recommends 6. e4 for White. White is clearly better (+0.92).

Top engine moves

  1. +0.926. e4 fxe4 7. f3 d6 8. fxe4 Nf6 9. Bd3 Qa5 10. Qc2 Ng4
  2. +0.576. Qa4 Nf6 7. e4 fxe4 8. Nh3 O-O 9. Bh6 d6 10. Ng5 Nbd7
  3. +0.556. h4 d6 7. h5 Qa5 8. Qc2 gxh5 9. Rb1 Nf6 10. Rb5 Qa6

Frequently asked questions

What is the best move in the Modern Defense: Beefeater Variation?
After 1. d4 g6 2. c4 Bg7 3. Nc3 c5 4. d5 Bxc3+ 5. bxc3 f5, Stockfish 18 at depth 18 recommends 6. e4 for White, continuing fxe4 7. f3 d6 8. fxe4 Nf6 9. Bd3 Qa5 10. Qc2 Ng4. White is clearly better (+0.92). The next best moves are 6. Qa4 (+0.57) and 6. h4 (+0.55).
Is the Modern Defense: Beefeater Variation a good opening?
Stockfish rates the position at +0.92: white is clearly better. Evaluations this early in the game are small, so practical results depend far more on knowing the plans and typical structures than on the engine's number.
What is the ECO code of the Modern Defense: Beefeater Variation?
A40. ECO codes classify chess openings from A00 to E99; A is the volume for flank openings.

Opening names from the Lichess opening book (CC0). Pieces by Colin M.L. Burnett (GPLv2+).