Modern Variation, Alburt Variation

The Alburt Variation, 1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. d4 d6 4. Nf3 g6, answers the Modern Variation by preparing ...Bg7. The bishop is aimed at White's central pawns, and Black's pressure on d4 and e5 is meant to come from pieces rather than from an early ...Bg4 pin or the ...dxe5 liquidation of the Larsen lines. Black keeps the tension on e5 for now, so the play centers on whether White can hold the d4/e5 chain while finishing development. The name honors Lev Alburt, who played the line often. Fischer used it in the thirteenth game of his 1972 match with Spassky.

The usual reply is 5. Bc4, the Keres Variation, which develops with pressure on the d5-knight. 5. c4 gains time against the same knight and grabs more space, while 5. exd6 resolves the central tension before Black's bishop reaches g7. Engines give White a slight edge, mostly in the Bc4 and c4 lines. In online games, though, the results are nearly even, and Black scores slightly better than White.