Modern Variation

The Modern Variation develops the queen's knight to d2 rather than c3. It still prepares to recapture on e4 with the knight, but leaves the c-pawn free to advance. The main practical point is against the Gurgenidze setup with ...g6, which is effective after 3. Nc3. After 3. Nd2 g6, White can answer 4. c3, blunting the fianchettoed bishop's diagonal before it exerts pressure on d4.

Black overwhelmingly replies 3...dxe4, and 4. Nxe4 reaches the same position as 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4. Black then chooses among the Classical 4...Bf5, the Steinitz 4...Nd7 (a line some sources also call the Modern Variation) and 4...Nf6. For this reason the move order has little independent theory of its own. The occasional 3...Nf6 and 3...e6 are the main alternatives. The rare Edinburgh Variation, 3...Qb6, attacks the d4-pawn at once, which 4. c3 meets. White scores somewhat better than Black in the database, and engines regard the position as close to balanced.