Modern Defense: Geller's System

A flexible and solid chess opening that aims to counter White's central pawn advances while allowing Black to develop their pieces harmoniously.

The opening focuses on countering White's central pawn advances and allowing Black to develop their pieces harmoniously. It is named after the Soviet Grandmaster Efim Geller, who was known for his creative and unorthodox approach to the game. This opening is characterized by Black's fianchetto of the dark-squared bishop on g7, which helps control the central squares and support the d6 pawn.

The opening is considered flexible, as it allows Black to adapt their pawn structure and piece placement depending on White's moves. The use of the c3 pawn move by White is aimed at supporting a later d4-d5 pawn break, which can help open up the center and create attacking chances. However, Black can counter this by playing moves like Nf6, O-O, and c5, which can challenge White's central pawn structure and create counterplay.

One of the key ideas for Black in this opening is to delay the development of their light-squared bishop, as it can be difficult to find a suitable square for it. Instead, Black often focuses on developing their knights and central pawns first, before deciding on the best square for the bishop.

Overall, this opening is a solid and flexible choice for Black, offering chances for counterplay and a harmonious development of their pieces. While it may not lead to sharp tactical battles, it can provide a strong foundation for a strategic middlegame.