for Black · intermediate

Pirc Defense

6/6
1.e4d62.d4Nf63.Nc3g6

A hypermodern defense: Black lets White build a big centre, then attacks it with pieces and pawn breaks from a fianchetto setup. It is flexible and combative, suited to players who like counterattacking rather than symmetrical play.

Key ideas
  • Allow a big White centre, then undermine it with ...e5 or ...c5
  • Fianchetto to g7 and pressure the long diagonal
  • Castle quickly and prepare central counter-breaks
  • Watch out for the Austrian Attack (f4) and hit back in the centre
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Pirc Defense8.7M games · White to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
Classical Variation25%2.1M50%
Austrian Attack17%1.4M53%
Byrne Variation16%1.4M54%
11%955k54%
6.9%596k49%
Kholmov System6.2%543k52%
5.6%488k55%
2.8%246k51%
2.8%240k56%
2.5%217k54%
Famous games in this line20k master games
Anand, V. (2774) – Carlsen, M. (2861)2019½–½Yu Yangyi (2752) – Carlsen, M. (2882)2019½–½Caruana, F. (2822) – Mamedyarov, S. (2808)20180–1Caruana, F. (2816) – Mamedyarov, S. (2808)20180–1Vachier Lagrave, M. (2779) – Carlsen, M. (2842)20180–1Caruana, F. (2819) – Nepomniachtchi, I. (2775)20190–1Caruana, F. (2819) – Nepomniachtchi, I. (2775)20190–1Carlsen, Magnus (2802) – Kramnik, Vladimir (2791)2010½–½
Heroes of this opening Mamedyarov, S. · Nepomniachtchi, I. · Carlsen, M.
Keep exploring
Go deeper — named lines from here
Pirc Defense: Kholmov System4.Bc4Pirc Defense: Byrne Variation4.Bg5Pirc Defense: Austrian Attack4.f4 · 6 deeper linesPirc Defense: Sveshnikov System4.g3
Study this opening
Open in the opening tree →Videos on YouTube ↗Wikipedia: Pirc Defense ↗