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Pirc Defense: let White take the center, then hit back from the side

Black plays d6, Nf6 and g6 and puts the bishop on the long diagonal at g7, letting White take the center first and counterattacking later.

Also called：Pirc Defence、Modern Defense、Modern Defence

The Pirc Defense is 1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6. Black lets White take the center with two pawns on purpose, puts the bishop on g7 to aim at the center from afar, and looks for a chance to hit back later. It's the opposite of "grab the center," but it's a perfectly respectable defense. If you want a change of pace when you play chess against the computer, give it a try.

Moves and position

  1. 1. e4 d6 Black takes a small step first, preparing e5 and opening a path for the c8 bishop.
  2. 2. d4 Nf6 White takes the center with two pawns, and Black's knight comes out to attack e4.
  3. 3. Nc3 g6 White's knight defends e4, and Black plays g6 to get the bishop to g7.

This style is called "hypermodern": you don't have to occupy the center with pawns. You can control it with pieces from a distance instead. Once White's pawns move forward and get hard to protect, Black strikes with c5 or e5.

What White wants

  • A big center: White's pawns on e4 and d4 give White a lot more space than Black.
  • Push the pawns forward: pushing f4 and e5 chases away Black's knight and charges at Black's king.
  • Trade off the g7 bishop: with Be3, Qd2 and Bh6, White swaps off Black's best bishop and leaves the black king exposed.

What Black wants

  • The long-diagonal bishop: the bishop on g7 is Black's star piece. As soon as White's center loosens, it springs to life.
  • Counterattack with c5 or e5: after developing and castling, hit White's center with a pawn so it's no longer stable.
  • Flexibility: Black keeps the pieces back and waits to see White's plan before deciding how to fight.

Main lines

Classical Variation: 4. Nf3

White calmly develops and castles, with no rush to attack.

This is the steadiest line. White keeps the central edge, Black develops smoothly, and later Black usually fights for the center slowly with c6, e5 or c5.

Austrian Attack: 4. f4

White fills the center with three pawns (d4, e4, f4) and gets ready to push e5 to chase the knight.

This is the most aggressive way to meet the Pirc. White has lots of space, and if e5 works, the attack is on. Black has to break up White's pawns with c5 or e5 when they get too far forward. It's sharp for both sides, and one miscalculation can be fatal.

The 150 Attack: 4. Be3 and Qd2

White's bishop goes to h6 to trade off the black bishop on g7. Once it's gone, the black king has one less bodyguard.

One story says the name is a joke: even an ordinary club player (rated about 150 in an old grading system) could knock opponents down with it. The idea is simple: trade off the black bishop, castle queenside, push the h-pawn and go straight for the king.

Modern Defense: 1... g6

Black plays g6 and Bg7 first and brings out the knight later. It's very similar to the Pirc and often transposes into the same position.

The Modern Defense is even more flexible: with no black knight on f6 yet, White has no knight to chase with e5. The price is that White can take the center even more easily.

A common mistake: the knight jumps to d5 after e5

In the Austrian Attack, pushing e5 to chase the knight is White's most common idea:

White's pawn reaches e5 and attacks the black knight on f6. The knight has to move.

The most natural square for the knight seems to be d5 in the center, but nothing protects it there:

White's knight simply takes the black knight on d5. The black queen is blocked by its own pawn on d6 and can't take back, so Black is just a knight down.

Why? Normally the queen on d8 protects the d-file, but the d6 pawn is right in the way. The right move for Black is 6... Nfd7 to drop back, or 6... dxe5 first to trade pawns and open the d-file. Remember: before you put a piece in the center, count whether anything protects it.

Who it suits

  • Players who like to counterattack: let your opponent charge first, then find the weak spot and hit back.
  • Players who want to avoid lots of theory: Black's setup is almost always the same (d6, Nf6, g6, Bg7, castle), whatever the opponent plays.
  • White players who want to attack: the Austrian Attack and the 150 Attack are both easy to learn and very effective.

Like Alekhine's Defense, it lets White take the center first and then hits back. The Pirc is slower and steadier; Alekhine's Defense provokes White's pawns with a knight right away and is riskier.

Frequently asked questions

What's the difference between the Pirc and the Modern Defense?

The Pirc brings out the knight first (d6, Nf6, then g6). The Modern plays g6 and Bg7 first and brings out the knight later. They often reach the same position. The main difference is which options White gets along the way.

Isn't letting White take the center against opening principles?

Not really. It's just a different way of controlling the center. Black hits from the side with the g7 bishop and later c5 or e5, and if White can't hold that big center, it becomes a weakness. For beginners, though, it's a bit harder than grabbing the center directly.

As a beginner with White against the Pirc, what should I play?

The simplest is the Classical Variation, 4. Nf3: develop, castle and keep the center. If you want to attack, try the Austrian Attack, 4. f4, or trade off Black's g7 bishop with Be3 and Qd2.

Try it yourself

Use the button below to start a game against the computer from the Pirc Defense position, and see whether you can hold on when White's pawns charge at you. To see other openings, go back to the openings guide. To try a different level, head back to the chess vs computer home page.

Play this opening against the computer

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