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Pirc Defence
The Pirc Defence (/ˈpɪərts/ PEERTS) is a chess opening characterised by the moves:
It is named after Slovenian grandmaster Vasja Pirc or alternatively after Soviet master Anatoly Ufimtsev as the Ufimtsev Defence. Black allows White to establish a centre with pawns on d4 and e4, but plans to undermine it later. It can lead to both sharp and solid games. Black should remain cautious about playing too passively. Play most often continues with 2...Nf6 3.Nc3, and Black often then plays 3...g6 and 4...Bg7. Sometimes, only the line 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 is classified as part of the opening, or even only lines with 3...g6. Third move alternatives for Black include 3...c6 (the Czech Defence), 3...e5, and 3...Nbd7 (supporting 4...e5).
Transpositional opportunities to and from other openings are common. The main line of the Pirc Defence is closely related to the Modern Defence, the primary difference being that Black delays developing the knight to f6 in the Modern. The main line is also similar to the King's Indian Defence, with the difference being that that White has not played c4 before playing Nc3. All 3 setups involve allowing White to occupy the center with pawns on e4 and d4, in hypermodern fashion.
The Pirc Defence, named after Slovenian grandmaster Vasja Pirc, is a relatively new opening; while it was seen on occasion in the late nineteenth century, it was considered irregular, thus remaining a sideline. The opening began gaining some popularity only after World War II, and by the 1960s it was regarded as playable, owing in large part to the efforts of Canadian grandmaster Duncan Suttles. Black, in hypermodern fashion, does not immediately stake a claim in the centre with pawns; rather, Black works to undermine White's centre from the flanks. Its first appearance in a World Championship match was in 1972, when it was played by Bobby Fischer against Boris Spassky at Reykjavík (game 17); the game ended in a draw.
The Pirc has been criticized for passivity. According to Garry Kasparov, the Pirc Defence is "hardly worth using in the tournaments of the highest category", as it gives White "too many opportunities for anybody's liking".
Hooper and Whyld gave a distinct formal definition, 1.d4 d6 2.e4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6, permuting White's first two moves, although they qualified the definition by remarking that 1.e4 d6 could also transpose to the Pirc. The presence or absence of Black's third move in the Pirc is reported differently, according to the source; with the pawn move 3...g6, Black prepares to fianchetto the king's bishop to g7. Paul van der Sterren therefore described 3...g6 as "the defining move of the Pirc Defence" because the development of the bishop to g7 "creates the same sort of positional tension as the King's Indian Defence". Unlike in the King's Indian, in the Pirc, White plays Nc3 without having first played c4.
A distinction is usually drawn between the Pirc and lines where Black delays the development of his knight to f6, or omits it altogether; this is known as the Modern Defence (or Robatsch Defence). The tenth edition of Modern Chess Openings (1965) grouped the Pirc and Robatsch together as the "Pirc–Robatsch Defense".
The Austrian Attack begins 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.f4 Bg7 5.Nf3, and was a favourite of Fischer. It is also well respected by Nick de Firmian, the author of Modern Chess Openings (MCO). In placing pawns on d4, e4 and f4, White establishes a powerful centre, intending to push in the centre and/or attack on the kingside; in the main line, Black will usually counter with ...e5, aiming for play against the dark squares and weaknesses created by White's central advance. This direct, aggressive line is one of the most ambitious systems against the Pirc. Jan Timman has played the Austrian successfully with both colours. Yuri Balashov does well with the white pieces, and Valery Beim has an impressive score on the black side.
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Pirc Defence
The Pirc Defence (/ˈpɪərts/ PEERTS) is a chess opening characterised by the moves:
It is named after Slovenian grandmaster Vasja Pirc or alternatively after Soviet master Anatoly Ufimtsev as the Ufimtsev Defence. Black allows White to establish a centre with pawns on d4 and e4, but plans to undermine it later. It can lead to both sharp and solid games. Black should remain cautious about playing too passively. Play most often continues with 2...Nf6 3.Nc3, and Black often then plays 3...g6 and 4...Bg7. Sometimes, only the line 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 is classified as part of the opening, or even only lines with 3...g6. Third move alternatives for Black include 3...c6 (the Czech Defence), 3...e5, and 3...Nbd7 (supporting 4...e5).
Transpositional opportunities to and from other openings are common. The main line of the Pirc Defence is closely related to the Modern Defence, the primary difference being that Black delays developing the knight to f6 in the Modern. The main line is also similar to the King's Indian Defence, with the difference being that that White has not played c4 before playing Nc3. All 3 setups involve allowing White to occupy the center with pawns on e4 and d4, in hypermodern fashion.
The Pirc Defence, named after Slovenian grandmaster Vasja Pirc, is a relatively new opening; while it was seen on occasion in the late nineteenth century, it was considered irregular, thus remaining a sideline. The opening began gaining some popularity only after World War II, and by the 1960s it was regarded as playable, owing in large part to the efforts of Canadian grandmaster Duncan Suttles. Black, in hypermodern fashion, does not immediately stake a claim in the centre with pawns; rather, Black works to undermine White's centre from the flanks. Its first appearance in a World Championship match was in 1972, when it was played by Bobby Fischer against Boris Spassky at Reykjavík (game 17); the game ended in a draw.
The Pirc has been criticized for passivity. According to Garry Kasparov, the Pirc Defence is "hardly worth using in the tournaments of the highest category", as it gives White "too many opportunities for anybody's liking".
Hooper and Whyld gave a distinct formal definition, 1.d4 d6 2.e4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6, permuting White's first two moves, although they qualified the definition by remarking that 1.e4 d6 could also transpose to the Pirc. The presence or absence of Black's third move in the Pirc is reported differently, according to the source; with the pawn move 3...g6, Black prepares to fianchetto the king's bishop to g7. Paul van der Sterren therefore described 3...g6 as "the defining move of the Pirc Defence" because the development of the bishop to g7 "creates the same sort of positional tension as the King's Indian Defence". Unlike in the King's Indian, in the Pirc, White plays Nc3 without having first played c4.
A distinction is usually drawn between the Pirc and lines where Black delays the development of his knight to f6, or omits it altogether; this is known as the Modern Defence (or Robatsch Defence). The tenth edition of Modern Chess Openings (1965) grouped the Pirc and Robatsch together as the "Pirc–Robatsch Defense".
The Austrian Attack begins 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.f4 Bg7 5.Nf3, and was a favourite of Fischer. It is also well respected by Nick de Firmian, the author of Modern Chess Openings (MCO). In placing pawns on d4, e4 and f4, White establishes a powerful centre, intending to push in the centre and/or attack on the kingside; in the main line, Black will usually counter with ...e5, aiming for play against the dark squares and weaknesses created by White's central advance. This direct, aggressive line is one of the most ambitious systems against the Pirc. Jan Timman has played the Austrian successfully with both colours. Yuri Balashov does well with the white pieces, and Valery Beim has an impressive score on the black side.