Pirc Defense
Stockfish 16.1 · runs in your browser1.e4 d6 · For Black against 1.e4 · ECO B00 to B09
The Pirc is a Black defense to 1.e4 built around ...d6, ...Nf6 and a kingside fianchetto. Black lets White occupy the center, then challenges it. The Austrian, Classical and 150 Attack positions below show how different White setups change that fight.
By Chessvia · Updated Oct 18, 2026
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Pirc Defense
1.e4 d6
White’s choices
Stockfish 16 · depth 16 · + favours White
White slightly better +0.69
Engine lines
Ideas, plans and common mistakes
Black does not contest e4 with an immediate central pawn exchange. The usual plan is ...d6, ...Nf6 and ...g6 followed by ...Bg7: the bishop bears down on the center from g7. White is allowed space, so Black must later test whether that center can actually be maintained.
White can build the Austrian Attack with f4, aiming for e5 and a kingside initiative. A Classical setup with Nf3 develops more quietly while keeping a central pawn pair. The 150 Attack places the bishop on e3 and queen on d2 to challenge Black's dark-squared bishop and kingside squares.
Black can castle behind the fianchetto and then attack the pawn center, or use ...c5 as an earlier central break in sharp Austrian positions. Another plan is to develop pieces while White fixes the center, then target the squares the advanced pawns leave behind. The timing of ...c5 and ...e5 depends on White's setup.
The starting pawn structure has White's e4 and d4 against Black's d6, with Black's bishop often on g7. The structure can open when Black plays ...c5 or White advances e5. Two pitfalls are letting White's center roll forward without a counterattack and playing the Austrian f4 setup as White without watching the newly weakened king side.
Use the saved Austrian and Classical rows as separate rehearsals. Their depth-16 scores describe the displayed positions only; they do not turn a flexible defense into a single fixed move order.
Sources: Chess.com Pirc Defense guide
After 2.d4: 2.d4
White slightly better +0.47
Play this line| Line | Moves | Engine check (+ favours White) | Board |
|---|---|---|---|
| After 2...Nf6 | White slightly better +0.60 | Play | |
| Roscher Gambit | 3.Nf3 | Black slightly better -0.71 | Play |
| After 3...g6 | 3.Nc3 g6 | White slightly better +0.74 | Play |
| 150 Attack | 4.Be3 c6 5.Qd2 | White slightly better +0.60 | Play |
| Inner Doll Defense | 5...Bg4 | White clearly better +1.69 | Play |
| 150 Attack, Sveshnikov-Jansa Attack | 4.Be3 c6 5.h3 | White slightly better +0.71 | Play |
| Bayonet Attack | 4.Be2 Bg7 5.h4 | White slightly better +0.41 | Play |
| Byrne Variation | 4.Bg5 | White slightly better +0.56 | Play |
| Chinese Variation | 4.Be2 Bg7 5.g4 | Level +0.01 | Play |
| Kholmov System | 4.Bc4 | White slightly better +0.37 | Play |
| Sveshnikov System | 4.g3 | Level +0.26 | Play |
| Classical Variation | 4.Nf3 | White slightly better +0.66 | Play |
| After 4...Bg7 | White slightly better +0.64 | Play | |
| Quiet System | 5.Be2 | White slightly better +0.45 | Play |
| Chigorin Line | 5...O-O 6.O-O Nc6 | White slightly better +0.59 | Play |
| Czech Defense | 5...O-O 6.O-O c6 | White slightly better +0.69 | Play |
| Parma Defense | 5...O-O 6.O-O Bg4 | White slightly better +0.69 | Play |
| Schlechter Variation | 5.h3 | White slightly better +0.48 | Play |
| Austrian Attack | 4.f4 | White slightly better +0.67 | Play |
| After 5...O-O | 4...Bg7 5.Nf3 O-O | White slightly better +0.72 | Play |
| Kurajica Variation | 6.Be3 | White slightly better +0.65 | Play |
| Unzicker Attack | 6.e5 | White slightly better +0.32 | Play |
| Bronstein Variation | 6...Nfd7 7.h4 | White slightly better +0.63 | Play |
| Weiss Variation | 6.Bd3 | White slightly better +0.58 | Play |
| Dragon Formation | 4...Bg7 5.Nf3 c5 | White slightly better +0.64 | Play |
| Ljubojevic Variation | 4...Bg7 5.Bc4 | Level +0.26 | Play |