Pirc Defence

Pirc Defence
abcdefgh
8
a8 black rook
b8 black knight
c8 black bishop
d8 black queen
e8 black king
f8 black bishop
h8 black rook
a7 black pawn
b7 black pawn
c7 black pawn
e7 black pawn
f7 black pawn
h7 black pawn
d6 black pawn
f6 black knight
g6 black pawn
d4 white pawn
e4 white pawn
c3 white knight
a2 white pawn
b2 white pawn
c2 white pawn
f2 white pawn
g2 white pawn
h2 white pawn
a1 white rook
c1 white bishop
d1 white queen
e1 white king
f1 white bishop
g1 white knight
h1 white rook
8
77
66
55
44
33
22
11
abcdefgh
Moves1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6
ECOB07–B09
Named afterVasja Pirc
ParentKing's Pawn Game
Synonym(s)Pirc–Ufimtsev Defence[1]
Ufimtsev Defence
Yugoslav Defence

The Pirc Defence (/ˈpɪərts/ PEERTS) is a chess opening characterised by the response of Black to 1.e4 with 1...d6 and 2...Nf6, followed by ...g6 and ...Bg7, while allowing White to establish a centre with pawns on d4 and e4. It is named after the Slovenian grandmaster Vasja Pirc.

The Pirc Defence is usually defined by the opening sequence

1. e4 d6
2. d4 Nf6
3. Nc3 g6

This is the most commonly played line after Black responds to 1.e4 with 1...d6.[2] It has been claimed to give rise to somewhat interesting and exciting games,[3] where Black will have counterplay but has to be cautious about playing too passively.[4] 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".[5]

  1. ^ Russian: защита Пирца — Уфимцева
  2. ^ "Chess Opening Explorer".
  3. ^ "Openings for Tactical Players: Pirc Defense".
  4. ^ "Pirc Defense - the Chess Website".
  5. ^ Garry Kasparov. "Tournament in Wijk aan Zee (annotated by G. Kasparov)". gameknot.com. Retrieved 2014-05-31.