Chess Openings: Learn to Play the Pirc Defense!
The Pirc Defense starts off with the following moves:
1. e4 d6
There are many strong chess openings for black against e4. These include the Scandinavian Defense, Sicilian Defense, Owen’s Defense, French Defense, Caro-Kann Defense, Petrov’s Defense, Alekhine’s Defense, and more! However, today we cover another one of the best chess openings for black against e4 with the Pirc Defense! The Pirc Defense is a top tier chess opening which can help you win games quickly and improve at chess fast. This is because of the chess opening strategy, chess opening theory, chess opening tactics, chess opening tricks, chess opening traps, chess opening principles, and chess opening moves of the Pirc Defense. They are simply second to none, ranking high on any chess opening tier list. The Pirc Defense is also a good chess opening for beginners, as it shows the chess beginner how to play good chess. The Pirc Defense is one of the strongest beginner chess openings for black, and can be played all the way up to the Grandmaster level. There are a ton of tricks and traps that can help you improve at chess fast and beat higher rated players. In this beginner chess lesson, we want you to learn how to play the Pirc Defense with it’s chess strategy, chess principles, and chess theory without simply memorizing opening lines and variations. Memorizing chess openings is helpful, but it is more important to be able to navigate the positions you see. Once you master this chess opening for black against e4, you will simply be hard to beat. The chess opening theory and chess opening strategy in the Pirc Defense is simply second to none. We will specifically be covering how to play the Pirc Defense against the Austrian Attack, 150 Attack, and Classical Variation. The Pirc Defense for black is a ton of fun, as there are more than a handful of chess opening traps and attacking ideas. Right out the gate, we are allowing white to take control of the center. In some sense, this is similar to the chess opening strategy of the Owen’s Defense, Black Knights’ Tango, and Benoni Defense. We allow white to take space, and then look to gain attacking chances towards their overextended pawn structure and look to checkmate their king. The chess opening lines of the Pirc Defense, no matter what white plays, the Pirc Defense player is going to have a chance to fight for the win. Even with a variation like the 150 Attack or Austrian Attack, black is often the one with the opening advantage. Against the Classical Variation, the Pirc Defense player relies on good chess opening principles and chess opening strategy. We review how to stop the 150 Attack, and how to crush the Austrian Attack if white goes to far against the Pirc Defense. If you are looking for a chess opening to beat e4, the Pirc Defense might be for you! The Pirc Defense is a great system for players who love complex positions that give them the ability to be flexible, creative, and continue learning. The Pirc Defense is a top tier chess opening for black against e4, and we hope you enjoy learning how to play it!
Interested in PRIVATE LESSONS? Here’s the link!
Join me on Patreon! (Rewards and benefits included!)
Support the Chess Giant Here!
Follow THE CHESS GIANT on social media
Instagram //
Twitter //
Facebook //
Video and channel designs by COASTLAND CREATIVE
Website //
Instagram //
I'm waiting for this!
I never liked 1…E5 vs 1.e4, I've tried the scandi, it's too open of a game so I blunder many tactics. Tried french and caro too, but people don't play mainlines, they play nf3 and take on D5, and that is also too boring to play, and I'm not playing sicilian coz I don't know much theory (I'm waiting for your E6 Sicilian video too!). And the other defenses also haven't been good for me. Excited for this pirc release!!!
Long live the chess giant
I can’t wait to learn!
yes! Been waiting forever for this!!
Oh wow, I've been hoping you would cover this!
PINE OIL
What do you play against the kholmov system starting with e4 d6 d4 Nf6 Nc3 g6 Bc4 Bg7 Qe2 preparing e5 only good move is Nc6 then e5 Nxe4 exf6 Nxe2 fxg7 Rg8 Ngxe2 I think white has very good chances of winning he has 3 pieces for a queen + lead in development but afcoarse black has 2 pawns but after bh6 0-0-0 and white has a winning atatck with Rhe1 h4 Nf4 and game over
I just love the 150 attack!
It's just so aggressive that if I face pirc it's just an auto win for me with it!
But thanks for showing me how to counter it. Can't wait to beat people with this!!!
Hey bro, I haven't watched the full video yet but is this your complete repertoire for the pirc defense?
I was most of my games against pirc thank you for this vid😄
I have had great attacking games against the 150 attack but was honestly not as prepared vs the Austrian. The lines you covered were well prepared and very helpful!
Thank you for this! Normally, I play gambits, however I get people playing white who open with a Knight move or a fiancheto.
So, I end up playing the Pirc.
Hi Solomon! Regarding the 150 attack, after 5. . .b5, instead of 6. f3 white can try 6. Nf3 then 7. Bd3 and 0-0-0 or 6. Bd3 then 7. Nf3 and 0-0. Can Make it more difficult for black to achieve his objectives. Played the Modern, KID and Pirc in the 80’s. White eschewing f3 for the above moves gave me more trouble against white who was looking for rapid development first. 6. f4 gets equality but but wasn’t to my liking. Pirc is a great defense and well worth the time to understand it. Wasn’t called the 150 attack in the 80’s. That threw me!
Another gem for one of the few openings I play. Noice!
This is a really helpful video!
Do you happen to have a PGN available of the moves you suggest?
Just a friendly fyi, its not "perk" but "peertz". Great vudeo as always though.
This is definitely going to lead to a fight!
Wow! Lots to chew on here. I recently came back playing the Pirc and there is a lot of good lines here to follow up on. Great video and as always great explanation and examples. This was gold. Thanks for doing this Solomon! You have a great channel!
thank you mr solomon
i think be3 variation in white is a sharp variation
Another very useful superb video for me, enriching my current repertoire 1… d6 (using Lakdawala's book). Many useful ideas. Thank you.
This is amazing! Thanks for this my friend!
pls make a video on stonewall attack there are not many videos.
Ask and you shall receive! awesome video, very clear and concise explanations , and you kept it interesting the whole time! I loved blacks response to the Austrian, I will be watching this again and writing down some of those variations! I am so excited about this video I will be sharing it! if you do a follow up video with the pirc , I have a difficult time responding when white plays g3 fianchettos his bishop just like black does in the pirc.
As an E4 player I used to not respect the pirc, this is a great video, very helpful and now I think I have some work to do
Coach, do you have video pirc defense 1. d4 d6?
Excellent! Very instructive & useful. Thank you
I requested you take the Pirc further earier and man OH man did you ever deliver!! this is a complete masterpiece of Instruction so Greatly Appreciated, Pro Work Seriously Finest Chess Ch. on the Internet1 FACT. Thank you so much, … Mike
excellent video!! nice job!
Really great video bro, your channel is also underated like most other informative gems.
Awesome video. Thanks from Ukraine.
Thanks Solomon, fantastic instructional vid! I have a couple of questions about the Austrian attack: first, what do you recommend if on move 5, white plays Bishop B5 and puts us in check before we've castled? Second, if we do manage to castle on move 5, aren't we in danger of being subjected to a henious kingside attack? It'd be great if you could do an extra vid on the Austrian, covering some of these lines as it's so sharp (and a little bit scary…)
Well done going straight to the most challenging replies from white with the Austrian attack and 150. I play the Austrian against the Pirc myself and never had much of a struggle with those games. As it turns out I just knew a couple extra bits of theory in that line than the pirc opponents. Of course it's not so simple. Now learning the pirc from black's side to expand my repertoire.
Great! The most soothing I've watched on pircc 🙂 <3
Thank you, Chess Giant, for this and all your other videos!
great… I have been watching other videos on pirc also but this one seems to be the matter of fact approach and wasting no time….
Only that you speak too fast for me makes me sit up and concentrate a lot more….Thank you…..
This Chanel great please don't stop… I have questions about Pawns chain… And by that attack I mean closing a center…. Can you customize video explains that thank you
Trying to take your game to the next level? Check out PRIVATE LESSONS with Solomon! https://www.thechessgiant.com/lessons
Could you do a video on the harmonist variation of the pirc? (1.e4, d6, 2.f4)
I just lost to Sam Shankland in a simul. I was playing the Pirc with the black pieces, and he played the 150 attack. I halted kingside plans (didn't fianchetto bishop or castle) and instead advanced c6 and b5, but he tore me a new one nonetheless! lol Per the computer, we were dead even around move 10, though, so this defense has something going for it. I just made critical mistakes because I'm like 1000 points lower rated!
@The Chess Giant – any Bryne Variations coming our way?? 😉
Hey Solomon, Hope you are doing well. Can you please look into this line called "Lion Defense: Lion's Jaw" which I found while analyzing my options against the Pirc Defense.
I normally play the Bryne Variation against the Pirc but I was wondering what other options can I have against it. So I was analyzing on Lichess and stumbled upon this interesting line. I have no idea about how the "Lion Defense" starts but after 1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. f3, the line changes from "Pirc Defense" to "Lion Defense: Lion's Jaw".
PS: I know I made this comment on another video. I just thought it'd be more appropriate to put it in here. 😅
10 150 defense great content!
Some neat tricks in here. Doubt if I'll remember half of them but that's cool. BTW at 9:45 what if White plays e5? That opens up an attack on Black's undefended g-pawn while blocking the Bishop g7's diagonal. There's …Bb7 attacking White's Rook on h1 but after, say, Rh2 then what? …Qe8 seems too passive and taking pawns on e5 or d4 could open up the position (prematurely?). Thanks for your kind attention. Cheers!
Can you cover the Rat Harmonist – 1. e4 d6 2. f4?
Since I always respond to a kingside opening from White with d6, I really appreciate the Pirc videos.
0:20 Start
1:25 Against the 150 Attack
9:50 What to do as White with the 150 Attack
12:19 Review + Against Austrian Attack (f4)
14:54 Review + Against bishop/pawns
16:06 Review + As White
27:50 Kf3, Quiet chess
This is just for me, don't worry about it
Is there anything wrong with taking the bishop at e3? 11:08 If the queen takes the h8 rook then you could just take the pawn on c2 followed by capturing the rook on a1.
it is very difficult to balance presenting key ideas/themes while also being thorough enough without feeling like you're getting too in-the-weeds. these videos seem to get it right. you are able to reel the train of thought back to the decision points so that the viewer doesn't lose focus, something i see other youtubers have a hard time with
You are very good teacher! Thank you!