Pirc / Modern Defence
Learn the Pirc and Modern Defence by playing the moves. Practise the Classical System, the Austrian Attack, the 150 Attack, Tiger's Modern and the Gurgenidze, one line at a time.
Best for: Counterattackers · ECO B06-B09 · First moves: 1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6
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Position after the Pirc / Modern Defence setup
Common replies
Standard lines you'll meet most of the time. Begin with the recommended classical system, then work through the rest.
Classical System
The core Pirc setup and the timing of the ...e5 break.
White develops naturally with Nf3 and Be2 and castles short. Black completes the fianchetto, plays ...c6 and ...Nbd7, and prepares the freeing ...e5 break at the right moment.
1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6…
Sveshnikov h3 System
Playing against a solid, prophylactic White setup.
White prevents ...Bg4 with h3 and develops solidly. Black responds with the standard ...c6 and ...Nbd7 setup and looks for ...e5 or ...b5 depending on White's next steps.
1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6…
Fianchetto Variation
Equalising quickly with ...e5 against quiet setups.
White fianchettoes too, leading to a quiet, manoeuvring game. Black takes the chance to play ...e5 immediately and equalise in the centre with easy piece play.
1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6…
Classical with ...Bg4
Piling up on d4 with an early bishop pin.
Black pins the f3 knight to increase the pressure on d4 before playing ...Nc6 and ...e5. Active piece play instead of the slower ...c6 setups.
1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6…
Classical ...e5 Endgame
Steering the Pirc into a safe and playable endgame.
Black plays ...e5 and invites the queen trade. The resulting endgame is comfortable for Black, whose bishop pair and active rooks fully compensate White's tiny space edge.
1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6…
Sharper options
More aggressive or off-beat lines. Add these once the main setup feels natural.
Austrian Attack
Counterattacking a broad pawn centre with ...c5 and ...Na6.
White's most aggressive try: f4 builds a huge centre and prepares e5. Black hits back on the queenside with ...c5 and uses the g7 bishop to pressure the overextended pawns.
1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6…
Austrian Attack with Early ...c5
Using an immediate ...c5 to punish the Austrian Attack.
Black challenges the centre before castling. After dxc5 the queen recovers the pawn on c5 with tempo, and Black's pieces spring to life against White's loose centre.
1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6…
150 Attack
Racing on the queenside against an opposite-side attack.
White borrows the Yugoslav Dragon recipe: Be3, Qd2, f3, then Bh6 and a kingside storm. Black must expand fast on the queenside with ...b5 and piece pressure to win the race.
1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6…
Austrian Attack with 6.e5
Defending against a direct pawn storm with central counterplay.
White pushes e5 immediately and follows with h4. Black retreats the knight to d7, strikes with ...c5, and aims to prove the advanced pawns are weak rather than strong.
1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6…
150 Attack with Bh6
Surviving the dark-square trade and counterattacking fast.
White trades the key dark-squared bishop with Bh6 and heads for a mating attack. Black must generate queenside play immediately or face a one-way game.
1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6…
Chinese Variation
Chasing down a loose bishop in a sharp tactical melee.
White plays an early e5 with the bishop on g5, and Black kicks the bishop with ...h6 and ...g5 before hunting it down with ...Nh5. Wild, concrete play from move six.
1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6…
Advanced hybrids
Structurally different lines for established players. Best learned after the main setup is automatic.
Byrne Variation
Meeting an early Bg5 pin with fast queenside counterplay.
White pins with Bg5 and builds with Qd2 and f4. Black plays ...c6 and ...b5, aiming to open queenside lines before the kingside attack lands.
1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6…
Samisch f3 Setup
Preparing ...b5 before White's attack gets going.
White plays f3 and Be3 before choosing where to castle. Black prepares ...b5 and ...Qa5, ready to break open the queenside the moment White commits the king.
1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6…
Tiger's Modern
The ...a6 and ...b5 expansion plan of the modern Modern.
Black delays ...Nf6 and plays ...a6 and ...b5 at once, grabbing queenside space. White storms with h4, so Black must know when to stop the pawns with ...h5.
1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 d6…
Averbakh System
Handling a big c4 centre with the ...e5 and ...f5 breaks.
White grabs the full centre with c4, and Black hits it with ...e5 to reach a King's Indian style closed position. Play then revolves around the ...f5 break.
1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. c4 d6…
Gurgenidze System
Converting the Modern into a rock-solid Caro-Kann structure.
Black plays ...c6 and ...d5, turning the Modern into a Caro-Kann style structure with an extra fianchetto. Solid, surprising, and very hard for White to crack.
1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 c6…
Hippopotamus
A waiting setup that invites White to overextend.
Black sets up on the third rank with ...e6, ...d6, ...b6, ...g6 and two fianchettos, waiting for White to overextend. Almost no theory, but you must know the counter-breaks.
1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 d6…
Kholmov System
Meeting an early central push with accurate exchanges.
White develops the bishop to c4 and plays Qe2 with a quick e5 push. Black must react precisely, taking on e5 at the right moment to keep the position balanced.
1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6…
Pseudo-Austrian
Generating immediate pressure on d4 and b2.
White plays f4 against the Modern move order, and Black pins with ...Bg4 and hits b2 with ...Qb6. Concrete pressure on d4 before White can consolidate.
1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 d6…
Czech Variation
A low-theory Pirc alternative built around ...c6 and ...Qa5.
Black plays ...c6 instead of ...g6, keeping the bishop flexible and preparing ...Qa5 and ...e5. A tough, resilient system that avoids the main Pirc battlegrounds.
1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 c6…
Learn more about the Pirc / Modern Defence
12 sections covering move order, plans, structures, who it suits, and more.
If you like the Pirc / Modern Defence, try…
Hand-picked next steps to round out your repertoire.
Another defence for Black
King's Indian Defence
A hypermodern opening where Black allows White to build a broad pawn centre, then strikes back with ...e5 or ...c5. The fianchettoed bishop on g7 becomes a powerful long-range weapon.
Pair this with an opening for White
London System
A solid d4 opening where White develops the dark-squared bishop to f4 early, building a resilient pawn triangle on c3-d4-e3. Low on theory and high on plans, making it an ideal weapon at all levels.
Try next
Ruy Lopez
The king of 1.e4 openings - White develops the bishop to b5, pressuring the knight that defends e5. A cornerstone of top-level chess, it leads to deep strategic battles from slow manoeuvring to explosive attacks.
Practise the Pirc / Modern Defence against real opponents
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