The Pirc Defense begins with 1. e4 d6 2. d4 ♞f6 3. ♘c3 g6, and the Modern Defense with 1. e4 g6 2. d4 ♝g7. Both let White build a large pawn center on e4 and d4, while Black develops the king's bishop to g7 and attacks the center later. The Pirc is named after the Slovenian grandmaster Vasja Pirc.
1. e4 d6 2. d4 ♞f6 3. ♘c3 g6
The two defenses share the same ideas and differ mainly in move order. In the Modern Defense Black delays ... ♞f6 and ... d6, for example to play ... c6 and ... ♞d7 first, or ... a6 and ... b5. Many lines transpose into the Pirc, so this page covers them together.
A typical development in the Classical System looks like this. White develops quickly with ♘f3, ♗e2 and castling, and Black castles and then prepares the central break ... e5 with ... c6 and ... ♞bd7.
1. e4 d6 2. d4 ♞f6 3. ♘c3 g6 4. ♘f3 ♝g7 5. ♗e2 O-O 6. O-O c6 7. a4 ♞bd7 8. ♖e1 e5 9. ♗f1
Black allows White to occupy the center and then undermines it. This takes time, so each break needs preparation, and White can use that time to attack. White therefore chooses between two approaches: a fast kingside attack, as in the Austrian Attack and the 150 Attack, or slow development, as in the Classical System, where White keeps the center flexible.
The bishop on g7 aims along the long diagonal at d4 and the queenside. It supports the breaks ... c5 and ... e5, and it becomes dangerous if White's center pawns advance and the diagonal opens. White often tries to exchange it, for example with ♗h6 in the 150 Attack.
... c5 attacks d4 and opens the c-file; White answers with dxc5 or gains space with d4-d5. ... e5 hits d4 and opens the position. ... b5, prepared by ... a6 or ... c6, expands on the queenside and often comes with ... ♝b7. White's own breaks are e4-e5, which attacks the knight on f6, and f2-f4, which supports e5 and prepares a kingside attack.
After 3... g6 White has several fourth moves. The principal ones are 4. f4, the Austrian Attack; 4. ♘f3, the Classical System; and 4. ♗e3, which leads to the 150 Attack. 4. ♗g5 and 4. ♗c4 are sidelines.
1. e4 d6 2. d4 ♞f6 3. ♘c3 g6
4. f4 builds a broad center and prepares e4-e5. White develops with ♘f3 and ♗d3, castles, and tries to attack on the kingside. Black must act in the center, because a pawn advance e4-e5 or f4-f5 can become dangerous if Black stays passive.
1. e4 d6 2. d4 ♞f6 3. ♘c3 g6 4. f4
After 4... ♝g7 5. ♘f3 O-O 6. ♗d3 Black develops the knight with 6... ♞a6, preparing ... c5 without blocking the c-pawn. White castles with 7. O-O, and after 7... c5 8. d5 ♝g4 Black pins the knight on f3. 9. h3 ♝xf3 10. ♕xf3 ♞b4 follows, and the knight on b4 attacks the bishop on d3 and the squares around c2.
1. e4 d6 2. d4 ♞f6 3. ♘c3 g6 4. f4 ♝g7 5. ♘f3 O-O 6. ♗d3 ♞a6 7. O-O c5 8. d5 ♝g4 9. h3 ♝xf3 10. ♕xf3 ♞b4
Black has active pieces and can continue with ... e6 or ... b5 to open the position. White has the space and the bishop pair, and must watch for the knight on b4.
Black can also strike at once. After 6... c5 7. dxc5 ♛a5 8. ♗d2 ♛xc5 9. ♕e2 Black has regained the pawn, and the queen on c5 is exposed to ♗e3. White has the center, and Black has active pieces and a solid position.
1. e4 d6 2. d4 ♞f6 3. ♘c3 g6 4. f4 ♝g7 5. ♘f3 O-O 6. ♗d3 c5 7. dxc5 ♛a5 8. ♗d2 ♛xc5 9. ♕e2
4. ♘f3 develops without committing a pawn. After 4... ♝g7 5. ♗e2 O-O 6. O-O White has a flexible center, and the plan of advancing e4-e5 or d4-d5 remains in reserve. Black must choose a method to challenge the center. 6... c6 prepares ... e5 or ... b5, 6... ♝g4 pins the knight, and 6... ♞c6 attacks d4 at once.
1. e4 d6 2. d4 ♞f6 3. ♘c3 g6 4. ♘f3 ♝g7 5. ♗e2 O-O 6. O-O
Black prepares ... e5 with 6... c6 and ... ♞bd7. White stops ... b5 with 7. a4, and after 7... ♞bd7 8. h3 e5 9. ♗e3 ♛e7 the center is under tension. White can capture on e5 or keep the tension with ♖e1.
1. e4 d6 2. d4 ♞f6 3. ♘c3 g6 4. ♘f3 ♝g7 5. ♗e2 O-O 6. O-O c6 7. a4 ♞bd7 8. h3 e5 9. ♗e3 ♛e7
Black pins the knight and develops the knight to c6. After 7. ♗e3 ♞c6 8. ♕d2 e5 White can exchange with 9. dxe5 dxe5, and 10. h3 ♝xf3 11. ♗xf3 ♞d4 brings the knight to the center. White has the bishop pair, but the knight on d4 is well placed and Black has neutralized White's space advantage.
1. e4 d6 2. d4 ♞f6 3. ♘c3 g6 4. ♘f3 ♝g7 5. ♗e2 O-O 6. O-O ♝g4 7. ♗e3 ♞c6 8. ♕d2 e5 9. dxe5 dxe5 10. h3 ♝xf3 11. ♗xf3 ♞d4
4. ♗e3 develops the bishop and prepares 5. ♕d2, after which ♗h6 will exchange Black's strong dark-squared bishop. White often castles queenside and attacks the kingside with the pawns f2-f3, g2-g4 and h2-h4. Black must find counterplay quickly, with ... c6 and ... b5, or with the center break ... c5 or ... e5.
1. e4 d6 2. d4 ♞f6 3. ♘c3 g6 4. ♗e3 ♝g7 5. ♕d2
Black prepares ... b5 and delays castling. After 5... c6 6. f3 b5 7. ♘ge2 ♞bd7 8. ♘g3 ♝b7 White has a solid center and the knight on g3 supports h4-h5. Black has played on the queenside and can follow with ... e5 or ... ♞b6.
1. e4 d6 2. d4 ♞f6 3. ♘c3 g6 4. ♗e3 ♝g7 5. ♕d2 c6 6. f3 b5 7. ♘ge2 ♞bd7 8. ♘g3 ♝b7
Black castles and allows the exchange. After 6. ♗h6 ♞c6 7. ♗xg7 ♚xg7 8. ♘f3 e5 White has traded the bishop and Black has recovered with the center break 8... e5. White has more space, and Black has a solid position with the king on g7.
1. e4 d6 2. d4 ♞f6 3. ♘c3 g6 4. ♗e3 ♝g7 5. ♕d2 O-O 6. ♗h6 ♞c6 7. ♗xg7 ♚xg7 8. ♘f3 e5
In the Modern Defense Black plays 1. e4 g6 2. d4 ♝g7 and decides on the knight and pawn setup later. After 3. ♘c3 d6 White can transpose into the Pirc with 4. f4 ♞f6 5. ♘f3 O-O 6. ♗d3, but Black has more independent choices. A typical setup is 4. ♗e3 c6 5. ♕d2 ♞d7 6. f3 b5, which prepares ... ♞gf6 and ... e5 and expands on the queenside.
1. e4 g6 2. d4 ♝g7 3. ♘c3 d6 4. ♗e3 c6 5. ♕d2 ♞d7 6. f3 b5
White can also develop quietly. After 4. ♘f3 a6 5. ♗e2 b5 6. O-O ♝b7 Black attacks e4 from b7, and White can advance with 7. e5. Black keeps the choice of knight development for later.
1. e4 g6 2. d4 ♝g7 3. ♘c3 d6 4. ♘f3 a6 5. ♗e2 b5 6. O-O ♝b7
4. ♗g5 pins the knight on f6 to the queen. After 4... ♝g7 5. ♕d2 h6 6. ♗h4 Black can challenge the bishop with 6... g5 7. ♗g3 ♞h5, and the knight offers a trade on g3. The recapture hxg3 opens the h-file for White's rook, and the pawn advance has loosened Black's kingside, so Black must handle the king with care.
1. e4 d6 2. d4 ♞f6 3. ♘c3 g6 4. ♗g5 ♝g7 5. ♕d2 h6 6. ♗h4 g5 7. ♗g3 ♞h5
4. ♗c4 aims at f7 and prepares ♕e2. After 4... ♝g7 5. ♕e2 O-O 6. ♗b3 c6 7. ♘f3 b5 Black gains space on the queenside and prepares ... ♞bd7 and ... e5. White has a flexible position, and the bishop on b3 stays on its diagonal.
1. e4 d6 2. d4 ♞f6 3. ♘c3 g6 4. ♗c4 ♝g7 5. ♕e2 O-O 6. ♗b3 c6 7. ♘f3 b5