1
B07 Qxd5 11.Nxd5± ]
Pirc Defense
The Pirc Defence can be played in different
move orders, but the most usual are 1.e4 d6 2.
d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 (The Pirc Defence) or 1.e4 g6
2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 d6 (The Modern Defence).
Against this hypermodern defence, we have
chosen an aggressive line that can be used
against both Pirc and Modern Defence.
The line we will study is based on the set-up
Be2 followed by an immediate h4, aiming to
play h5 and thus attacking Black's fianchetto on
the kingside. White doesn't have to know a lot of
theory as in the main lines of the Pirc and
normally achieves promising positions.
1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.Be2 Bg7
[Also possible is 4...c6 5.h4ƒ ]
5.h4 an interesting position arises.
White threatens to play h4-h5 activating his rook
on the h-file and weakening Black's position on
the kingside.
c5 this dirrect counter-attack in the center is
Black's most usual reply against White's flank
attack.
[ 5...Nc6!? Black prepares a counter-strike in
the center by e7-e5. 6.h5 gxh5 ( 6...e5
7.h6² ) 7.f3 e5
A) 8.dxe5 dxe5! ( 8...Nxe5 9.Nh3² )
9.Qxd8+ Nxd8 10.Be3 Ne6÷ Biriescu-
Ftacnik, 1978 ;
B) 8.d5 Nd4 ( 8...Ne7 9.Be3²
Baljon-Meulders, 1970 ) 9.Be3 Nxe2
10.Ngxe2² Morales-Peris, 1992 ]
[ Wade-Smyslov, 1965 ) 8.a4² Barua-Nikolic,
5...c6 Black is looking for a counter-play on
the queenside by b7-b5-b4 6.h5 b5 ( 6...gxh5
7.Bxh5² ) 7.h6 ( 7.a3!? ) 7...Bf8 8.a3²
White has a confortable position and can
easily complet his development. ]
[ [It is worth trying from time to time 6.e5!?
5...0-0 Postponing the counter-play in the
center is not a good idea. 6.h5 c5 7.hxg6
fxg6 8.dxc5 Qa5 9.cxd6 Nxe4 10.Qd5+
[
5...h6 Aiming to avoid the opening of the h-
file. 6.h5 ( 6.Be3!? is also possible, with the
idea £d2 emphasizing the weakness of the
h6-pawn. ) 6...g5 7.f4! gxf4 8.Bxf4² ]
[
5...Nbd7 is too tame 6.h5ƒ White achieved
his goal on the kingside and will easily
complet his development. ]
[
5...e5?! The trade of the queens doesn't help
Black to equalise. 6.dxe5 dxe5 7.Qxd8+
Kxd8 8.h5² ]
[
5...a6 Preparing an b7-b5, but it is
effectiveless here. 6.h5 b5?! 7.e5!
This breakthrough in the center is almost
decisive. dxe5 ( 7...Nxh5 8.Bf3 c6 9.g4± )
8.h6! Bf8 9.dxe5 Qxd1+ 10.Bxd1± ]
[
5...h5 Black radically avoids h4-h5 but
weakens the square g5 and gives White the
possibility to open the position on the kingside
by g2-g4 in the future.
Other possibilities:
A) After 6.Nh3 Black keeps the balance by
playing Nc6! 7.Ng5 e5! 8.d5
( The alternative is 8.dxe5 Nxe5 9.Bf4 0-0
10.Qd2 Donev-Mittelberger, corr 1995 )
8...Nd4= Wade-Donner, 1965 ;
B) 6.Bg5!? is also possible intending a
normal depelopment by £d2, 0-0-0, ¤f3 or
f3, ¤h3-f2, g4 ;
C) 6.Nf3 0-0 ( 6...Bg4 7.Ng5 Bxe2
8.Qxe2 Nc6 9.Be3 Ng4 10.0-0-0²
Moore-Manion, 1990 ) 7.Ng5 ( 7.Bg5!? )
7...c6 ( 7...Nc6!? 8.Be3 e5 9.d5 Nd4!?
10.Bxd4 exd4 11.Qxd4 c6!©
1993 ]
6.dxc5
[ 6.d5 has been played too, but I don't think it
can threat Black. ]
in which White scored very well till now, but
objectively talking Black normally keeps the
balance.

A) 6...Nfd7 7.exd6 exd6 ( 7...cxd4 8.Nb5
Na6 9.h5ƒ Karner-Ftacnik, 1977 ) 8.Nf3²
Sarapu-Ker, 1984 ;
B) 6...dxe5 7.dxe5 Qxd1+ 8.Bxd1 Ng4!
( 8...Nfd7 9.f4² Murrey-Neumann, 1984 )
9.f4 Nc6÷ ]
6...Qa5 Diagram
XABCDEFGHY
8rsnl+k+-tr(
7zpp+-zppvlp'
6-+-zp-snp+&
5wq-zP-+-+-%
4-+-+P+-zP$
3+-sN-+-+-#
2PzPP+LzPP+"
1tR-vLQmK-sNR![
xabcdefghy
Here White has 3 distinct lines 7.Kf1, 7.Qd3 and
7.Bd2. It is very important to keep in mind that
Black's usual defensive manouevre in the first
two lines is to meet h5 by Nxh5 and Bxc3,
weakening White's pawn formation. We think
the best move is 7.Bd2, but 7.Kh1 Qxc5 8.Be3
Qa5 9.Kh3 or 7.Qd3 Qxc5 8.Be3 Qa5 9.Qb5+
also leads to interesting positions.
7.Bd2 An interesting line which Chernin doesn't
mention in his excellent book "Pirc Alert!". I think
this is the best option for White, otherwise Black
can meet h5 by the excellent plan ¤xh5
followed by ¥xc3.
[ 7.Kf1 Qxc5 ( 7...dxc5 8.e5 Nfd7 9.e6! fxe6
10.h5‚ Cimmino-Gibellini, corr.1997 )
A) 8.h5 Nxh5! 9.Nd5 ( 9.Bxh5 Bxc3!
10.bxc3 gxh5³ Wohlfart-Schmaltz, 1994 )
9...Nf6 10.b4 Qc6 11.a4 Nxd5!?
( 11...Qd7 ) 12.Bb5 Nc3 13.Bxc6+ Nxc6
14.Qf3 Be6© Bach-Hodgson, 1993 ;
2
B) 8.Be3
B1) 8...Qb4 9.a3 Qxb2?! 10.Bd4 e5
( 10...Nxe4 11.Bxg7 Nxc3 12.Qe1+-
Hamberger-Sucher, 1996 ) 11.Ra2 Qxa2
12.Nxa2 exd4 13.Qxd4² ;
B2) 8...Qc7 9.h5÷ ;
B3) 8...Qa5 9.Nh3 ( 9.h5? is strongly
met by the usual defensive manouevre
Nxh5! 10.Bxh5 Bxc3! 11.bxc3 gxh5∓ )
9...Nc6 10.Nf4÷ The position is balanced
and with chances for both sides. ]
[ 7.Qd3 Qxc5 ( 7...0-0? 8.h5 Nc6 9.hxg6
fxg6 (Wilder-Davies, 1989) 10.cxd6 Nxe4
11.dxe7 Nxe7 12.Qxe4 Bxc3+ 13.bxc3
Qxc3+ 14.Kd1+- ; 7...Nxe4?? 8.Qb5+!+- )
8.Be3 Qa5
A) 9.h5? is once again met by Nxh5!
( 9...gxh5 10.Nh3 Nc6 11.0-0-0² ) 10.Qb5+
( 10.Bxh5 Bxc3+ 11.bxc3 gxh5 12.Ne2
Nc6³ ) 10...Qxb5 11.Nxb5 Na6 12.Bxh5
gxh5³ ;
B) 9.Qb5+!? Likely the only acceptable
move. Qxb5 10.Nxb5 Na6 According to
databases White scored excellent in this
position, but normally Black must keep the
balance. 11.Nxa7 ( 11.f3!? also gives
White chances to fight for plus. ; 11.Bf3 Ng4
12.Bd4 Bxd4 13.Nxd4 Ne5= Kiik-Hurme,
1991 ) 11...Nxe4 12.c3 ( 12.Nxc8? Rxc8
13.c3 Rxc3!∓ ) 12...Bd7 13.Nb5 0-0
14.Nf3÷ Rigo-Berg, 1988 ]
7...Qxc5 8.h5 gxh5
[Now 8...Nxh5 is not dangerous because ¤c3
is protected by ¥d2. 9.Bxh5 gxh5 10.Rxh5² ]
[ 8...0-0 9.Nh3 ( 9.hxg6 fxg6÷ ) 9...Bxh3!
10.Rxh3 Nc6 11.hxg6 ( 11.a3 d5!„ )
11...fxg6 12.Be3 Qb4 13.Qd2
(Garcia Fernandez - Ferrer, 1995) Nxe4
14.Nxe4 Qxe4 15.f3© ( 15.0-0-0!?© )]
9.Nh3© White has good compensation for the
sacrificed pawn.