simplifychess.com's
guide to

The Pirc
Defense

How To Play The Pirc Defense,
The Theory Behind It,
And How To Counter It

1
Austrian attack 2 White’s Plans
3 Use this pawn to breakthrough Black’s position
4 Expand on the Kingside
5 Get bishop on this diagonal
(To support this pawn advance)
6 Castle Kingside
Black’s Plans
7 Use this pawn to breakthrough White’s position
8 Move Queen to Queenside Flank
9 Get bishop on long diagonal
10 Castle Kingside
Classical System 11 White’s Plans
12 When opponent tries breakthrough - block them in
13 Castle on the Kingside
14 Use Bishop To Break Pin
Black’s Plans
15 Use this pawn to breakthrough White’s position
16 Castle on the Kingside
17 Pin White’s Knight To Queen
150 Attack 18 White’s Plans
19 Exchange Black's fianchetto bishop
20 Prevent pieces from coming to this square
Black’s Plans
21 Get Knight to this Square
(And trade for bishop)
22 Use this pawn to breakthrough White’s position
Czech Defense 23 White’s Plans
24 Use this pawn to breakthrough Black’s position
25 Advance pawn to support Breakthrough
Black’s Plans
26 Move Queen to Queenside Flank
27 Expand on the Queenside
28 Pin White’s Knight To Queen