Pirc

In the Pirc (e4 d6 d4 N-f6 Nc3 g6) as white how do you combat it (Austrian attack (f4) or main line (N-f3) As black do you prefer the pawn break to e5 c5? Are there any good pirc games on the site? Thanks in advance.

I combat it with the 150 attack.

I think the pawn break on e5 or c5 is pretty vital if you dont want to get squashed with a big pawn rush as black.

I think the c5 one works best just before white castles, if black has a knight on f6 and bishop on g7 - that way if white plays dxc5 then black can play Qa5 which givs an ok sort of position for him.

The e5 break is often met by white playing d5, so as black you would be looking to get to play f5 and once you castle, play g5 and g4 - this gives quite an ok sort of position - especially if white castles on the kingside.

Having said that, I do often find the pirc an easier then average opening to beat as white, but it is good and solid and as long as black gets his breaks in nice and early then he can enjoy a level game.

Originally posted by Lord Of Pie
In the Pirc (e4 d6 d4 N-f6 Nc3 g6) as white how do you combat it (Austrian attack (f4) or main line (N-f3) As black do you prefer the pawn break to e5 c5? Are there any good pirc games on the site? Thanks in advance.

Try anything you want...no offense, but you have much more to learn before you really need to worry about having a perfect opening... its bad for your chess to limit your openings when you are trying to improve at chess...

I play an e5 variation of Pirc. f4 - e4 - d4 works best against this.

If you play an early f3 then you avoid much of the Pirc theory: 1e4...d6, 2.d4...Nf6, 3.f3 although this shouldn't be a problem for black if they know the Kings Indian Saemisch...Kasparov used this line to beat Topalov: http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1011478

Otherwise the Austrian with 3.Nc3...g6, 4.f4....In James Vigus's recent book "The Pirc In Black and White" he describes this as whites best shot if I remember correctly. But there are a few choices so it's probably worth playing through some games see what you like. MotownDave on this site used to play it almost exclusively so might be worth looking through some of his games even though he's no longert active here.

I am working on a new line(I think its new at least) in the pirc where white gets a set up very similar to the sicilian...when I have worked out the kinks, and if it is any good, I will post it in this thread.