- ECO code
- B00
- Moves
- 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6
- Family
- Pirc Defense
- To move
- White
- Master games
- 864
- Average game length
- 42 moves
- Years covered
- 1892–2026
Pirc Defense is the opening filed under ECO code B00, reached after 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6. It belongs to the Pirc Defense family; in the resulting position it is White to move.
Katuranga's collection of 138,070 master games contains 864 games on this line — the 124th most played opening in the collection. The oldest game on this line is from 1892 and the most recent from 2026. The busiest decade in this collection is the 2020s, with 256 games. An average game here lasts 42 moves.
White wins 49% of those games, 26% end in a draw, and Black wins 25%. Compared with the collection average (White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28%), Black scores worse here by 3 percentage points. Draws are less common here than usual, by 9 points.
From this position the most popular move is 3.Nc3, played in 797 games, followed by 3.f3 (35) and 3.Bd3 (29). After 3.Nc3 White scores 48% and Black 25%.
The name that appears most often on the White side of this line is Shirov,A (49 games); on the Black side, Mamedyarov,S (61).
1 named variation branch off this position and have their own page here, among them Pirc Defense (B07).
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Results in master games
- White 49% (424)
- Draws 26% (227)
- Black 25% (213)
Most played continuations
| Move | Games | White / draws / Black | Leads into |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.Nc3 | 797 | 48/27/25 | — |
| 3.f3 | 35 | 77/14/9 | — |
| 3.Bd3 | 29 | 45/31/24 | — |
| 3.Nd2 | 3 | 67/0/33 | — |
Variations from this position
- Pirc Defense (B07) · 3.Nc3 g6 · 440 games
How the position is reached
- King's Pawn Game · 1.e4 · 62,859 games
- Pirc Defense · 1.e4 d6 · 1,186 games
- Pirc Defense · 1.e4 d6 2.d4 · 1,121 games
Played most often by
As White
- Shirov,A 49
- Nepomniachtchi,I 42
- Karjakin,Sergey 36
As Black
- Mamedyarov,S 61
- Carlsen,M 28
- Grischuk,A 25
Games per decade
- 1890s 1
- 1910s 1
- 1920s 3
- 1940s 3
- 1950s 12
- 1960s 30
- 1970s 38
- 1980s 51
- 1990s 95
- 2000s 141
- 2010s 233
- 2020s 256
Master games on this line
| White | Black | Result | Year | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zhigalko,S | Erigaisi,Arjun | 0-1 | 2026 | 1st 3-0 Thu 26th Feb 2026 |
| Apoorv Kamble | Erigaisi,Arjun | 0-1 | 2026 | Titled Tue 21st Apr 2026 |
| Bortnyk,Olexandr | Erigaisi,Arjun | 1-0 | 2026 | 1st 3-0 Thu 21st May 2026 |
| Grischuk,A | Arabidze,M | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | Titled Tue 13th Jan 2026 |
| Grischuk,A | Shtembuliak,E | 0-1 | 2026 | Titled Tue 6th Jan 2026 |
| Zhu,Jiner | Erigaisi,Arjun | 0-1 | 2026 | 31st Sigeman & Co 2026 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the Pirc Defense?
It is the opening with ECO code B00, reached after 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6. It belongs to the Pirc Defense family.
Is the Pirc Defense good for White or for Black?
In 864 master games on this line White wins 49%, 26% are drawn and Black wins 25%. The collection average is White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28% — so this line is no worse than usual for White than the field as a whole.
What is the main continuation of the Pirc Defense?
3.Nc3 — played in 797 of the master games on this line.
Which grandmasters play the Pirc Defense?
On the White side Shirov,A (49), Nepomniachtchi,I (42), Karjakin,Sergey (36); on the Black side Mamedyarov,S (61), Carlsen,M (28), Grischuk,A (25).
Every number on this page is computed from Katuranga's master game collection; names and ECO codes follow the lichess opening book (CC0).
Try this line on the board
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