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Pirc Defense

22 variations · 41M games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

Key Finding

Pirc Defense is balanced for White at 51.2% expected score.

This opening produces roughly even results, with outcomes depending more on middlegame play than opening choice.

You play
Playable
Rating
Time
White Expected Score0.0%Range (90% confident): 51.2% – 51.2%Aggregated from 22 variations
0%51.2%100%
Range (90% confident): 51.2% – 51.2%
ContextOverall · n=41M
Outcome Distribution
49.3%3.8%46.9%
Win
Draw
Loss
3...g6
Pirc Defense
Variations22
Games (Context)41M
Avg Length34 moves
Draw Rate3.8%

What Should I Play?

Player-controlled continuations for White · Overall

#1Pirc Defense: Austrian Attack, Unzicker Attack, Bronstein VariationTop Pick
1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.f4 Bg7 5.Nf3 O-O 6.e5 Nfd7 7.h4
Min adv +26.8% · n=14K
64.1%
#2Pirc Defense: Chinese Variation
1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.Be2 Bg7 5.g4
Min adv +13.9% · n=25K
57.5%
#3Pirc Defense: Bayonet Attack
1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.Be2 Bg7 5.h4
Min adv +10.6% · n=54K
55.7%
#4Pirc Defense: Austrian Attack, Unzicker Attack
1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.f4 Bg7 5.Nf3 O-O 6.e5
Min adv +9.6% · n=166K
55.0%
#5Pirc Defense: Byrne Variation
1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.Bg5
Min adv +9.3% · n=1.0M
54.7%
#6Pirc Defense: 150 Attack, Sveshnikov-Jansa Attack
1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.Be3 c6 5.h3
Min adv +7.4% · n=8.1K
54.7%
#7Pirc Defense: Austrian Attack
1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.f4
Min adv +7.1% · n=652K
53.7%
#8Pirc Defense: Classical Variation, Schlechter Variation
1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.h3
Min adv +4.9% · n=484K
52.6%
#9Pirc Defense: Classical Variation, Quiet System
1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Be2
Min adv +4.8% · n=247K
52.6%
#10Pirc Defense: Austrian Attack, Ljubojevic Variation
1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.f4 Bg7 5.Bc4
Min adv +4.5% · n=49K
52.6%

Continuations show the most common variations from this opening. Higher expected scores indicate better statistical outcomes, but familiarity and playstyle matter too.

What is the Pirc Defense expected score for White?

Snapshot

Overall, the Pirc Defense family has a 51.2% expected score for White (we're 90% confident it's between 51.2% and 51.2%), aggregated from 22 variations and 41M Lichess games.

White Win% by Rating

Improves with rating: 48% → 53%

0
1000
1200
1400
1600
1800
2000
2200
2500+

  • 0-999: 47.5% win rate (1,966,620 games)
  • 1000-1199: 48.9% win rate (3,345,805 games)
  • 1200-1399: 49.2% win rate (5,109,986 games)
  • 1400-1599: 49.1% win rate (6,745,188 games)
  • 1600-1799: 49.3% win rate (7,577,931 games)
  • 1800-1999: 49.3% win rate (7,353,504 games)
  • 2000-2199: 49.5% win rate (5,133,397 games)
  • 2200-2499: 50.7% win rate (2,890,928 games)
  • 2500+: 52.5% win rate (487,209 games)

White Win% by Time Control

Similar across time controls (~49%)

UltraBullet
Bullet
Blitz
Rapid
Classical

  • UltraBullet: 48.4% win rate (287,168 games)
  • Bullet: 49.4% win rate (15,988,003 games)
  • Blitz: 49.2% win rate (18,466,257 games)
  • Rapid: 49.0% win rate (5,658,026 games)
  • Classical: 49.0% win rate (211,114 games)

Rating vs Time Control Matrix

Click cells to filter · White expected scores

White% by Rating × Time Control

Click any cell to filter. Green = above 50%, Red = below 50%.

RatingUBBulleBlitzRapidClass
0-999
1000-1199
1200-1399
1400-1599
1600-1799
1800-1999
2000-2199
2200-2499
2500+

Expected score matrix by rating bracket and time control

  • 0-999 rating, UltraBullet: 41.7% expected score (7,312 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Bullet: 48.2% expected score (530,233 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 49.7% expected score (964,424 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 50.3% expected score (460,353 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Classical: 52.4% expected score (4,298 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 46.8% expected score (21,281 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 49.7% expected score (1,046,347 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 51.1% expected score (1,608,214 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 51.0% expected score (656,533 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 51.5% expected score (13,430 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 48.7% expected score (50,777 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 50.0% expected score (1,698,693 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 51.2% expected score (2,390,102 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 51.3% expected score (938,126 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 51.7% expected score (32,288 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 47.8% expected score (72,922 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 50.2% expected score (2,288,871 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 51.2% expected score (3,194,993 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 51.1% expected score (1,127,832 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 51.1% expected score (60,570 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 51.0% expected score (61,249 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 50.7% expected score (2,724,340 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 51.3% expected score (3,592,225 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 51.6% expected score (1,146,069 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 51.8% expected score (54,048 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 51.2% expected score (41,279 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 51.1% expected score (2,917,087 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 51.3% expected score (3,495,416 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 51.8% expected score (863,606 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 51.5% expected score (36,116 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 52.0% expected score (20,585 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 51.3% expected score (2,446,193 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 51.9% expected score (2,276,509 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 52.8% expected score (380,974 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 56.7% expected score (9,136 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 52.2% expected score (10,735 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 52.5% expected score (1,921,628 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 54.3% expected score (874,668 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 57.2% expected score (82,749 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 59.4% expected score (1,148 games)
  • 2500+ rating, UltraBullet: 59.9% expected score (1,028 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 55.3% expected score (414,611 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 57.8% expected score (69,706 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 62.7% expected score (1,784 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Classical: 58.0% expected score (80 games)

Matrix view reveals how performance varies across rating brackets and time controls. Green indicates favorable, red indicates challenging contexts.

Variations (22)

1
Pirc Defense: Austrian Attack, Unzicker Attack, Bronstein Variation14K games
64.1%
2
Pirc Defense: Chinese Variation25K games
57.5%
3
Pirc Defense: Bayonet Attack54K games
55.7%
Pirc Defense: Austrian Attack, Unzicker Attack166K games
55.0%
Pirc Defense: Byrne Variation1.0M games
54.7%
Pirc Defense: 150 Attack, Sveshnikov-Jansa Attack8.1K games
54.7%
Pirc Defense: Austrian Attack652K games
53.7%
Pirc Defense: Classical Variation, Quiet System, Czech Defense47K games
53.1%
Pirc Defense: Classical Variation, Schlechter Variation484K games
52.6%
Pirc Defense: Classical Variation, Quiet System247K games
52.6%
Pirc Defense: Austrian Attack, Ljubojevic Variation49K games
52.6%
Pirc Defense: Classical Variation, Quiet System, Parma Defense49K games
52.6%
Pirc Defense: Sveshnikov System56K games
52.1%
Pirc Defense: Kholmov System399K games
51.7%
Pirc Defense: Austrian Attack, Kurajica Variation75K games
51.8%
Pirc Defense: Classical Variation5.2M games
51.3%
Pirc Defense: Austrian Attack, Weiss Variation279K games
51.4%
Pirc Defense31M games
51.0%
Pirc Defense: Classical Variation, Quiet System, Chigorin Line56K games
50.8%
Pirc Defense: Austrian Attack, Dragon Formation93K games
50.1%
Pirc Defense: 150 Attack34K games
50.1%
Pirc Defense: Roscher Gambit770K games
48.8%
Analyze Pirc Defense PositionsGet move-by-move win rates with the TrueElo analyzer

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Pirc Defense win rate?

The Pirc Defense family has a 49.3% (90% CI: 49.3%-49.3%) win rate for white, aggregated from 22 variations and 41M rated games from Lichess.

How many Pirc Defense variations are there?

This analysis covers 22 Pirc Defense variations with sufficient game data. Each variation has its own statistics page with detailed win rates by rating and time control.

At what rating does the Pirc Defense perform best?

The Pirc Defense family performs best at 2500+ Elo with a 52.5% win rate for white (487K games). Performance may vary by specific variation.

Is the Pirc Defense better in blitz or rapid?

Bullet (49.4%) outperforms UltraBullet (48.4%) by 1.0% across all Pirc Defense variations.

How sharp is the Pirc Defense?

Pirc Defense games are 96.2% decisive (non-draws), with an average length of 34 moves. Sharpness varies by specific variation.

Is the Pirc Defense a good opening family?

The Pirc Defense family is statistically balanced overall with a 49.3% (90% CI: 49.3%-49.3%) aggregated win rate. However, win rates vary significantly between the 22 variations—explore individual lines to find the best fit for your style.