Anyone play the Pirc/Modern?

I have been on a long quest to find a defense to e4 that I love. I have tried e5 (hate it) c5 (not a fan) Alekhine's, Scandinavian, etc.

Recently, I have been playing the Pirc to e4, and the modern to d4, and I really like that style of play. I am enjoying the games a lot.

Anyone else play this opening system? Got any advice, book referrals, etc? Why is this defense so unpopular?

"First, there are no defences to 1.e4 that I like. In fact, I hate playing Black against ANY opening move by White. For that matter, I hate playing White because who knows how Black will respond?"

That little paragraph summarizes my views about the opening in general. I sit there knowing that I really don't know well either a) the lines, b) the ideas, or c) the traps in any of the openings I play. So, I'm pretty terrified facing anyone my own strength or higher with either color in any opening.

OK ... I digressed.

The point I'm searching for it this: your experience is not unusual at the novice/club level, where you and I both are.

So, let me move on the some of the specifics of why this defence might be considered unpopular.

It's not the top favorite of most professionals because it allows White so much latitude, and relegates Black's role to counter-punching. However, if one likes that role, then the system might be an ideal one to adopt.

However, its chief benefit for us as novice/club players is that it reduces opening preparation and lets us get on with the playing of a chess game, basing our preparation more on ideas than on specific lines.

Novice/club players are often tempted to adopt the currently trendy opening systems of the contemporary cadre of super GMs. These men and women do this for a living, and must rely on significant opening preparation and the memorization of numerous lines to eek out an edge against their peers.

That is not the case with us mere mortals, who are sure to make much larger mistakes after the opening is over.

There can't be a thing wrong with you adopting it - at least for a while. Indeed, you say you already like the style of play. That's a very good sign that the opening choice is a reasonable one, at least from a practical point of view.

There's a book in Everyman's Starting Out series on the opening. You might try that if you need a book. This series is usually good at explaining ideas and not just rattling off 25-move lines.

Go for it, I say.

It is quite easy to be crushed in the Pirc/Modern though.

I recently switched from he Accelerated Dragon and now only play the Pirc.

The books I recommend are Pirc Alert by Alburt/Chernin (though it is dated even with a 8/09 revision) and James Vigus's  The Pirc in Black and White (an awesome book)--I also use Chess Publishing site which has the Pirc (along with other 1. e4 openings) done by John Watson and he is fantastic

Yes it is easy to get crushed with the Pirc but I have found it flexible and reliable and a fun opening to play. I also play  1...d6 against 1.d4 and many time is transposes into a Pirc. The Be3,Qd2 lines (150 Attack) and the early Bg5 and a3 lines require some study but I find it pretty intuitive and easy to learn based on my Accelerated experiences.

I play the Be3, Qd2 lines, but often in a more restrained manner than the typical 150 attack. More of a broad, take-space-all-over-the-board type strategy.

I have been playing the Pirc against e4, and 1. g3 against d4. Obviously, a good deal of the time, if you answer 1. d4 with 1. d6, white will respond with 2. e4, and transpose back into the Pirc. But I've been playing the Modern to d4, hoping to avoid 2. c4 and a transposition into the KID, which I don't wish to learn at this time.

Am I over-fearful of the transposition to KID? Would I be better off just playing d6 to either?

I am not fearful of c4 as I then play e5 and go into an Old-Indian type set up which works fine and avoids most theory. 

I have reached several KI positions and it worked out fine though I am guessing my opponents were not super up on theory as I just played natural thematic moves

I play it exclusively.

rookandladder you have a good point. What to play against e4? c5 sicilian takes too long for me. e5 petroff gets boring. e5 spanish is well known by white. I then went to the pirc and really like it. You play it all (I really mean all the time). A simple e4-d6 move 99% of the time gets the pirc defense.

I think the reason people dislike the pirc is they get crushed on the kingside. h pawn takes g pawn bishop captures black bishop, rook and queen mates. Happens all the time. Once you get the hang of how to cover that move by white its a fun opening for black.

I would highly recommend James Vigus the pirc. I think its about 400 pages long and by far my best opening book well maybe Andrew Greet Ruy Lopez is also good. Vigus book was so good I bought his new book the slav written last year just for a casual read.

Anyway check out the pirc if you like the same black opening and specializing in it its excellent.

Another good one against e4 is always e6 the french?

I actually played both extensively as a beginner, not so much anymore (Pirc got replaced by the Siclian, Modern got replaced by the Benoni and some others). But I enjoyed them a lot, they're interesting to play. And obviously, since I played them as a beginner (and had good scores!) they aren't too tough to learn if you're comfortable with that more "modern" style of play where you let White establish his center before trying to tear it down.

You just need to get a good feel for when and how to jab in the center with pawn thrusts to prevent getting "crushed" by White's pawn center, which can become quite big.

Because it loses a lot?

If Masters and GMs have trouble getting equality with an opening, it's probably not the best for club players. Hypermodern is advanced stuff.

 Indeed hypermodern is advanced stuff. And that is what makes it fun to play. Also it is a good way to improve your chess by playing advanced positions. But I must agree hypermodern openings is something to fear (for both sides) when you meet a stronger player. Playing hypermodern is almost saying "I will not play for a draw!".

I play the Modern against anything white plays, interspersed with Hyperaccelerated Dragons, King's Indians and very occasional Benko Gambits. Great fun but you have to be a little weird to really enjoy it.

 The two books I have are Starting Out: The Modern by Nigel Davies (he allegedly knows a thing or two about chess) and Tiger's Modern by Tiger Hillarp Persson. Davies first then Persson.

I've recently taken up the Pirc myself, some books I would recommend are:

Pirc Alert 2nd Edition by Alburt and Chernin (perhaps the greatest opening book ever written)

Pirc in Black and White by Vigus

and also Nigel Davies' Chessbase repertoire DVD, at over 7 hours long its quite comprehensive and the repertoire is well thought out.