Sicilian or Pirc

Sicilian or Pirc ... ?

The Sicilian Defence is a chess opening that begins with the moves:

1. e4 c5

The Sicilian is the most popular and best-scoring response to White's first move 1.e4. "Indeed, most statistical surveys suggest that 1.d4 is the most successful first move for White, but only because 1...c5 scores so highly against 1.e4."^[1] New in Chess stated in its 2000 Yearbook that of the games in its database, White scored 56.1% in 296,200 games beginning 1.d4, but a full two percent lower (54.1%) in 349,855 games beginning 1.e4. "The main culprit responsible for this state of affairs" was the Sicilian, which held White to a 52.3% score in 145,996 games.^[2] One sixth (17%) of all games between grandmasters, and one-quarter (25%) of the games in theChess Informant database, begin with the Sicilian.^[3] Almost one-quarter of all games use the Sicilian Defence.^[4]

The Pirc Defence (pronounced "peerts") sometimes known as the Ufimtsev Defence or Yugoslav Defence, is a chess opening characterised by Black responding to

1.e4 with 1...d6 and 2...Nf6, followed by ...g6 and ...Bg7,

while allowing White to establish an impressive-looking centre with pawns on d4 and e4. It is named after the Slovenian Grandmaster Vasja Pirc.

The Pirc Defence is a relatively new opening; while it was seen on occasion in the late nineteenth century, it remained a sideline, only gaining some popularity after World War II, but by the 1960s it was regarded as playable, due in large part to the efforts of Canadian grandmaster Duncan Suttles, among others. Black, in hypermodern fashion, does not immediately stake a claim in the centre with pawns; rather, he works to undermine White's pawn centre from the flanks. Its first appearance in a World Championship match was in 1972, when it was played by Bobby Fischer against Boris Spassky at Reykjavik (game 17); the game wound up drawn.

Babs, sorry but none. Let's add these notes though: 

The most common opening sequence is 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6. A distinction is usually drawn between the Pirc and lines where Black delays the development of his knight to f6 — this is known as the Modern or Robatsch Defence.

The oldest game with the Pirc Defence on the Chessgames.com database is between Josef Noa and Amos Burn in Frankfurt 1887.^[1]

[edit]Early deviations

After 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3, 3...g6 is the main line Pirc. Black has an alternative, known as the Pribyl System or Czech Defence, which begins with 3...c6, which often transposes to the Pirc if Black later plays ...g6. Alternatively, Black can play ...Qa5 and ...e5 to challenge White's centre, or expand on the queenside with ...b5.

An unusual but quite reasonable deviation for White is 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.f3. At the 1989 Barcelona World Cup event, former world champion Garry Kasparov surprised American Grandmaster Yasser Seirawan with this move. After 3...g6 4.c4, an unhappy Seirawan found himself defending the King's Indian Defence for the first time in his life.^[2], though he managed to draw the game. Black can avoid a King's Indian with 3...e5, which may lead to an Old Indian type of position after 4.d5, or with 3...d5. This can transpose to the Classical Variation of theFrench Defence after 4.e5 Nfd7 5.f4 e6 6.Nf3, to the Tarrasch Variation of the French Defence after 4.e5 Nfd7 5.f4 e6 6.c3 c5 7.Nd2 Nc6 8.Ndf3, or even to the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit with an extra tempo for White after 4.Nc3 dxe4 5.Bg5 exf3 6.Nxf3.

A common deviation by Black in recent practice is 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 e5. This has been tried by many GMs over the years, including Zurab Azmaiparashvili and Christian Bauer. 4.dxe5 is known to be equal, and play normally continues 4...dxe5 5.Qxd8+ Kxd8 6.Bc4 Be6 7.Bxe6 fxe6. Instead, White normally transposes to the Philidor Defence with 4.Nf3.

[edit]Austrian Attack

The Austrian Attack begins 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.f4 Bg7 5.Nf3, and was a favourite of Bobby Fischer. In placing pawns on d4, e4 and f4, White establishes a powerful centre, intending to push in the centre and/or attack on the kingside; in the main line, Black may counter against the centre with ...e5. This direct, aggressive line is one of the most ambitious systems against the Pirc, with White aiming to utilise his central grip for a kingside attack. Jan Timman has played the Austrian successfully with both colours. Yuri Balashov does well with the White pieces, and Valery Beim has an impressive score on the Black side.

[edit]Classical (Two Knights) System

The Classical (Two Knights) System begins 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Be2 0-0 6.0-0. White contents himself with the 'classical' pawn centre with pawns at e4 and d4, forgoing the committal move f2-f4 as Black castles and builds a compact structure. Efim Geller, Anatoly Karpov and Evgeni Vasiukov have all successfully used this system for White; Zurab Azmaiparashvili has scored well as Black. The most common responses for Black are 6....Bg4, 6....c6 or 6....Nc6, with 6....Bg4 the main line from the mid-1960s onwards.

[edit]150 Attack and Argentinian Attack

The setup f2-f3, Be3 and Qd2 is commonly used against the King's Indian Defence and Dragon Sicilian, and can also be used against the Pirc; indeed, this system is as old as the Pirc itself.

The system 4.f3 was introduced by Argentine players around 1930 and again in 1950. It was never considered dangerous for Black because of 4.f3 Bg7 5.Be3 c6 6.Qd2 b5. It received a severe blow around 1985, when Gennady Zaichik showed that Black could castle anyway and play a dangerous gambit with 5...0-0 6.Qd2 e5.

The Argentines feared the sally ...Ng4, though some British players (especially Mark Hebden, Paul Motwani, Gary Lane, later also Michael Adams) came to realise that this was mainly dangerous for Black, therefore playing Be3 and Qd2 in all sorts of move orders, whilst omitting f2-f3. They called this the 150 Attack, because only players of this strength (about ELO 1800) could be naive enough to expect mate in 25 moves. ^[3]

The original Argentinian idea probably is only viable after 4.Be3 Bg7 5.Qd2 0-0 6.0-0-0 c6 (or Nc6) 7.f3 b5 8.h4. Black usually does not castle though and prefers 5...c6 or even 4...c6. The question of whether and when to insert Nf3 remains open.

[edit]Other systems

4.Bg5 was introduced by Robert Byrne in the 1960s, after which Black has often played the natural 4....Bg7, though 4....c6 is more flexible, as Black may wish to save a tempo by deferring ....Bg7 as long as possible, playing for queenside activity with ....b7-b5 and ....Qa5. White may choose to play Qd2 and follow up with Bh6, giving a transposition to the lines with Be3 and Qd2. A less common method of playing this system is 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Bg5.

4.Bc4 Bg7 5.Qe2 is a sharp try for advantage; 5....Nc6 can lead to hair-raising complications after 6.e5, when Black's best line may be 6....Ng4 7.e6 Nxd4 8.Qxg4 Nxc2+, avoiding the more frequently played 6....Nxd4 7.exf6 Nxe2 8.fxg7 Rg8 9.Ngxe2, which has been generally considered equal or unclear, though White has scored heavily in practice. Another possibility for Black is 5....c6, though 6.e5 dxe5 7.dxe5 Nd5 8.Bd2, followed by long castling, gives White the advantage, as Black's position is cramped and he lacks active counterplay.

4.g3 and 5.Bg2, followed by Nge2, is a solid line, which was sometimes adopted by Karpov.

[edit]Sample games

In the following game, Azmaiparashvili uses the Pirc to defeat reigning world champion Karpov:

Karpov vs Azmaiparashvili, USSR Championship, Moscow 1983: 1.e4 d6 2.d4 g6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bg7 5.Be2 O-O 6.O-O Bg4 7.Be3 Nc6 8.Qd2 e5 9.d5 Ne7 10.Rad1 b5 11.a3 a5 12.b4 axb4 13.axb4 Ra3 14.Bg5 Rxc3 15.Bxf6 Bxf3 16.Bxf3 Ra3 17.Bxg7 Kxg7 18.Ra1 Qa8 19.Rxa3 Qxa3 20.Be2 Qb2 21.Rd1 f5 22.exf5 Nxf5 23.c3 Qxd2 24.Rxd2 Ra8 25.Bxb5 Ra3 26.Rc2 Ne7 27.f4 exf4 28.Bc6 Nf5 29.Kf2 Ne3 30.Rc1 Kf6 31.g3 Ke5 32.Kf3 g5 33.gxf4+ gxf4 34.h4 Nxd5 35.Bxd5 Kxd5 36.Kxf4 Kc4 37.Re1 Rxc3 38.Re7 Kxb4 39.Rxh7 d5 40.Ke5 c6 41.Kd4 Rc4+ 0-1

Kasparov's Immortal; Rook and Knight Sacrifice. Kasparov vs Veselin Topalov, Wijk aan Zee 1999: 1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6 4. Be3 Bg7 5. Qd2 c6 6. f3 b5 7. Nge2 Nbd7 8. Bh6 Bxh6 9. Qxh6 Bb7 10. a3 e5 11. O-O-O Qe7 12. Kb1 a6 13. Nc1 O-O-O 14. Nb3 exd4 15. Rxd4 c5 16. Rd1 Nb6 17. g3 Kb8 18. Na5 Ba8 19. Bh3 d5 20. Qf4+ Ka7 21. Rhe1 d4 22. Nd5 Nbxd5 23. exd5 Qd6 24. Rxd4 cxd4 25. Re7+ Kb6 26. Qxd4+ Kxa5 27. b4+ Ka4 28. Qc3 Qxd5 29. Ra7 Bb7 30. Rxb7 Qc4 31. Qxf6 Kxa3 32. Qxa6+ Kxb4 33. c3+ Kxc3 34. Qa1+ Kd2 35. Qb2+ Kd1 36. Bf1 Rd2 37. Rd7 Rxd7 38. Bxc4 bxc4 39. Qxh8 Rd3 40. Qa8 c3 41. Qa4+ Ke1 42. f4 f5 43. Kc1 Rd2 44. Qa7 1-0

Tal The Magician; Rook Sacrifice. Mikhail Tal vs Tigran Petrosian, Moscow 1974: 1. Nf3 g6 2. e4 Bg7 3. d4 d6 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. Be2 O-O 6. O-O Nc6 7. d5 Nb8 8. Re1 e5 9. dxe6 Bxe6 10. Bf4 h6 11. Nd4 Bd7 12. Qd2 Kh7 13. e5 dxe5 14. Bxe5 Ne4 15. Nxe4 Bxe5 16. Nf3 Bg7 17. Rad1 Qc8 18. Bc4 Be8 19. Neg5+ hxg5 20. Nxg5+ Kg8 21. Qf4 Nd7 22. Rxd7 Bxd7 23. Bxf7+ 1-0

Candidates Jewel; Bishop Sacrifice. Fischer vs Viktor Korchnoi, Curacao 1962: 1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6 4. f4 Bg7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Be2 c5 7. dxc5 Qa5 8. O-O Qxc5+ 9. Kh1 Nc6 10. Nd2 a5 11. Nb3 Qb6 12. a4 Nb4 13. g4? Bxg4! 14. Bxg4 Nxg4 15. Qxg4 Nxc2 16. Nb5 Nxa1 17. Nxa1 Qc6 18. f5 Qc4 19. Qf3 Qxa4 20. Nc7 Qxa1 21. Nd5 Rae8 22. Bg5 Qxb2 23. Bxe7 Be5 24. Rf2 Qc1+ 25. Rf1 Qh6 26. h3 gxf5 27. Bxf8 Rxf8 28. Ne7+ Kh8 29. Nxf5 Qe6 30. Rg1 a4 31. Rg4 Qb3 32. Qf1 a3 33. Rg3 Qxg3 0-1

"Cheap's" Sacrifice. Hikaru Nakamura vs Ilya Smirin, Foxwoods Open 2005: 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 d6 4. f4 Nf6 5. Nf3 O-O 6. e5 Nfd7 7. h4 c5 8. h5 cxd4 9. hxg6 dxc3 10. gxf7+ Rxf7 11. Bc4 Nf8 12. Ng5 e6 13. Nxf7 cxb2 14. Bxb2 Qa5+ 15. Kf1 Kxf7 16. Qh5+ Kg8 17. Bd3 Qb4 18. Rb1 Bd7 19. c4 Qd2 20. Bxh7+ Nxh7 21. Qxh7+ Kf8 22. Rh4 1-0

For Sicilian...

Open Sicilian: 2.Nf3 and 3.d4

"It's just a matter of throwing in a few sacrifices, and then swooping down for the kill." -Bobby Fischer, on countering the Sicilian Dragon.^{[citation needed]}

Over 75% of games beginning with 1.e4 c5 continue with 2.Nf3, when there are three main options for Black: 2...d6, 2...Nc6, and 2...e6. Lines where White then plays 3.d4 are collectively known as the Open Sicilian, and result in extremely complex positions. White has a lead in development and extra kingside space, which White can use to begin a kingside attack. This is counterbalanced by Black's central pawn majority, created by the trade of White's d-pawn for Black's c-pawn, and the open c-file, which Black uses to generate queenside counterplay.

[edit]2...d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3

Black's most common move after 2.Nf3 is 2...d6. This prepares ...Nf6 to attack the e-pawn without letting White push it to e5. The game usually continues 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3. Black can then choose between four major variations: in order of decreasing popularity, these are theNajdorf (5...a6), Dragon (5...g6), Classical (5...Nc6), and Scheveningen (5...e6). The Venice Attack (5...e5 6.Bb5+) and Kupreichik Variation(5...Bd7) are rarely played. 5...e5 is often considered something of an error on Black's part and 5...Bd7 can transpose to one of the more common variations, such as the Classical or Dragon, but there are also a number of independent lines.

There are a few ways for either side to deviate from the moves given above. After 3...cxd4, White occasionally plays 4.Qxd4, the Chekhover Variation, intending to meet 4...Nc6 with 5.Bb5 Bd7 6.Bxc6, when White hopes that his lead in development compensates for Black's bishop pair. Black can avoid this line by playing 3...Nf6, when 4.Nc3 cxd4 5.Nxd4 returns to main lines. However, White has the option of 4.dxc5!?, when Black can play either 4...Nxe4 or 4...Qa5+. Another unusual sideline is 3...cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.f3!?, the Prins Variation, which tries to maintain the option of c4 with a Maróczy Bind formation.

 2004 powerbook gives white 55% with d4-e4 (c. 5000 games).

That's 1. e4 d6 2. d4 g6.

Thanks! :)

Sicilian.

More on Sicilian...

[edit]Najdorf Variation: 5...a6

The Najdorf Variation is Black's most popular system in the Sicilian Defence. 

[edit]Dragon Variation: 5...g6

In the Dragon Variation, Black fianchettoes a Bishop on the h8-a1 diagonal. It was named by Fyodor Dus-Chotimirsky in 1901, who noticed a resemblance between Black's kingside pawn structure (pawns on d6, e7, f7, g6 and h7) and the stars of the Draco constellation.^[37]

More on Sicilian...

[edit]Classical Variation: 5...Nc6

[edit]Scheveningen Variation: 5...e6

In the Scheveningen Variation, Black contents himself with a "small centre" (pawns on d6 and e6, rather than e5) and prepares to castle kingside.

[edit]

More... 

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[edit]Sveshnikov Variation: 4...Nf6 5.Nc3 e5

The Sveshnikov Variation was pioneered by Evgeny Sveshnikov and Gennadi Timoshchenko in the 1970s. Before their efforts, the variation was called the Lasker-Pelikan Variation. Emanuel Lasker played it once in his world championship match against Carl Schlechter, and Jorge Pelikanplayed it a few times in the 1950s, but Sveshnikov's treatment of the variation was the key to its revitalization.

[editAccelerated Dragon: 4...g6

Like the standard Dragon Variation, Black develops his bishop to g7 in the Accelerated Dragon. The difference is that Black avoids playing ...d7-d6, so that he can later play ...d7-d5 in one move if possible.

[edit]

Thanks for posting wikipedia articles!

whew thats a lot of info

When the wiki info is this lengthy, it's better to just post the link.

This way is "quicker" for me, my friend.

Right on, Babs. And there's the matter of taste, comfort and habit, too.

Also, I posted some variations from the Wikipedia, for further study / look into the defences (some players here don't open referred links) 

They are both good defences, but personally I prefer the Pirc because there is less theory in it or at least my opponents are less likely to have memorized the theory. It is an opening for a Black player who wants to play for the full point and is willing to take some risks. (Including the risk of having a little longer game, lol)

Against the Austrian I play:

Both game types essentially put black in control of the game.
For Sicilian you actively hunt the center.

Though with Pirc, white rarely can take a lead in the opening, cause as you don't care about taking the center from white, usually white will anticipate or hope for counterplay, though since you don't white has to reveal its plan, with pirc you have all the time to build your defense, offer some pawns and get the advantage, in essense a more solid base with black and you wait till you get the right moment for an attack on your terms.

As for winning Pirc or Sicilian.. chess depends more upon human mistakes.
Both openings can be played perfectly, you got to wonder what style of play you prefer.
Both are equal open games usually, though Pirc has more 'pre' moveable moves, in my opinion, Sicilian has indeed lots of variants, and chances are slightly higher than the other person knows it too.

I used to play both openings. Usually Sicilian, occasionally Pirc or Modern.