Is the Chessbook Pirc Defense repertoire free?

Yes. Studying it on Chessbook is free, and so is the PGN download, which needs no account.

Can I download it as a PGN?

Yes: https://chessbook.com/courses/pirc.pgn?band=1400-1600. Pick your rating first to download the version for your level. It imports into Lichess studies, ChessBase and other tools.

Why does it depend on my rating?

The main Black choices stay the same, but opponents at different ratings play different moves. Each rating's version prepares for the replies you will actually face, using millions of games between players at that level.

How much does it cover?

Every opponent reply that comes up in at least 1 game in 200 at your rating, picking lines that score well and are easy to remember.

Pirc Defense repertoire for Black

By Chessbook. Free, with a PGN download.

Your rating

The core of the repertoire is the same at every rating. Enter your rating to maximize performance against your opponents.

Tuned for Lichess 1400-1600: 83 moves.

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Show the PGN

[Event "Chessbook Pirc Defense repertoire (1400-1600)"]
[Site "https://chessbook.com/courses/pirc"]
[Annotator "Chessbook"]
[Result "*"]

1. e4 d6 2. d4 ( 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nc3 ( 3. Bc4 Nxe4 4. d3 ( 4. O-O d5 ) 4... Nf6 )
( 3. d3 g6 4. Be2 ( 4. Nc3 Bg7 ) ( 4. Bg5 Bg7 ) 4... Bg7 ) ( 3. e5 dxe5 4. Nxe5
Nbd7 5. Nxd7 Bxd7 ) ( 3. d4 Nxe4 4. Bd3 Nf6 ) 3... Nbd7 4. d4 ( 4. Bc4 h6 5. d3
( 5. O-O e5 6. d4 c6 ) ( 5. d4 e5 6. dxe5 ( 6. O-O ) 6... dxe5 7. O-O c6 )
5... e5 ) ( 4. d3 e5 ) ( 4. Bb5 c6 ) 4... e5 5. dxe5 ( 5. d5 Be7 ) 5... dxe5
6. Bg5 ( 6. Bc4 h6 ) ( 6. Bb5 c6 ) 6... c6 7. Bc4 Be7 ) ( 2. Bc4 Nf6 3. Nf3 (
3. d3 g6 4. Nc3 ( 4. Nf3 Bg7 ) ( 4. Bg5 Bg7 ) 4... Bg7 ) ( 3. Nc3 g6 4. d4 (
4. d3 ) ( 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. d4 O-O 6. O-O ( 6. Bg5 Nxe4 7. Nxe4 d5 ) 6... Nxe4
7. Nxe4 d5 8. Bxd5 Qxd5 ) 4... Bg7 5. Nf3 ) ( 3. Qf3 Nc6 ) ) ( 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. d4
( 3. Nf3 ) ( 3. Bc4 ) ( 3. d3 g6 4. Nf3 ) 3... g6 4. Nf3 ( 4. Bg5 Bg7 5. Nf3 (
5. Qd2 c6 ) ( 5. e5 Nfd7 ) 5... O-O 6. Bc4 ( 6. Bd3 Nc6 ) ( 6. Qd2 c5 ) ) (
4. Bc4 ) ( 4. f4 Bg7 5. Nf3 c5 ) ( 4. Bd3 Bg7 5. Nf3 ( 5. Be3 O-O 6. Nf3 Ng4 )
5... O-O 6. Be3 ( 6. O-O Nc6 ) ( 6. Bg5 ) ) ( 4. Be3 Bg7 5. Nf3 ( 5. Qd2 c6
6. f3 b5 ) ( 5. Bd3 ) ( 5. f3 c6 6. Qd2 ) 5... O-O 6. Bd3 ) ( 4. e5 dxe5 5. dxe5
Qxd1+ 6. Nxd1 Nd5 ) ( 4. h3 Bg7 5. Nf3 O-O ) ( 4. Bf4 Bg7 ) 4... Bg7 5. Bc4 (
5. Bg5 ) ( 5. Bd3 ) ( 5. Be3 ) ( 5. h3 ) ) ( 2. f4 g6 3. Nf3 Bg7 4. Bc4 ( 4. d4
Nf6 5. Nc3 ) 4... Nf6 ) ( 2. d3 Nf6 3. Nf3 ( 3. Nc3 ) ) ( 2. Qf3 Nf6 3. Bc4 )
2... Nf6 3. Nc3 ( 3. Bd3 g6 4. Nc3 ( 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Nc3 ) ( 4. c4 Bg7 ) ) (
3. Nf3 ) ( 3. e5 dxe5 4. dxe5 Qxd1+ 5. Kxd1 Ng4 ) ( 3. f3 g6 ) *

About this repertoire

The Pirc Defense: a flexible, fianchetto answer to 1.e4.

Chessbook's Pirc Defense repertoire for Black, built from millions of games between players at your rating. It covers the moves your opponents actually play, to a 1-in-200 coverage target, and picks lines that score well and are easy to remember.

It's free: study it on Chessbook with spaced repetition, or download the PGN.