Pirc Defense: Austrian Attack position after 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.f4. White: pawn on d4, pawn on e4, pawn on f4, knight on c3, pawn on a2, pawn on b2, pawn on c2, pawn on g2, pawn on h2, rook on a1, bishop on c1, queen on d1, king on e1, bishop on f1, knight on g1, rook on h1. Black: rook on a8, knight on b8, bishop on c8, queen on d8, king on e8, bishop on f8, rook on h8, pawn on a7, pawn on b7, pawn on c7, pawn on e7, pawn on f7, pawn on h7, pawn on d6, knight on f6, pawn on g6.
Pirc Defense: Austrian Attack is a chess opening that arises after 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.f4. It is classified B09 in the ECO system, and the position after these moves has black to move. The Pirc Defense allows White a full pawn centre and develops behind it with a kingside fianchetto, planning to undermine the centre later with c5 or e5. It is the hypermodern answer to 1.e4, built on the idea that a big centre can be a target as easily as an asset.
This position can also be reached by another move order, including 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.f4 Bg7 5.Nf3 O-O.
Strategic character
Flexible and somewhat provocative. Black's position is compact but passive early, and against the sharpest setups such as the Austrian Attack, precise play is required to avoid being overrun.
Who should play it
Players who like counterattacking positions and are comfortable being objectively slightly worse in exchange for flexibility.
This line is a variation within the Pirc Defense family. The strategic ideas above describe the family as a whole; this particular line reaches them by the move order 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.f4.
Variations continuing from this position
Each of these is a named opening reached by playing on from 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.f4. Open any of them to load the position on the board.
The Pirc Defense: Austrian Attack is a chess opening that arises after 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.f4. It is classified B09 in the ECO system. The Pirc Defense allows White a full pawn centre and develops behind it with a kingside fianchetto, planning to undermine the centre later with c5 or e5. It is the hypermodern answer to 1.e4, built on the idea that a big centre can be a target as easily as an asset.
What are the moves of the Pirc Defense: Austrian Attack?
1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.f4. After these moves it is black to move.
Is the Pirc Defense: Austrian Attack good for beginners?
Players who like counterattacking positions and are comfortable being objectively slightly worse in exchange for flexibility.
What variations come from the Pirc Defense: Austrian Attack?
Named continuations include Pirc Defense: Austrian Attack, Ljubojevic Variation, Pirc Defense: Austrian Attack, Dragon Formation, Pirc Defense: Austrian Attack, Kurajica Variation, Pirc Defense: Austrian Attack, Unzicker Attack, Pirc Defense: Austrian Attack, Weiss Variation. There are 6 named variations reachable from this position in total.