Magnus Carlsen Shows How to Play the Pirc Defense

Magnus Carlsen plays Arjun Erigaisi in the final of the Champions Chess Tour: Julius Baer Generations Cup. In the first game of the second match, Magnus plays the Pirc Defense and wins a great game. GM Benjamin Bok analyzes the game.
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[@TheRampax]

That little trick of delaying the fianchetto is really useful to know, thanks Ben.

[@GMBenjaminBok]

Good luck with the Pirc!

[@Anonymous-iz4yc]

Well I am not trying to rant at you but trying to give you advice. If you look at this move it is the main line and if you are actually willing to play it you have to understand all the lines. Anyways good luck 👍

[@TheRampax]

@@Anonymous-iz4yc Ive watched LOTS of youtube content on the Pirc, and this is the first time I have seen this idea explained. I now use this in my games. Always learning.

[@Anonymous-iz4yc]

@@TheRampax oh well that is good to know but I have a coach and i'm not trying to disturb any peace; HOWEVER this is one of the most necessary lines to learn and it is good to know that you are learning 👍

[@DaynePeachman]

Great content Benjamin, thanks! Leuk om een Nederlandse grootmeester zo actief op KZbin te zien.

[@GMBenjaminBok]

Dank je!

[@7352SoS]

I always wanted to know how to defend when the opponent wants to do a bishop queen battery at my bishop, this is helpful :)

[@GMBenjaminBok]

Happy to hear that this was helpful!

[@leonardobaracchi7040]

Of course i love playing with White against these pirc kingsind moderndefence positions, and love to Exchange the dark bishop creating that battery and mostly doing this playing the jugoslav Attack, but this Is a case on its own, for black delayed castling so to avoid this White Plan, to deplete this Plan. And to me Is often difficult to play against and opponent Who delay castling (or doesnt at all), however black has to be precise when doing this, keeping the k in the center, even more so when the center Is not completely closed already, so White can react on the center, swithing to a different Plan, to break in the center and Attack with some e and d open columns

[@svenskaapologetiksallskape527]

Great commentary and a fascinating game, Thank you Benjamin! bless!

[@Ebobster]

Excellent, succinct, analysis of a very interesting game. Magnus’ hybrid fianchetto & c6/b5 set up vs white’s f3/e4/d4 & Be3/Qd2/OOO set up is very interesting, especially as Black’s king stayed in the center basically the whole game.

[@GMBenjaminBok]

Thank you! Happy to hear that you liked the game and my analysis.

[@RobDanny-sm7rt]

@GMBenjaminBok Your analysis was brilliant and I've watched your video several times to understand the move choice and how to deal with likely deviations. I usually play the modern in the hope of getting into a hippo set up, but deviate into a pirc if confronted with the 3 pawn attack (e4/d4/nc3/f4) but still find white's e4/d4/nce/Be3/Qd2 set up (akin to the fischer attack vs the sicilian dragon) uncomfortable to meet. So Magnus' hybrid Pirc/Gurgendize (ie. c6/b5/nd7/nb6) system very interesting and logical to get at white on the Queenside, while not castling into white's brewing kingside attack. My only quibble with Magnus' play is playing c5, rather than castling queenside first as after c5 white could have played Bb5+ and at minimum black valuable nb6 would have had to drop back to defend and possibly get exchanged off. Perhaps the bishop check is trash anyway, but I'm not a gm and would worry about it taking the sting out of black's coming attack down the c file using the b6 knight. Sorry if too long a reply but thank you for your really really great analysis of this fascinating game! Cheers!

[@EnriqueCaballeroCG]

Thank you! This is the absolute best explanation of the PIRC i've ever seen. I've just gone up 50 points in lichess because of this

[@GMBenjaminBok]

My pleasure! Keep up the good work.

[@fluffyninja3467]

Congrats bro 🤌

[@MichaelGonzalez-mu2ve]

I play the pirc defense by putting my queen out after I make my lil fortress

[@Gorilla26645]

Loving this video Ben! I'll definitely recommend it to my chess friends! +1 sub

[@GMBenjaminBok]

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed the video

[@christianfrost8660]

Magnus played the Pirc Defence while using the principle of the Czech Pirc Defence, no-one ever plans for c6. Even though the Queen didn't come out I can still love that defence.

[@thomasdestry5188]

Thank you for your commentary.

[@GMBenjaminBok]

My pleasure, thanks!

[@stuarthayward4756]

dankie Benjamin, baie goeie kommentaar en verduidelikings, dubbel "like" van my af in Suid Afrika

[@GMBenjaminBok]

Thanks! 🙏

[@johnmahugu]

thank you for this

[@GMBenjaminBok]

You are welcome!

[@SLKCHESS]

Nice video like usual

[@GMBenjaminBok]

Thank you!

[@tombus3976]

Dank je wel, Benjamin. Zeer verfrissend!

[@GMBenjaminBok]

Dank je Tom!

[@JohnVandenberg-qe4yz]

very instructive

[@GMBenjaminBok]

My pleasure!

[@sorinsandu451]

thanks Ben!

[@GMBenjaminBok]

My pleasure!

[@Vanegas.3]

Great video, ty

[@GMBenjaminBok]

Thank you! Glad you liked it 💯

[@renatomercurio4774]

Yes, Magnus don't think, it is a secret anymore, that's why he plays the best line against the 150 attack.

[@99sasanka]

good vid brah ..nicely explained

[@GMBenjaminBok]

Thank you!

[@zachlward]

great video

[@GMBenjaminBok]

@@zachlward thank you!

[@GregGreg554]

It's pronounced as "Peerts" but great video nonetheless, Benjamin! Learned a lot 👍

[@GMBenjaminBok]

Thank you! Happy to hear that it was helpful

[@munimkhan2137]

you explain so good 😀

[@GMBenjaminBok]

Thank you! 🙏

[@NebulaKnightsCollective]

Nice explanation. keep it Up !!!

[@GMBenjaminBok]

Thank you! Welcome to my channel 🙂

[@Fischer-random]

Thank you so much men!

[@GMBenjaminBok]

My pleasure!

[@Mentalstrength647]

Thank u sir for this amazing video 🌟❤

[@GMBenjaminBok]

You’re welcome! Glad you liked it

[@jaydub2971]

Makes me feel better about using the Pirc as my primary defense against 1.e4. If it's good enough for Magnus...

[@therifftones2198]

Is this Ramirez's line ?

[@GMBenjaminBok]

What is that?

[@tong_thanh5837]

Sort of, have you purchased the course?

[@coachmarian]

To quick talk, to mich advertising

[@456death654]

i literally played againts someone who played like this as black last week. i was absolutely crushed

[@GMBenjaminBok]

It happens 😔

[@donquixote8462]

I play it all the time in bullet because it stops a lot of common cheap tricks

[@zacharylea737]

good vid

[@GMBenjaminBok]

Thank you! Glad you like it

[@saadiftikhar3317]

Thanks to pirc defense I am now at 1100

[@GMBenjaminBok]

Keep up the good work! 📈 💪

[@aMartianSpy]

"Peerts"

[@GMBenjaminBok]

Thanks for letting me know!

[@jeff1910]

Ji... Say anything one...

[@ernieleem77]

A little too fast.

[@gwmock]

Why does no one know how to pronounce "Pirc"?

[@GMBenjaminBok]

Peerz?

[@DavidBrack-c9v]

Because it's a weird word.

[@jameslee4360]

1

[@GMBenjaminBok]

2

[@GMBenjaminBok]

@@conicality 4

[@GMBenjaminBok]

@@conicality 6

[@jackchueh1231]

Slow down on the exchanges and moves.. we are trying to follow but it’s way too fast.

[@jackchueh1231]

Specifically.. the take take take take tradedown.., etc.

[@markussimicak104]

Do NOT pronounce pirc with a hard c

[@GMBenjaminBok]

Wait, did I? 😅