Just want to say that this is truly a great book and an easy read. I would thoroughly recommend it !

By the way, i have heard 4 Bg5 called they Bryne variatoin in several sources. However, that name seems to be avoided in most Pirc boks.

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Well..., in fact i play the Pirc because I have a really bad memory. 5...c5 lines need too much memorization for me. I like to kill the f3 knight with my light squared bishop.

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This is really important. With the Pirc black gets a sane position against the Austrian.

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Yes, i feel the same. It's the variation that I dislike more and the one I play with white..., just play 5.e5 (against 4...Bg7) is usually enough to get some little, but practical, advantage.

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The important point is that Black has a choice. And there are choices within the choices too 

If Black's fate in the Austrian Pirc was hanging off only one line, I'd be less trusting in it.

Holbox wrote on 03/28/07 at 07:48:25:


With 5. ...c5 Black is theoretically sound after 8. e6 although 8. ...fe has the forced draw problem (not a big issue if you consider how much theory you need to get the same in the Najdorf PP or Marshall!) and 8. ...Bb5 is strategically risky. The line in game 15 (Korneev - Peralta 2004) needs careful study though. We looked at that line on this forum, and concluded that after the Pirc Alert recommendation, White's compensation for the pawn might be too good. The game James gives "improves" on this line for White, but ends in a draw. However his analysis offers 16. ...Kd7 which was also my idea in that thread and it's also in Explosive Repetoire for Black. 8. e6 is still very complicated and full of tactical chaos but the debate's not over for either side.

White's alternatives are covered which are ok for Black too, but maybe are better tries for White.

With 0-0, the alternatives to 6. Bd3 need careful study. 6. Be2, 6. e5, and the relatively new 6. a3 are covered, but 6. Be3 is most dangerous and James looks at 6. ...Na6, 6. ...c5, 6. ..c6, 6. ...b6 and 6. ...Nbd7 concluding that the first 3 are too passive, 6. ...b6 is problematic (although see the threads on this forum) and 6. ...Nbd7 is recommended. 6. ...Nbd7 is my choice too.

After 6. Bd3, 6. ...Nc6 gives White the choice of a nagging edge or a long forced line to aridity. Colin McNab seems to be good at grinding results out of these sort of positions, but they might not be for all.

6. ...Na6 is most popular, and James concludes that 8. ...Rb8 is risky due to 9. f5 (recommended by Khalifmann in OfWatA) and there is analysis here that will make one member of this forum happy, so he concludes that 8. ...Bg4 is therefore gaining ground.

So nothing radically new in James's conclusions, but it might put paid to the maliase about the death of the Pirc that hovers around this forum which James mentions too, and talks about in the introduction, basically saying that unless you are rated over 2650, the Pirc is fine.

My impression so far is that James has done a good job of retredding the old unfasionable lines and re-evaluated them as well as covering the new ideas and adding some improvements, although I've not had a chance to go over the book in detail yet.

I've only had a quick look so far, but the book seems very good.

Check out the threads "Pirc" and "How does Mr.Watson know...?" on this forum.

My copy's on order