RdC wrote on 10/07/17 at 01:02:14:

I disagree that White doesn't need to know much more to play like this - he needs to have som real understanding of the further late opening/early middlegame plans for both sides. If White isn't precise, Black will play either ...c5 or ...e5 at the right moment and get a comfortable "Dragon Pirc", Benoni structure (if White answers ...c5 with d4-d5) or "Philidor Pirc".

Perhaps that's what you meant by "where the pieces and pawns should live", but again that's my point: Positional play isn't easy, and a positional fight in an unbalanced structure is exactly what Black hopes for in the Pirc. I have won countless games against White players who punted the 150 attack without either knowing the sharpest attacking lines or understanding the calmer positions that arise when White plays more slowly.

If some White player wants a really non-demanding solution against the Pirc, in terms of both concrete theory and understanding, I would recommend the g3 system. The setup with Bd3, Nf3 and c3 and the good old Classical are also easier to play than the 150 attack if you're winging it.

MNb wrote on 10/06/17 at 10:54:28:


That's the point really. White can get a good position without knowing any more than where the pieces and pawns should live.

There's not a lot than Black can do to disrupt the build-up. 

150 attack can be dangerous if black does not react accurate.
I won a game in a Swedish Division 1 team match in 20 moves a few years ago vs a player with the about same rating as myself.

6. ...a5 indicates to me that Black might be better offplaying a different opening to the Pirc 

But Black's play after that is very poor, you could probably beat them whatever opening they played 

So not so much a theorectical issue, but a practical one where White is much easier to play than Black.