Pirc Defense: 150 Attack & Sveshnikov–Jansa
Pirc Defense: 150 Attack
Definition
The 150 Attack is an aggressive, system-based set-up for White against the Pirc Defense (and, by transposition, the Modern Defense). It is reached after 1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6 4. Be3 Bg7 5. Qd2 0-0 6. f3, with White usually planning long-side castling followed by a pawn storm on the kingside (g- and h-pawns). The name “150” comes from the old English grading system: club players rated about 150 BCF liked the line because it offered ferocious attacking chances without demanding heavy theoretical knowledge.
Typical Move Order
A common sequence is:
- 1. e4 d6
- 2. d4 Nf6
- 3. Nc3 g6
- 4. Be3 Bg7
- 5. Qd2 0-0
- 6. f3 c6 (or …a6 / …Nc6)
- 7. 0-0-0 followed by g4, h4, h5.
Strategic Ideas
- Kingside pawn storm: White castles queenside and thrusts g- and h-pawns to rip open lines against the black king.
- Solid centre: The pawn chain e4-d4-f3 guards the centre and restricts Black’s typical …e5 break.
- Piece placement: Be3–Qd2 aims at h6 and f6 squares, prepares Bh6 to trade the fianchettoed bishop, and supports a possible e4-e5 advance.
- Black’s counterplay: …c6 and …b5 on the queenside, or striking in the centre with …e5 / …c5 before White’s attack lands.
Historical Significance
Although initially popular among amateurs, the line was adopted by several grandmasters in the 1990s. Players such as Nigel Short, Vishy Anand, and Judit Polgár have all used it with success, proving that “club-player openings” can hold their own at elite level.
Illustrative Game
Anand – Vaganian, Linares 1992
Anand unleashed a textbook pawn storm (g4–h4–h5) and broke through before Black’s counterplay on the queenside got going.
Interesting Facts
- The set-up also works against the Modern Defense (…g6 without …Nf6), where it is sometimes called the “150 Attack vs. the Modern.”
- Nigel Short quipped that playing g4 and mate “doesn’t require a 2700 Elo,” highlighting the line’s practical appeal.
- Black specialists sometimes meet the system with the quirky 5…c6 6…b5, trying to distract White with a queenside pawn avalanche—exactly the battle of flanks that makes the variation exciting.
Pirc Defense: Sveshnikov–Jansa Attack
Definition
The Sveshnikov–Jansa Attack is a sharpened branch of the 150 Attack in which White hurls the g-pawn forward at the earliest opportunity. A representative move order is 1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6 4. Be3 Bg7 5. Qd2 c6 6. f3 6…b5 7. g4! (or 7.g4 against virtually any 6th-move response). The immediate g-pawn thrust—often followed by h4–h5—was pioneered in the 1970s by grandmasters Evgeny Sveshnikov of Russia and Vlastimil Jansa of Czechoslovakia, whose names now grace the variation.
Typical Move Order
One common sequence:
- 1. e4 d6
- 2. d4 Nf6
- 3. Nc3 g6
- 4. Be3 Bg7
- 5. Qd2 c6 (delaying castling to prepare …b5)
- 6. f3 b5
- 7. g4 Nbd7 (or …h6)
- 8. h4 h5 9. g5 Ng8 10. f4 etc.
Strategic Themes
- Lightning attack: By playing g4 before castling, White commits to an all-out assault, hoping to pry open g- and h-files while Black’s king is still in the centre or just tucked away on g8.
- Space grab: The pawn wedge on g5 can clamp down on Black’s f- and h-pawns, restricting piece mobility.
- Risk–reward: Because White keeps the king on e1 for several moves, counter-punches in the centre (…e5, …d5) or fast queenside play (…b4) can be dangerous. The line therefore appeals to tactically confident players.
- Modern antidotes: Many Pirc experts answer 7.g4 with 7…h6, 7…Nb6, or 7…h5, aiming to fix the pawn on g4 and later undermine it with …h5-h4 or …e5.
Historical Notes
• The idea of an early g-pawn thrust actually surfaced in correspondence games in the 1950s, but it was Sveshnikov
and Jansa who demonstrated its viability over the board.
• During the 1980s the variation enjoyed a boom in Eastern-European tournaments, contributing to the
broader renaissance of sharp anti-Pirc systems.
Model Game
Sveshnikov – Schmidt, USSR Ch (qualifier) 1976
White’s storm on the g- and h-files prevailed after a tactical skirmish in the centre.
Interesting Tidbits
- Because the g-pawn is launched on move 7, some coaches jokingly call the line the “7-g-shot.”
- Modern engines show that Black can hold with precise play, yet the practical score in club play still favours White—proof that sharp, forcing lines retain value in human chess.
- The variation occasionally transposes from the Modern Defense or even the King’s Indian Defence, making it a flexible weapon for repertoire builders.