Pirc Defense: 150 Attack

Pirc Defense: 150 Attack

Definition

The 150 Attack is an aggressive, system-based setup adopted by White against the Pirc Defense (1…d6 2…Nf6 3…g6) and its close cousin, the Modern Defense. The name refers to the rating of club players (“Category 150” in the old English grading system) who popularized the line in weekend tournaments during the 1980s. The characteristic moves are:

• 1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6 4. Be3 Bg7 5. Qd2 O-O 6. f3
• White often follows with 7. O-O-O, h2-h4-h5 and g2-g4, launching a pawn storm against the black king.

Typical Move Order

The most common sequence is shown in the following interactive placeholder:

Strategic Ideas

• White’s Plan
  • Castle long and attack on the kingside with h- and g-pawns.
  • Maintain a strong e4–d4 pawn center, often reinforced by Kc1–b1 to tuck the king away.
  • Use the dark-squared bishop on e3 and queen on d2 to target h6, f6, and the c1–h6 diagonal.
• Black’s Counterplay
  • Strike at the center with …e5 or …c5, undermining White’s pawn chain.
  • Expand on the queenside with …a6, …b5, and sometimes …Qa5 to pressure the long-castled king.
  • Exchange pieces (especially dark-squared bishops) to blunt White’s attack.

Key Tactical Motifs

• Pawn Storm Mechanics: The h-pawn advances to h5-h6, prying open g- and h-files.
• Greek Gift Ideas: Sacrifices on h7 (or h6 when Black fianchettoes) can arise after Be3–h6.
• Central Breaks: …d5 or …e5 by Black can suddenly open lines against White’s centralized king before it reaches b1.
• Exchange Sacrifices: Rxc3 by Black to shatter the white queenside pawn shell, a theme seen in several grandmaster games.

Historical Significance

Although grandmasters had experimented with similar setups earlier, the line earned the moniker “150 Attack” in British weekend events where many ~150-grade (≈ 2000 Elo) players scored notable upsets. By the early 1990s, top players such as Nigel Short, Julian Hodgson, and Garry Kasparov employed the system, forcing Pirc specialists to devise new antidotes.

Illustrative Games

1. Kasparov – Khalifman, Linares 1993
   Kasparov unleashed h4-h5 and g4 to rip open the kingside, demonstrating the plan’s speed even at elite level.
2. Short – Chernin, Biel Interzonal 1993
   A textbook exchange sacrifice …Rxc3 by Black showed the defensive resources available, yet White’s attack eventually crashed through.
3. Hodgson – King, British Championship 1985
   One of the earliest high-profile uses: Hodgson’s simple pawn storm overwhelmed Black in 24 moves.

Practical Tips for Players

• Memorization is less critical than grasping the pawn-storm concept; the setup is largely system-based.
• Avoid premature castling short as White; keeping the king in the center for a move or two discourages Black’s …c5 breaks.
• If playing Black, decide early whether to counter in the center (…e5, …c5) or on the queenside (…a6, …b5); drifting can be fatal.

Interesting Facts & Anecdotes

• The name occasionally changes geographically: in Australia and New Zealand it was once marketed as the “Pirc-Smash.”
• Because it scores well at club level, many coaches recommend it to students who want a “ready-made attack” without heavy theory.
• Julian Hodgson reportedly joked that the line let him “play like Tal with only Tal-bot resources.”