Pirc: 4.Be3 — Be3 line in the Pirc
Pirc: 4.Be3
Definition
“Pirc: 4.Be3” refers to the line of the Pirc Defence that arises after the moves
1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6 4. Be3.
Instead of the classical development with 4.Nf3 or the sharp Austrian Attack (4.f4), White brings the light–squared bishop to e3 at once. The move protects the d4-pawn, takes away the g8–knight’s hop to g4, and signals the intention to set up an aggressive “English/150 Attack–style” formation with f3, Qd2 and opposite-side castling.
Typical Move Order & Position
The most common continuation goes:
- 1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6 4. Be3 Bg7 5. Qd2 c6 6. f3 b5 7. 0-0-0.
After 7.0-0-0 the board usually shows:
- White pieces poised for a kingside pawn storm: pawns on f3, g2 (ready for g4-g5), h2 (h4-h5), queen on d2, bishop on e3, and long castling.
- Black adopting a counter-strategy on the queenside with …c6, …b5, …a5 and aiming for …b4 or central strikes with …e5/…c5.
Strategic Ideas
- White’s plan
- Castle long and launch pawns (g- and h-files) at the fianchettoed black king.
- Support the centre with f3 and possibly e4-e5 to cramp Black.
- Exchange dark-squared bishops with Bh6 to weaken g7.
- Black’s plan
- Counter on the queenside: …c6, …b5, …a5, and open the c- or b-files.
- Strike in the centre with timely …e5 or …c5.
- Sometimes delay castling or even castle queenside to avoid the storm.
Historical Background
The variation became popular in the mid-1980s among English club players whose ratings hovered around 150 ECF—hence the nickname “150 Attack.” Grandmasters such as Mark Hebden, Julian Hodgson, and later Gata Kamsky and Teimour Radjabov adopted it, proving its soundness at top level. Its strategic resemblance to the English Attack against the Sicilian Najdorf (Be3, Qd2, f3, 0-0-0) made it attractive to repertoire builders who like to reuse attacking structures.
Illustrative Games
-
Hebden – Gurevich, London 1986
One of the earliest grandmaster victories showcasing the full pawn storm:
-
Radjabov – Sasikiran, Wijk aan Zee 2006
Demonstrates modern handling with flexible …c5 breaks for Black, yet White’s kingside initiative still triumphed.
Interesting Facts & Anecdotes
- Garry Kasparov briefly toyed with 4.Be3 in blitz sessions, praising its “ready-made” attacking scheme.
- Because the setup can be learned “in 150 minutes,” many coaches recommend it to club players who want an aggressive anti-Pirc weapon without encyclopedic theory.
- In databases the line carries multiple ECO codes—most often B07 (Pirc: Byrne/150 Attack)—so you may see both names used interchangeably.
Practical Tips
- Against 4…Ng4 (an immediate attempt to punish Be3), calmly retreat 5.Bg5, 5.Bc1, or even 5.Qd2; Black gains no time because the knight is misplaced on g4.
- If Black delays …Bg7 and plays …c6/…b5 first, consider Bf4 or Qe2 to keep options open before committing your king.
- Always watch for Black’s …e5 break—meeting it with d5 can gain space, but exchanging may dissipate your attack.
Further Study
Explore repertoire texts such as “The Pirc in Black & White” by James Vigus and recent video series by modern attacking specialists. For database diving, filter for ECO B07 with 4.Be3 to see how today’s engines evaluate sacrificial lines around g4–g5.