NM Robert Ramirez said that both Pircs are best for Black. I have gotten good results in tournaments from Czech Pirc but my coach thinks that regular Pirc with ... g6 is better.
www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQKBpQZcRycoWYXWK3rI7c9uBgCrEPtb0www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQKBpQZcRycrdFv_RC9rovYN1Wh6F_JPRSo i'm getting confused!
No expert here (my ratings are similar to yours), but I do follow Ramirez on youtube. In his most recent stream where he played viewers, there was a question about which was better. His response was something along the lines of "regular Pirc is better, but it is more complex." I think he said something about black having more chances to play for a win with the Pirc while Czech was more likely to be drawing.
I've played both but I have more trouble with the Pirc. Figure I just haven't studied the lines and played them enough. Planning on playing it more frequently. Ramirez does pretty well with it against players much higher rated than us...
I am a big Czech Pirc fan. It is so much underrated and really no white players know. The refutations are far from easy.
Having played 1000 of Czech Pirc games I can tell. 1. e4 an Black is equal or better in most of my games.
Ramirez's assessment sounds about right to me. I've only played White against the Czech, but it seems to be rather one-dimensional: sustained pressure on the d4-pawn. I've often played the Pirc as White and Black, and I think it offers more chances for counter-play because it allows for a variety of counterattacking methods; the tradeoff is the consequent increase in complexity around choosing a plan. Both defenses are pretty good, but present different things to navigate for both players.
The white players have some good knowledge of/against the Pirc, yet the rat (Czech) is such a rare bird that they have no clue. The moves which are good against the Pirc don't help against the Czech - it's a different opening.
It's like 40 years ago - you play "your" opening and they have no idea. Big advantage for Black in games against humans especially playing short time controls. A true secret weapon.
Random example, this IM had no idea.
lichess.org/ZjQsDeju@Sarg0n said in #3:
> I am a big Czech Pirc fan. It is so much underrated and really no white players know. The refutations are far from easy.
>
> Having played 1000 of Czech Pirc games I can tell. 1. e4 an Black is equal or better in most of my games.
You should make a blog or Videos on how to play the Czech Pirc properly. With all the experience you have with this opening. This would be a good thing.
Excuses my ignorance but what is the Czech Pirc?
3. ... c6
@odoaker2015 said in #7:
> You should make a blog or Videos on how to play the Czech Pirc properly. With all the experience you have with this opening. This would be a good thing.
Ok, I’ll figure out a study here on lichess.
