Pirc Defense: Classical Variation, Schlechter Variation
1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. h3
The Pirc Defense: Classical Variation, Schlechter Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO B08, reached after 1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. h3. It is a line of the Pirc Defense. Black is to move.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 618 times by this move order. White won 50%, 4% were drawn and Black won 46%. The most popular continuation is 5… O-O (83% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.28 (Stockfish, depth 40; best line 5… O-O 6. Be3 d5 7. exd5 Nxd5 8. Nxd5)
- ECO
- B08
- Moves
- 9 plies
- FEN
rnbqk2r/ppp1ppbp/3p1np1/8/3PP3/2N2N1P/PPP2PP1/R1BQKB1R b KQkq - 0 5- PGN
1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. h3
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 130 | |
| 1500-1999 | 296 | |
| 2000+ | 192 | |
| All | 618 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 5… O-O | 516 (83%) | |
| 5… c6 | 35 (6%) | |
| 5… Nbd7 | 18 (3%) | |
| 5… Nc6 | 13 (2%) | |
| 5… c5 | 12 (2%) | |
| 5… a6 | 8 (1%) | |
| 5… b6 | 6 (1%) | |
| 5… a5 | 2 (0%) |
Master games
599 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 40%, draw 22%, Black 38%). The strongest:
- GM Viswanathan Anand (2774) – GM Magnus Carlsen (2861) 1/2-1/2 · Lindores Abbey Stars · 2019-05-26
- GM Ian Nepomniachtchi (2721) – GM Leinier Dominguez Perez (2754) 0-1 · SportAccord Blitz Men 2013 · 2013-12-15
- GM Volodar Murzin (2655) – GM Erigaisi Arjun (2751) 1-0 · Titled Tue 28th Apr 2026 · 2026-04-28
- GM Sergei Zhigalko (2572) – GM Erigaisi Arjun (2775) 0-1 · 1st 3-0 Thu 26th Feb 2026 · 2026-02-26
- GM Dmitry Andreikin (2725) – GM Onischuk, V. (2622) 0-1 · Titled Tuesday 16th Mar · 2021-03-16
Highest-rated Lichess games
- FM Jossbros (2561) – NM manneredmonkey (2555) 0-1 · 2026-09-05 · 180 + 0s
- Puntano (2585) – Retired_master04 (2480) 0-1 · 2026-09-02 · 180 + 2s
- CM ahpek (2399) – Azamat-Ulkhanov (2519) 0-1 · 2026-09-01 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Pirc Defense: Classical Variation (4. Nf3 Bg7) 1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6 4. Nf3 Bg7
More Pirc Defense lines (all)
- Pirc Defense (1. e4 d6) B00
- Pirc Defense (1… d6 2. d4) B00
- Pirc Defense (2. d4 Nf6) B00
- Pirc Defense: Roscher Gambit B00
- Pirc Defense (3. Nc3 g6) B07
- Pirc Defense: 150 Attack B07
- Pirc Defense: 150 Attack, Inner Doll Defense B07
- Pirc Defense: 150 Attack, Sveshnikov-Jansa Attack B07
- Pirc Defense: Bayonet Attack B07
- Pirc Defense: Byrne Variation B07
- Pirc Defense: Chinese Variation B07
- Pirc Defense: Kholmov System B07
Opening names and moves from the Lichess openings dataset; statistics from the Lichess open database, 2026-09 (CC0), sample of 12.6 million games, bots excluded; evaluations from Lichess cloud analysis (all CC0). Master games from The Week in Chess #920–#1664 by Mark Crowther, used with permission.