Nimzowitsch Defense: Pirc Connection
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Statistics from Lichess
63,884 games: White 50.8% / Draw 4.5% / Black 44.7%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 17,33817K | ||
| 15,52816K | ||
| 11,06911K | ||
| 8,3158,315 | ||
| 3,5623,562 | ||
| 2,9192,919 | ||
| 1,9311,931 | ||
| 937937 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 29, 2026
Engine evaluation
+0.91 White is better
Best play: 3. d4 Bg7 4. Be3 d6 5. Qd2 a6 6. f3 b5 7. h4 h5
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
Overview
Nimzowitsch Defense: Pirc Connection (ECO B00, Semi-Open Games) is a variation of the Nimzowitsch Defense, reached after 1. e4 Nc6 2. Nc3 g6 (2 moves).
In 63,884 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 50.8%, Black 44.7% and 4.5% were drawn. White's most played move here is 3. Nf3, in 27% of those games.
Written from the Lichess opening list and explorer. Know this line well? Write about it.
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How to play against the Nimzowitsch Defense: Pirc Connection
3. d4 scores best for White: 56.1%, with White winning 53.9% and Black 41.8% of 16K games. The most played, 3. Nf3, scores 52.2% in 17K games, and 3. Bc4 scores lowest: 51.6%. Stockfish's first choice is also 3. d4.
Main answers: those played in at least 5% of these games. Score: White's wins plus half the draws, in rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500. How to play against other popular openings
Cite this page
Caissa Codex. “Nimzowitsch Defense: Pirc Connection (B00)”. Lichess data as of 29 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/nimzowitsch-defense-pirc-connection