Caissa Codex
B09

Pirc Defense: Austrian Attack, Unzicker Attack, Bronstein Variation

Chess diagram: Pirc Defense: Austrian Attack, Unzicker Attack, Bronstein Variation after 7. h4

Type a move and press Enter: e4, Nf3, O-O, or from and to squares like g1f3 (e7e8q to promote). The board is also played with the mouse.

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Statistics from Lichess

31,835 games: White 61.7% / Draw 3.8% / Black 34.5%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
22,28122K
6,5316,531
1,2711,271
695695
387387
219219
130130
6868

Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 29, 2026

Engine evaluation

+0.33 White is slightly better

Best play: 7... c5 8. e6 fxe6 9. h5 gxh5 10. Ne4 Nf6 11. Nxf6+ exf6 12. dxc5

Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.

Overview

Pirc Defense: Austrian Attack, Unzicker Attack, Bronstein Variation (ECO B09, Semi-Open Games) is a variation of the Pirc Defense: Austrian Attack, Unzicker Attack, reached after 1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6 4. f4 Bg7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. e5 Nfd7 7. h4 (7 moves).

In 31,835 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 61.7%, Black 34.5% and 3.8% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 7…c5, in 70% of those games.

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How to play against the Pirc Defense: Austrian Attack, Unzicker Attack, Bronstein Variation

7…h5 scores best for Black: 38.4%, with Black winning 36.5% and White 59.8% of 6,531 games. The most played answer, 7…c5, scores lowest: 36.2% in 22K games. Stockfish's first choice is 7…c5.

Main answers: those played in at least 5% of these games. Score: Black'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. “Pirc Defense: Austrian Attack, Unzicker Attack, Bronstein Variation (B09)”. Lichess data as of 29 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/pirc-defense-austrian-attack-unzicker-attack-bronstein-variation

https://chesscodex.org/openings/pirc-defense-austrian-attack-unzicker-attack-bronstein-variation