Pirc Defense: Bayonet Attack
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Statistics from Lichess
126,748 games: White 53.7% / Draw 4.7% / Black 41.6%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 62,94263K | ||
| 24,96525K | ||
| 10,84311K | ||
| 7,2807,280 | ||
| 6,0396,039 | ||
| 4,8134,813 | ||
| 4,3844,384 | ||
| 1,4671,467 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 30, 2026
Engine evaluation
+0.48 White is slightly better
Best play: 5... h5 6. Nf3 O-O 7. Ng5 a6 8. a4 Nc6 9. a5 e5 10. dxe5
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
Overview
Pirc Defense: Bayonet Attack (ECO B07, Semi-Open Games) is a variation of the Pirc Defense, reached after 1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6 4. Be2 Bg7 5. h4 (5 moves).
In 126,748 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 53.7%, Black 41.6% and 4.7% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 5…h5, in 50% 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 Pirc Defense: Bayonet Attack
5…c5 scores best for Black: 50.6%, with Black winning 47.7% and White 46.5% of 11K games. The most played, 5…h5, scores 45.8% in 63K games, and 5…O-O scores lowest: 39.1%. Stockfish's first choice is 5…h5.
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: Bayonet Attack (B07)”. Lichess data as of 30 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/pirc-defense-bayonet-attack