Chess Openings Lab
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Pirc Defense: Austrian Attack

The Austrian Attack is 4.f4 in the Pirc, where White adds the f-pawn to e4 and d4 for the most ambitious center Black can face. White wants Nf3, Bd3 and an e5 push to drive the f6 knight away, while Black develops with ...Bg7 and strikes back at d4 with ...c5.

Moves
1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.f4
ECO
B09
Engine
+0.49 · a slight edge for White (Stockfish 17.1, depth 20)
Played
2,566 games in our lichess sample
White scores
51.8%

Key ideas for both sides

White

  • After 4...Bg7 play 5.Nf3 so the knight supports both d4 and the coming e5 push.
  • Meet ...c5 with Bb5+, and after ...Bd7 push e5 to hit the f6 knight before Black castles.
  • Against 4...Nc6, gain space with d5, then e5 to send the knights back to b8 and d7.
  • With Black's knights pushed back, start a kingside attack with h4-h5 against the g6 pawn.

Black

  • Develop with 4...Bg7; the long diagonal bishop is the main counterweight to the pawn wall.
  • Strike with ...c5 early so d4 cannot be held by pawns alone.
  • When e5 comes, jump with ...Ng4 to hit e5 and e3 rather than retreating passively.
  • Avoid slow moves like ...e6; the engine shows White's space edge growing fast.

Plans and pawn structure

White's pawns on e4, d4 and f4 give a big space edge, and the plan is e5 or f5 with pieces behind them: Nf3, Bd3, O-O and sometimes Qe1. Black's job is to undermine that wall before it advances. The tools are ...c5 against d4, ...Ng4 against an advanced e5, and ...Na6 or ...Nc6 to add pressure. If the center cracks, the g7 bishop dominates; if it holds, White attacks on the kingside.

What the engine plays from here

Stockfish 17.1 at depth 20 rates the position +0.49: a slight edge for White. Its three top choices for Black:

  1. +0.49 4...Bg7 5.Nf3 c5 6.Bb5+ Bd7 7.e5
  2. +0.78 4...Nc6 5.d5 Nb8 6.e5 Nfd7 7.h4
  3. +1.08 4...e6 5.Nf3 Bg7 6.a3 a5 7.Bd3

Pawns, from White's side.

How it scores on lichess

2,566 rated lichess games reached this position; White scored 51.8%.

under 120059.8%
1200–159951.7%
1600–199952.6%
2000 and up50.1%

Light: White wins. Grey: draws. Dark: Black wins. About the sample.

Where it goes next

How to play against it

As Black, play 4...Bg7 and be ready to hit the center with ...c5 before White castles. After Bb5+ block with ...Bd7 and trade bishops. Do not let White push e5 and f5 for free. Every slow move gives White more space.

Other lines with this name

The lichess opening list also files this line under the same name, though it reaches a different position: 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.f4 Bg7 5.Nf3 O-O.

Questions

What are the moves of the Pirc Defense: Austrian Attack?

The Pirc Defense: Austrian Attack starts 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.f4. Its ECO code is B09.

Is the Pirc Defense: Austrian Attack good for White?

Stockfish 17.1 rates the position +0.49 at depth 20, which is a slight edge for White. In 2,566 lichess games from our sample, White scored 51.8%. A sharp, aggressive weapon for White players who like space and attacks, while Black must know the ...c5 counterattack well.

What is the main idea of the Pirc Defense: Austrian Attack?

White sets up a three-pawn center with e4, d4 and f4 and aims for an e5 push. Black develops with ...Bg7 and strikes at once with ...c5, often meeting e5 with ...Ng4.

What should Black play next?

The engine's first choice is Bg7, with Nc6 and e6 close behind. 4...Bg7 develops the key bishop and prepares ...c5 against the d4 pawn.

Updated October 2026. Sources and method.