Pirc Defense: Classical Variation, Schlechter Variation
The Schlechter Variation of the Classical Pirc is 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.h3, a small pawn move that keeps Black's light-squared bishop off g4. White wants a calm center with Be3 and a later e5 push, while Black castles and looks for ...d5, ...c5 or ...e5 to hit back.
- Moves
- 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.h3
- ECO
- B08
- Engine
- +0.32 · a slight edge for White (Stockfish 17.1, depth 20)
- Played
- 1,103 games in our lichess sample
- White scores
- 55.1%
Key ideas for both sides
White
- With h3 played, Be3 and Qd2 come without worrying about ...Bg4 pinning the f3 knight against the queen.
- Push e5 when it gains time on the f6 knight, as in the main engine line after 6.Be3 d5 7.e5.
- Keep a bishop ready for d3 or e2 and castle short; h3 also gives the king a flight square later.
- If Black plays ...d5 early, meet ...Ne4 with Nxe4 and use Ng5 to attack the e4 pawn that remains.
Black
- Castle first with 5...O-O, the engine's top choice, and decide on the central break once White commits the c1 bishop.
- The jump ...d5 followed by ...Ne4 trades a pair of knights and frees Black's game against an early e5.
- Prepare ...c5 or ...e5 with ...Nbd7 or ...Nc6 to challenge d4 directly, since the bishop on g7 already eyes it.
- Use ...a6 and ...b5 for queenside space if White sets up slowly with Be3 and Qd2.
Plans and pawn structure
White's h3 spends a tempo on prevention, so the plans are quieter than in sharper Pirc lines. The usual setup is Be3, Qd2 and a bishop on d3 or e2, with e5 as the main way to gain space. Black's bishop on g7 bites at d4, so ...c5 or ...e5 will test the center once Black is castled. A neat alternative is ...d5 and ...Ne4: after the knight trade White's e5 pawn faces a cramped but solid Black, and the pawn on e4 becomes a target for Ng5 and Qe2.
What the engine plays from here
Stockfish 17.1 at depth 20 rates the position +0.32: a slight edge for White. Its three top choices for Black:
- +0.32 5...O-O 6.Be3 d5 7.e5 Ne4 8.Nxe4
- +0.40 5...d5 6.e5 Ne4 7.Nxe4 dxe4 8.Ng5
- +0.50 5...a6 6.Be3 O-O 7.e5 Nfd7 8.e6
Pawns, from White's side.
How it scores on lichess
1,103 rated lichess games reached this position; White scored 55.1%.
Light: White wins. Grey: draws. Dark: Black wins. About the sample.
How to play against it
As Black, castle and strike at the center before White completes Be3, Qd2 and long castling. The ...d5 and ...Ne4 plan is a simple equalizer. Avoid passive moves like an early ...c6 without a follow-up, because White then gains space with e5 and an advance of the f-pawn later.
Questions
What are the moves of the Pirc Defense: Classical Variation, Schlechter Variation?
The Pirc Defense: Classical Variation, Schlechter Variation starts 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.h3. Its ECO code is B08.
Is the Pirc Defense: Classical Variation, Schlechter Variation good for White?
Stockfish 17.1 rates the position +0.32 at depth 20, which is a slight edge for White. In 1,103 lichess games from our sample, White scored 55.1%. A low-risk choice for White players who want a stable Pirc center, though it gives Black time to equalize with accurate central breaks.
What is the main idea of the Pirc Defense: Classical Variation, Schlechter Variation?
White uses h3 to deny Black the g4 square, then builds with Be3 and Qd2 and may push e5. Black castles and hits the center with ...d5, ...c5 or ...e5, using the g7 bishop against d4.
What should Black play next?
The engine's first choice is O-O, with d5 and a6 close behind. 5...O-O tucks the king away first, keeping ...d5, ...c5 and ...e5 all available for the next move.
Related lines
Updated October 2026. Sources and method.