Tim Sawyer - Chess Strategy Pirc Modern Defence: How to Beat Intermediate Chess Players (Sawyer Chess Strategy Book 14)

Chess Strategy Pirc Modern Defence How to Beat Intermediate Chess Players Tim Sawyer Chess Strategy Pirc Modern Defence: How to Beat Intermediate Chess Players Copyright 2022 by Sawyer Publications All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the author. Disclaimer and FTC Notice No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, mechanical or electronic, including photocopying or recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, or transmitted by email without permission in writing from the publisher. While all attempts have been made to verify the information provided in this publication, neither the author nor the publisher assumes any responsibility for errors, omissions, or contrary interpretations of the subject matter herein. This book is for entertainment purposes only. The views expressed are those of the author alone, and should not be taken as expert instruction or commands.

The reader is responsible for his or her own actions. Adherence to all applicable laws and regulations, including international, federal, state, and local governing professional licensing, business practices, advertising, and all other aspects of doing business in the US, Canada, or any other jurisdiction is the sole responsibility of the purchaser or reader. Neither the author nor the publisher assumes any responsibility or liability whatsoever on the behalf of the purchaser or reader of these materials. Any perceived slight of any individual or organization is purely unintentional. Front cover design by: https://www.fiverr.com/pro_ebookcovers Table of Contents

Introduction

This Pirc Modern Defence book shows how I win in these chess openings. You need to understand whats going on more than remember exact lines.

Strategy and tactics are more important than the memory of concrete analysis. Pirc Defence 1.e4 d6 and Modern Defence 1.e4 g6 often transpose. I illustrate strategy from games vs intermediate players on chess.com. The book has 33 games with 174 diagrams. White wins 17 and Black wins 16 of these 10-minute games. Opening theory and endgame knowledge help your play, but tactics win most games.

I use strategy for my comments to explain whats going on. I follow any of these steps. 1. Describe the current position. 2. 3. 3.

Plan how to get there. I pick a key position every few moves to make a comment. My plan is for you to browse through the book, look at the diagrams and read the comments with ease. For those who prefer to read quickly, you can skim through the book from diagram to diagram. Note the change from the previous diagram and read any notes that interest you. From time to time, I add a line of analysis.

You may wish to work out some of those lines in your head, or just note that there was an alternative way to play and keep reading. I played chess for 50 years. As a correspondence master and blitz master, my usual opponents were rated 1800 to 2400. My opponents here are often lower to intermediate. I assume that you can read algebraic chess notation. The diagrams have White at the bottom of the board.

Thank you for reading my books. I hope you enjoy this one!

Chapter 1 Pirc 1.e4 d6

Game 1 B07 [2.Qf3 Nf6 3.Nh3 g6]

Guest - Sawyer, Chess.com, 25.01.2022

1.e4 d6 Black stops the advance of the e4 pawn. This first chapter demonstrates White choosing various poor strategies. 2.Qf3 My opponent's goal is to attack f7. The queen takes aim. 2...Nf6 3.Nh3 g6 4.Nc3 Bg7 The idea of 4.Ng5 and 5.Qxf7 doesn't work directly.

White develops another knight planning to remove the f6 knight. 5.Nd5 5Nxd5 6.exd5 00 7.Ng5 c6 8.Qh3 It's good to threaten mate on h7. It's bad to lose the queen. 8...Bxh3 9.gxh3 e5 10.h4 cxd5 11.Bh3 e4 White could retreat the knight after 12.Bg2 h6 13.Nh3 Nc6 when Black remains up a queen for a bishop. 12.h5 h6 13.hxg6 Qxg5 14.gxf7+ Kh8 15.d4 Qh5 16.Bg2 Qxf7 17.h4 Qxf2+ 18.Kd1 Qxd4+ 19.Bd2 e3 20.Re1 Qxd2# 01 White is checkmated

Game 2 B07 [2.d3 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6]

Guest Sawyer, Chess.com, 26.01.2022

1.e4 d6 2.d3 Nf6 2.d3 meekly defends e4. This passive move usually means White is afraid and has poor tactical skills.

I want to attack. 3.Nc3 g6 4.Nh3 Bg7 5.Nd5 Nxd5 6.exd5 00 7.Be2 c6 8.Bf3 cxd5 9.Bxd5 Qa5+ If 9.Nf4 d4 10.00 Nc6 Black has won a pawn. Instead, White loses a bishop to a check and capture combination. 10.c3 Qxd5 11.00 Bxh3 12.gxh3 Nc6 13.d4 Qf5 14.Re1 Qxh3 15.a3 e5 Now d4 is vulnerable. 16.Re3 Qf5 17.d5 Ne7 favors Black. 4.Bg5 An alternative is 4.Nc3 Bg7 5.f4 00 6.Nf3 c5 Grand Prix Sicilian Defence or here 6...c6 both with equal chances. 4...Bg7 5.Nc3 00 6.Nf3 c6 7.h3 b5 Attacking Bc4 with b5 is a common Pirc Modern strategy. 8.Bb3 a5 9.a4 b4 10.Ne2 Nbd7 11.00 Qb6 12.c4 bxc3 13.Nxc3 Ba6 If 14.Rb1 Bxd3 15.Bxf7+ Rxf7 16.Qxd3 Nc5 Black is better. 14.Bxf6 Bxf6 15.d4 This loses the Exchange. 14.Bxf6 Bxf6 15.d4 This loses the Exchange.

If 15.Rb1 Rab8 favors Black. 15...Bxf1 16.Kxf1 c5 Stronger is 16...Rab8 17.Ra3 e6 with advantage to Black. Here after 16c5, if 17.Nd5 Qa6+ Black is better. 17.dxc5 Nxc5 18.Nd5 Loses a bishop. If 18.Nb5 Nxe4 Black is up the Exchange. 21.Qxd3 Nxd3 22.b3 Ne5 Next, I offer to exchange knights in a winning endgame. 23.Nd4 Rfd8 24.Nf3 Nxf3 25.gxf3 Rd3 The knights are gone. 23.Nd4 Rfd8 24.Nf3 Nxf3 25.gxf3 Rd3 The knights are gone.

Next, I attack pawns simultaneously. 26.Kg2 Rxb3 27.h4 Rab8 28.f4 R8b4 If 29.h5 Rxe4 30.hxg6 hxg6 31.f5 gxf5 and Black wins. 29.f3 Rb1 30.Ra3 R4b3 31.Ra2 R1b2+ White is forced to swap rooks leaving Black ahead a rook. 32.Rxb2 Rxb2+ 33.Kg3 h5 34.e5 fxe5 35.fxe5 Rb4 36.Kg2 Rxh4 37.f4 Rxf4 01 White resigns