The Pirc (1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6) and the Modern (1.e4 g6) are close relatives that often transpose, so this guide treats them together.
It recommends seven books: two Pirc books and three Modern books for Black, one book on the related Hippopotamus set-up, and one repertoire for White that meets both defenses. Beginners can start with Lakdawala’s First Steps: The Modern. For club players, start with Moskalenko’s The Perfect Pirc-Modern for the Pirc or Lakdawala’s Opening Repertoire: The Modern Defence for the Modern; four broad 1.e4 repertoires that also cover these defenses are listed separately as coverage, not recommendations.
Last updated October 2026.
Playing the Pirc as Black
For club players, start with Moskalenko’s The Perfect Pirc-Modern, which teaches the Pirc through 42 annotated model games; advanced players can choose between it and Marin’s The Pirc Defence, a line-by-line Grandmaster Repertoire. No Pirc book in this guide is recommended for beginners; the beginner pick, Lakdawala’s First Steps: The Modern, is in the Modern section below.
The Perfect Pirc-Modern — Viktor Moskalenko
Strategic Ideas & Powerful Weapons — New Edition, 10 Years Later. New In Chess, 2023.
This is the 2023 new edition, which replaces the 2013 original; Forward Chess sells the new edition. It is built on 42 annotated model games covering virtually all the main lines, and despite the title it is a Pirc book first: there is no chapter devoted to the Modern. In the book’s foreword, Vasyl Ivanchuk writes that “in the main, the book is aimed at highly-qualified players,” but that he thinks “it will also be useful to the average amateur.”
FM James Vigus, reviewing this edition, called it “the best, most up-to-date choice for anyone who wishes to try the opening,” though he noted that he had not studied Marin’s book in detail. Reviewing it in the publisher’s own magazine, Matthew Sadler wrote “if you’re an addict, you can’t do without this book!” and also warned that “Moskalenko isn’t always the most reliable of authors when it comes to engine games or correspondence games in certain lines,” though he added that “he more than makes up for it with a stream of little ideas.”
The Pirc Defence — Mihail Marin
Quality Chess (Grandmaster Repertoire series), 2017.
A full Black repertoire against White’s main systems — including the Classical, the Austrian Attack and 4.Be3 — from the author of a pair of earlier ChessBase DVDs on the Pirc. Marin describes the opening in his preface as “mainly a positional weapon” that “suits players with a balanced (or complete) style.”
GM Glenn Flear, reviewing for the New In Chess Yearbook, called it “A convincing repertoire, with lots of original high-class input, and a highly professional publication.”
Known issue. The caveat is specific: readers on ChessPub and the Quality Chess blog reported move-order problems in the 4.Be3 and 4.Bf4 lines, and Quality Chess said material was "(probably) missing" and that an update was in progress. Whether that update has been published could not be confirmed.
Moskalenko or Marin? Choose Moskalenko for the most recent book, taught through complete games. Choose Marin for a line-by-line Grandmaster Repertoire, with the 4.Be3/4.Bf4 caveat in mind.
Playing the Modern as Black
Club players should look at Lakdawala’s Opening Repertoire: The Modern Defence, taught through annotated games in question-and-answer format; advanced players at Hillarp Persson’s The Modern Tiger, built around a particular …a6 interpretation of the Modern. Beginners can start with Lakdawala’s First Steps: The Modern, an introductory book in Everyman’s First Steps series.
First Steps: The Modern — Cyrus Lakdawala
Everyman Chess, 2017.
A full Black repertoire with 1…g6, in twelve chapters on White’s tries, from the Austrian Attack and the Averbakh to English Opening set-ups. Lakdawala says he concentrates “on the central aspects of my own Modern Defence repertoire, with explanations which hopefully are clear and easy to understand,” and points out that 1…g6 “can be played on virtually any white first move.” He is also frank that the opening is not for everyone: if you “like to play it simple and safe, then the Modern Defence is definitely not for you.”
Review record. We found no independent review of this book. It is included as an introduction to the Modern for beginners, not on reviewers’ recommendations.
Opening Repertoire: The Modern Defence — Cyrus Lakdawala
Everyman Chess, 2019.
A complete Black repertoire, built against 1.e4 on …c6 set-ups rather than …a6 ones, taught through annotated games in question-and-answer format. The author says that, unlike his two earlier Modern books, this one transposes to the Pirc many times, at least in the first half of the book.
IM Andrew Martin, reviewing it for British Chess News, called it “an important addition to the available chess literature on the Modern” that “comes with my strong recommendation.” He also felt it could have been 20 to 30 pages shorter.
The Modern Tiger — Tiger Hillarp Persson
Quality Chess, 2014.
The successor to the author’s 2005 Tiger’s Modern: in his preface he says he re-examined and updated 59 of that book’s 69 games and added another 43. It is not a general survey of the Modern. In his own words it is about “a particular interpretation of Black’s position,” built around …a6 set-ups. The publisher notes that both a Modern line and a Pirc line are given against the Austrian Attack.
Three independent reviewers recommend it: John Donaldson rated it “Highly Recommended,” Randy Bauer called it “a must read book for any serious student or lover of chess,” and Sagar Shah wrote “I heartily recommend this book.” On level, Sean Marsh judged it “better suited to tournament players rather than standard club players,” and Shah warned that it is “not an easy opening to learn.” Bauer also found it dense, and Donaldson pointed out that it does not cover 1.d4 g6 2.c4 without e4.
A related system: the Hippopotamus
The Hippopotamus Defence is a sideline system, not a Modern repertoire.
The Hippopotamus Defence — Alessio De Santis
A Deceptively Dangerous Universal Chess Opening System for Black. New In Chess, 2019.
The Hippopotamus is a single set-up Black plays against almost any first move, and the author notes it is normally seen as a variation of the Modern Defense (1…g6). He pitches it broadly: beginners up to about 1800 can play it with light preparation, players from 1800 to 2100 need careful study of its strategy and move orders, and above 2100 it is a surprise weapon.
The independent evidence is thin. The clearest verdict is Raymond Keene’s: “I strongly recommend it.”
Facing the Pirc and Modern as White
For advanced players, Negi’s 1.e4 vs Minor Defences, with six chapters on the Pirc and Modern, is the one White book recommended here. There is no dedicated anti-Pirc or anti-Modern book in this guide, and none is recommended for club players or beginners.
Grandmaster Repertoire: 1.e4 vs Minor Defences — Parimarjan Negi
Quality Chess, 2020.
Six of the book’s chapters (11–16) deal with the Pirc and Modern, alongside the Alekhine and the Scandinavian. Reviewing it for British Chess News, FM Richard Webb wrote that “the author pays particular attention to move order considerations which are particularly pertinent in the Pirc/Modern complex of openings,” and that the repertoire “is the 150 Attack but is far more subtle than that.” He called the whole book “an excellent repertoire book for white.”
Evidence note. Webb’s comments on the Pirc and Modern lines are approving but mostly descriptive, so treat this as a lightly evidenced pick.
1.e4 repertoires that also cover the Pirc and Modern
These four 1.e4 repertoires each have chapters on these defenses. They are listed for their coverage, not recommended on reviews:
- Nikolaos Ntirlis, Reimagining 1.e4 (Quality Chess, 2024): chapter 19, “Reimagining the Pirc & the Modern.”
- John Shaw, Playing 1.e4: Caro-Kann, 1…e5 & Minor Lines (Quality Chess, 2016): chapter 18 on the Pirc and chapter 19 on the Modern.
- Gawain Jones, Coffeehouse Repertoire 1.e4 Volume 2 (Quality Chess, 2021): chapters on the Pirc, the Modern, and offbeat Pirc and Modern lines.
- Milos Pavlovic, Opening Repertoire: Strategic Play with 1 e4 (Popular Chess, 2024): chapter 6, “Pirc, Philidor and Others.” Its Pirc coverage is confirmed; Modern coverage could not be confirmed.
If you want the Pirc and Modern as part of a full 1.e4 repertoire, see our guide to the best 1.e4 repertoire books.
Comparison table for Best Pirc and Modern Defense Books
| Book | Side | Covers | Level | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moskalenko, The Perfect Pirc-Modern | Black | Pirc (Modern move orders in places) | Club, advanced | 2023 |
| Marin, The Pirc Defence | Black | Pirc | Advanced | 2017 |
| Lakdawala, First Steps: The Modern | Black | Modern (introductory repertoire) | Beginner | 2017 |
| Lakdawala, Opening Repertoire: The Modern Defence | Black | Modern (…c6), many Pirc transpositions | Club | 2019 |
| Hillarp Persson, The Modern Tiger | Black | Modern (…a6) | Advanced | 2014 |
| De Santis, The Hippopotamus Defence | Black | Hippopotamus set-up | Club (sideline) | 2019 |
| Negi, 1.e4 vs Minor Defences | White | Pirc, Modern, Alekhine, Scandinavian | Advanced | 2020 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the best book on the Pirc Defense?
The best Pirc book for club players is Moskalenko’s The Perfect Pirc-Modern (2023 new edition). For advanced players, it is a choice between Moskalenko and Marin’s The Pirc Defence, a Grandmaster Repertoire with reader-reported move-order problems in the 4.Be3/4.Bf4 lines.
What is the best book on the Modern Defense?
Beginners can start with Lakdawala’s First Steps: The Modern, an introduction to the opening. The best Modern book for club players is Lakdawala’s Opening Repertoire: The Modern Defence, and for advanced players it is Hillarp Persson’s The Modern Tiger. The Modern Tiger has the most independent recommendations of the seven books recommended here: three.
What is the difference between the Pirc and the Modern?
The Pirc starts 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6, while the Modern starts 1.e4 g6, and the two often transpose. Moskalenko’s The Perfect Pirc-Modern is primarily a Pirc book; Lakdawala’s Opening Repertoire: The Modern Defence is a Modern book with many Pirc transpositions.
Is there a good Pirc or Modern book for beginners?
For the Modern, Lakdawala’s First Steps: The Modern, an introductory Black repertoire in Everyman’s First Steps series; we found no independent review of it. No Pirc book in this guide is recommended for beginners. The Hippopotamus Defence, whose author says players from beginners up to about 1800 can use it with light preparation, is a related universal system, not a Pirc or Modern repertoire.
Does The Perfect Pirc-Modern cover the Modern?
Only partly. The book is about both defenses, but it has no chapter devoted to the Modern, and its reviewer James Vigus describes it as primarily a Pirc book with some Modern move orders.
What should White read against the Pirc and Modern?
White should read Negi’s 1.e4 vs Minor Defences, which gives the two defenses six chapters. If you want one book for your whole 1.e4 repertoire, the four repertoires listed above all include a Pirc chapter, and three of them (Ntirlis, Shaw and Jones) also cover the Modern.
For beginners
- Modern: First Steps: The Modern by Lakdawala — an introductory Black repertoire in Everyman’s First Steps series. We found no independent review of it.
- Pirc: no Pirc book in this guide is recommended for beginners.
For club players
- Pirc: The Perfect Pirc-Modern by Moskalenko — teaches the Pirc through 42 annotated model games (2023 new edition).
- Modern: Opening Repertoire: The Modern Defence by Lakdawala — built on …c6 set-ups, taught through annotated games in question-and-answer format.
- Sideline: The Hippopotamus Defence by De Santis — a related universal system, not a Pirc or Modern repertoire.
For advanced players
- Pirc: a choice between The Perfect Pirc-Modern by Moskalenko, taught through complete games, and The Pirc Defence by Marin, a line-by-line Grandmaster Repertoire with the 4.Be3/4.Bf4 caveat in mind.
- Modern: The Modern Tiger by Hillarp Persson — built around …a6 set-ups, with the most independent recommendations of the seven books here: three.
Playing White against them
- 1.e4 vs Minor Defences by Negi — for advanced players, with six chapters on the Pirc and Modern; a lightly evidenced pick. No book here is recommended for White at club or beginner level.
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