The Philippine Attack against the Pirc Defense.

The Philippine Attack is a double edge attack against the Pirc Defense. Unlike the Austrian Attack, white’s dark bishop plays agressively at g5.

Initially, it was GM Robert Byrne who studied the system 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.Bg5 hence it was called the Byrne Variation.

However, the improvements after the continuation 4….. Bg2  5. f4 was developed by Filipinos as it evolved through their regularly chess activities. This line is the real “Philippine Attack”.

It is commonly played in different chess parks and chess clubs in the Philippines.

Previous international tournament successes include those of GM Joey Antonio and lady player Cheradee Camacho of La Union Philippines.

Then in 2013, the variation 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.Bg5 Bg7 5.f4 h6 6.Bxf6 after Antonio’s fireworks was tagged as “The Philippine Attack” by GM Viktor Moskalenko in his book, “The Perfect Pirc-Modern “.

  “The Philippine Attack” started with the moves 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.Bg5 Bg7 5.f4 …
 This game is an Immortal.

1.  e4 d6 2.  d4 Nf6 3.  Nc3 g6 4.  Bg5 Bg7 5.  f4 h6 6.  Bxf6 Bxf6 7.  Nf3 c6 8.  e5 Bg7 9.  Bd3 Qb6 10.  O-O Bg4 11.  Kh1 O-O 12.  Qe1 Bxf3 13.  Rxf3 Qxd4 14.  Rd1 dxe5 15.  Bxg6 Qb4 16.  a3 Qxb2 17.  Bd3 Nd7 18.  Na4 Qa2 19.  Qe4 f5 20.  Bc4+ Kh8 21.  Qe2 e4 22.  Rg3 Qa1 23.  Rxa1 Bxa1 24.  Be6 Rad8 25.  c3 b5 26.  Qh5 Rf6 27.  Bxd7 Rd6 28.  Nc5 1-0

Rook Sacrifice for a Knight.

In this game, white sacrifices his rook for a knight for an exciting attack. This was another firework display using the Philippine Attack as performed by GM Joey Antonio.

1.  e4 d6 2.  d4 Nf6 3.  Nc3 g6 4.  Bg5 Bg7 5.  f4 h6 6.  Bxf6 Bxf6 7.  e5 Bg7 8.  Qf3 O-O 9.  O-O-O c6 10.  g4 Qa5 11.  Bc4 c5 12.  exd6 exd6 13.  dxc5 dxc5 14.  Rd6 Nc6 15.  Rxg6 Nd4 16.  Qe4 Be6 17.  Bxe6 Nxe6 18.  Rxg7+ Nxg7 19.  Nf3 Qb4 20.  Qxb4 cxb4 21.  Nd5 a5 22.  g5 h5 23.  Nf6+ Kh8 24.  Ne5 Rac8 25.  Nfd7 Rfe8 26.  Nxf7+ Kh7 27.  Nd6 Kg6 28.  Nxc8 Rxc8 29.  Re1 Rc7 30.  Re7 1-0