Rating: 
Summary: useful but . . .
Review: This is a reasonable though flawed introduction to the Pirc. It provides a useful introduction to the main ideas involved in the most important lines and also includes a moderate amount of detailed analysis. The flaws are of three types:1. Annoying omissions. For example, there is no mention of White alternatives other than 2.d4. This would be acceptable in a book on topical variations or a review for players of 2000+ strength. But some discussion should really be included in a guide for club players, since (for example), 2.d3 and 2.f4 easily lead to lines with independent significance. A brief chapter addressing unorthodox White second moves doesn't seem too much to ask. Some of the subsections similarly omit White choices as early as move four or five that the Pirc player will see frequently. 2. The authors are far too glib in claiming that this opening can be essayed successfully with only a modest amount of theoretical knowledge. If you are looking for a response to 1.e4 that is playable without much study the Petroff, Scandinavian or forcing lines of the Ruy Lopez (e.g., Schliemann variation) would be a better choice. The strategic ideas in the Pirc are, in general, much clearer for White than for Black (especially the thematic h-pawn assault and associated king-side attack); the latter player therefore needs more theoretical preparation. 3. Discussion of middle game ideas are sometimes deficient. There are a lot of comments at the end of analyses such as: "and black gets good play." But there is often no discussion of the middle game themes and the typical club player will not find obvious the source of that play. The judicious addition of complete games with analysis would have beeen a good idea. But even the addition of more complete games without analysis would have helped to flesh out salient middle game and end game ideas without producing an unwieldy tome. Despite its shortcomings, Pirc Alert is a useful introduction to the Pirc for the club player. But the tournament player will need supplemental sources to have hopes of real mastery.
Rating: 
Summary: A great book on the Pirc
Review: This is a very good book abut the Pirc, when you are done studying it you will feel VERY confident when you play the Pirc.
Rating:
Summary: A chess tutorial in disguise!
Review: This is a weird and fascinating book! ... I bought this after my heavy, tactical style around 1550. I felt it was time to build a repertoire and transcend my then current level. I got this book. As an opening book, it is not good. c6 is not covered (Pirc players will understand . . .), lines encouraged are good, bad, or drawn, in quite an erratic mix (i.e. not consistently the best :( ) As a pirc book its 3.5/5. And, the Pirc is not very good as a defense anyway (maybe caro-kann, or sicilian work better for me) But . . . there's the first half. Here GM Alex Chernin discusses the common pawn shapes of the pirc, center busting pawn breaks to shoot for, c5 and e5, common tactical tricks arises from those shapes, and THEN CHESS SATORI STRUCK : A two-move queen tactic turns the pirc into a sicilian dragon. The scales fell away, the move orders became flexible, white or black my rating went up from 1550 to 1650 in one night and stuck, to slowly rise further over the month. Funny thing is, I still don't like the book. It's cheesy, meandering, error-ridden, but damn! ... I figured out that it is the intimate familiarity with the thought process of a strong GM, even if only for the first 10 moves, that is chess-changing. This plus Lev Albut obvious talents as a teacher and promoter (see his comprehensive chess course and my reviews re that course) were a real marriage in heaven apparently. If they would do this for the KID (in response to d4/c4) and, say, queen's gambit for white, I would be most thankful! (hint, hint Lev . . .)
Rating:
Summary: One of the best opening books I have read...
Review: This is one of the finest opening books I have read. First a warning. The Pirc defence is not for the novice. The defence is complex, subtle, fluid and requires a high degree of positional understanding and defensive skill. It is one of the most complex responses to 1. e4 that Black can play. From this perspective it is amazing that the authors have written such a lucid book. Lev Alburt's didactic approach is enhanced by Alex Chernin's specialist knowledge. The end product is a superb book. I have read hundreds of opening books, but this ranks as one of the best, if not THE best. You will understand the Pirc defence after reading this book. While not every variation is covered, most are covered more than enough for the average club hacker. If you are below FIDE 2200 you will benefit from this book. However, having said that, I am not convinced that the class C to low B player should adopt this opening. But, if you like complex positions with plenty of room for originality and fluctuating pawn structures... go for it. You wont get a better guide than this book.
Rating:
Summary: Terrific, though overpriced
Review: This is the most beautifully executed book I have ever seen on an opening. The explanations are clear and interesting, and given in words rather than than notation. The layout and graphics are attractive, too. I hope very much that the authors' next two books in the series will be up to the same standard. The only problem is the ...(item seems a littl pricy).
Rating:
Summary: Stunning! but why play the Pirc?
Review: This may be the best opening work ever written for the club player. But why should the club player play the Pirc? It is inferior to the open games, and if this book had been written about the Ruy Lopez or the Italian or the Scotch, then it would truly be a book for the ages. The fact is, most of us stunt our growth by playing the Pirc. It is an opening for experts to play. For a club player, to finachetto your king's bishop against 1. e4 is inferior to responding 1...e5 and putting your bishop where it belongs, either at e7, d6, or c5.
Rating:
Summary: GREAT OPENING BOOK
Review: Unlike another reviewer I do not have 1000 books. I look to maximise the quality of my time spent studying chess.
This book meets that key need, it focuses on playing the Pirc as the main black response to e4. Lev Albert is a great teacher and this book is no exception. Clear diagrams, easy to understand concepts and step by step notes make this a clear, fairly easy way to acquire almsost half of the opening repetoire that you need as black (the other is to have a response to d4). Yes its pricey ... however it is two to three times the size of bokks in the "Winning series" that retails for ... each or more.
If you are serious about a solid opening and one that brings you to above master standard then seriously consider this book. The best feature for me is sufficient diagrans per page to dispense with a chess set.
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