To　research　the　influences　of　confining　pressure　on　critical　strain　energy　release　rate　(Gc)　and　energy　transformation　of　anisotropic　intact　rocks,　by　combining　a　new　modified　Hoek–Brown　failure　criterion　for　anisotropic　rock　under　high　confining　pressure　(M-HB-HC)　with　the　energy　release　rate　failure　criterion,　the　new　critical　strain　energy　release　rate　failure　criterion　is　established.　Triaxial　compression　tests　for　marble　and　sandstone　samples　with　different　bedding　plane　dip　angles　under　different　confining　pressures　have　been　performed.　The　study　shows　that　Gc　depends　on　both　the　bedding　plane　dip　angle　α　and　confining　pressures,　and　the　variation　of　Gc　with　the　dip　angle　under　low　confining　pressure　is　not　evident,　but　is　significant　at　the　high　confining　pressure.　Under　the　same　confining　pressure,　the　value　of　bedding　marble＇s　Gc　is　greater　than　that　of　bedding　sandstone.　By　comparing　prediction　results　of　several　failure　criteria　with　that　of　the　proposed　failure　criterion　and　the　experimental　data,　we　found　that　the　prediction　of　the　new　critical　strain　energy　release　rate　failure　criterion　has　better　accuracy.　The　proposed　failure　criterion　is　applicable　for　different　type　of　anisotropic　intact　rocks.　This　paper　only　researches　the　transverse　isotropic　case　of　the　anisotropic　rock.　The　other　anisotropic　will　be　studied　in　the　future.　©　2023　Elsevier　Ltd