Why the Philidor Defense is worth training
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6.The Philidor Defense starts with 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6. Black supports e5 with a pawn instead of a knight and builds a compact, solid structure. White usually answers with 3.d4, takes more central space, and develops quickly before Black can finish setting up.
Chessmate has a Philidor Defense course for White. Its six lines cover the Exchange Variation, the Lion setups with ...Nbd7, the quiet Steinitz center, the Philidor Countergambit, and the famous Opera Game combination.
The Exchange Variation sample line
11.Bxd4, the White bishop faces the bishop on g7 and the kingside pawns are already moving.In the White sample line, Black gives up the center with 3...exd4, and White recaptures with 4.Nxd4 so the knight gains a central post. After 4...Nf6 5.Nc3 g6, White develops with 6.Be3 and 7.Qd2, preparing to castle long.
Once Black castles kingside, White plays 8.O-O-O and starts a pawn storm. 9.f3 supports e4 and takes squares from Black's pieces, and 10.g4 gains space. After 10...Nxd4 11.Bxd4, the bishop becomes active and White's attack on the kingside is ready to continue.
Lion setups with Bc4 or a fianchetto
11.Bxd4, White has restored the pawn balance and centralized the bishop.Many Philidor players reach their setup through 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 e5 and 4...Nbd7, known as the Lion. In the main setup, White develops with 5.Bc4, castles, and puts a rook behind the e-pawn with 7.Re1. White gains queenside space with 8.a4, gives the king luft with 9.h3, and after 10.Be3 exd4 11.Bxd4 the bishop takes a strong central square.
The fianchetto line starts with 1.Nf3 and reaches the same structure. White plays 5.g3 and 6.Bg2, castles, gains space with 8.a4, and develops the other bishop to a3 with 9.b3 and 10.Ba3. After 10...exd4 11.Nxd4, White's pieces are ready for the next central break.
The Steinitz center and the Philidor Countergambit
11.Rhe1, the rook pins the e5 pawn against Black's exposed king.Against the quiet 3.Bc4 Be7, White builds a closed Steinitz center with 4.c3 and 5.d3. After castling, White questions the bishop with 7.h3 and recaptures 8.Qxf3, keeping the kingside pawns intact. White later plays 10.Qe2 and keeps the bishop aimed at h7 with 11.Bc2.
In the Philidor Countergambit, Black plays 3...f5. White removes the e-pawn with 4.dxe5 and trades queens with 5.Qxd8+ Kxd8, which costs Black the right to castle. After 6.Bc4 Nc6 7.Bg5+ Nf6 8.Nc3 Bd6, White castles long, takes back the pawn with 10.exf5, and pins the e5 pawn with 11.Rhe1.
The Opera Game combination
17.Rd8#, the rook covers the back rank and the bishop on g5 protects it.The last line follows the famous Opera Game. Black pins the knight with 3...Bg4, and after 4.dxe5 Bxf3 5.Qxf3 dxe5 6.Bc4, White already presses on f7. 7.Qb3 attacks f7 and b7 at once, and 9.Bg5 pins the knight to the queen.
White then sacrifices with 10.Nxb5 cxb5 11.Bxb5+ and castles long to open the d-file. After 13.Rxd7 Rxd7 14.Rd1 Qe6 15.Bxd7+ Nxd7, White offers the queen with 16.Qb8+. When the knight takes with 16...Nxb8, 17.Rd8# is mate.
What to train first
Start with the Philidor Defense course for White.
- Learn the Exchange Variation sample line first, from
3...exd4through long castling to11.Bxd4. - Then add the Lion setups, starting with the main line with
5.Bc4and7.Re1. - Finish with the Steinitz center, the queen trade against
3...f5, and the Opera Game combination.
The Philidor Defense gives Black a solid but passive position. Train the lines until you know when to play for space and when to open lines against an uncastled king.