The Philidor Defense

The Philidor Defense is often thought to be solid, but too passive. Further study of the opening reveals that there are strong and interesting variations. With a small amount of study and some good play, Black can find ways to consistently equalize and even put white under pressure.

Here is a guide on how to play the opening. Read on for the main variations, some key ideas, and traps to look out for. 

The Main Idea

The Philidor Defense is named after Francois Philidor, who was a French chess master and composer born in 1726. His contributions to the game include some fantastic games and an emphasis on pawn structure that was uncommon in his era. However, he is most famous for his eponymous opening.

The Philidor Defense usually begins as follows:

1.e4 e5

2. Nf3 ...

Both players put a pawn in the center, and White threatens Black’s pawn with a developed knight. This is one of the most familiar opening positions and can develop to openings like the Italian Game. Instead, Black plays:

2. … d6.

Instead of defending the pawn with a knight or threatening White’s pawn, Black creates a pawn chain. 

Pros and Cons 

Often dismissed as an opening for people who prefer not to learn theory, it actually has many complexities and possibilities. While the opening is not aggressive, it can lead to some very interesting variations.

One immediate benefit of the Philidor is that d6 is a much less common move than Nc6. This alternative way to protect the central pawn will force unprepared players to think from an early stage in the game. On the other hand, the Philidor does not pose immediate threats if White plays solidly. So, even if they are slightly underprepared, they may still be able to get an equal or better position without too much difficulty. 

Another benefit is that the Philidor immediately makes a few openings from White impossible, including the Ruy Lopez. This limits your preparation to fewer possible responses.

The most concrete advantage of the opening is an immediate, solid center and pawn structure. However, this is also the clearest downside of the Philidor: the early pawn blocks in the dark-squared bishop. To master the opening, you will need to be prepared to overcome this hurdle. 

Crucial Philidor Defense Variations

After Black’s second move, there are various ways that White can respond. For a player interested in the Philidor setup, you should learn the main variations and pick your favorite lines. 

The following are strong lines in the main variations. There are a huge number of sidelines and transpositions to explore, which is one of the reasons the Philidor Defense is worth learning.

Exchange Variation

Following the classic Philidor vs e4, the exchange variation is most common:

3. d4  exd4

White opts for the strongest move, challenging Black’s pawn structure. Black responds logically, capturing the pawn. White captures again, almost always with the knight (Nxd4).

Capturing with the queen is also possible (Qxd4), but it is less popular because it runs into Nc6. This is sometimes preceded by a6 to prevent the bishop pin and infiltration by the knight. White can also gambit the pawn and play Bc4 with the idea of threats and potential sacrifices on the vulnerable f7 pawn, but with safe development, this is perfectly fine for Black.

Continuation

After the most common knight recapture, there are two main ways Black can continue. The most natural is Nf6. This is a straightforward developing move, and the resulting variations are quite easy for Black to play. 

They will usually develop the blocked-in bishop behind the knight (Be7), eliminating pinning ideas before castling. White will also develop its pieces and castle, and the position will often become fairly passive. Overall, while slow, this development is solid for Black and, with strong positional play, can lead to wins. 

The less common Larsen Variation follows from 4. … g6. This is a preparation to fianchetto the bishop and castle kingside. White will generally castle queenside. As such, contrary to the view of the Philidor's Defense as passive, the middlegame becomes chaotic with pawn storms and checkmating attacks. 

The downside of the Larsen Variation for Black is that White can develop their attack slightly more quickly. Black has to make intelligent moves to gain tempo, open lines against the king, and make use of the fianchettoed bishop. 

Nimzowitsch Variation

The Nimzowitsch Variation (3. … Nf6.) is a slightly risky variation in that White often ends up with a technically better position. The advantage is that your opponent will likely be less prepared to deal with it.

This appears strange because it seems that White can just capture the pawn (dxe5). If Black recaptures, White trades queens, taking away Black’s castling rights and capturing the pawn on e5.

Indeed, whatever Black plays here, White will have an advantage. As such, this is largely a variation for a better-prepared intermediate player, who can catch White off guard. The point of the Nimzowitsch Variation is to capture the other pawn (Nxe4). This is a way of getting rid of the main weakness and creating a more unbalanced position. 

The best move for White is to play Qd5, attacking the knight. Black is forced to play Nc5. White will likely play Bg5 attacking the queen, and Black can block with the bishop, leading to exchanges and a safe, but slightly worse position. Or, they can play Qd7. This keeps more pieces on the board, and though White technically has an advantage, Black has some good attacking potential.

Hanham Variation 

This is a great variation to learn because it can actually be reached from many opening moves. More importantly, if Black learns it correctly, they can often reach a better position in the Philidor Defence. 

It begins with Nd7.

The simple idea is to support the pawn on e5. It feels a little unnatural because it is a less common developing square for the knight, and it blocks the light-squared bishop. White usually develops the second knight (Nc3), and Black’s best move is (Nf6). The main continuation is:

5. Bc4    Be7

6. O-O   O-O

With development complete, the variation can go in several directions, many of which lead to favorable positions for Black. In most lines, Black eventually plays the important c5, preparing an attack on the queenside (threatening b5) and taking more space. From here, depending on how White defends, Black can find different ways to challenge the central pawn structure. White has little advantage left as the black pieces are active, and the center is clearly contested by both players.

Things to Watch Out For

While the Philidor provides a solid defense, if you underprepare, it can leave you vulnerable to aggressive opening moves. An important thing to consider is to watch out for the f7 square, which can quickly become vulnerable.

Legal’s Mate

The perfect example of this is Legal’s Mate. It is quite well known because it provides a very early checkmate and features a queen sacrifice. It is a crucial trap to know for someone who wants to develop a Philidor repertoire.

The idea is that this pin doesn’t work in the Philidor Defense, and White is already much better here. After h3, if Black makes the further mistake Bh5, the game is lost. White ignores the pin and captures the pawn (Nxe5). If Black captures the hanging queen, White can deliver checkmate in two with Bxf7+, forcing e7, and the final blow, Nd5#.

The good news is that once you know this trap, it's easy to avoid. Someone familiar with the Philidor ideas above will be unlikely to get into trouble with Legal’s Mate.

Final Note on the Philidor 

Many of the criticisms launched against the Philidor are justified. It can feel overly passive and doesn’t suit everyone. However, as amateur chess players, our goal is often to find an opening that works for us. If the Philidor is played correctly, it can perform very well at the intermediate and even the advanced level. 

The reality is that it doesn’t matter if the super grandmasters shy away from this opening. For you and me, it can be a great way to get into a game of chess.