Philidor Defense
ECO C41 · 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6
Philidor's Defense, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6, protects e5 with a pawn rather than a piece. Named after the 18th-century master François-André Danican Philidor, it is solid but somewhat passive, and modern players often reach it via the Pirc move order (1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 e5).
Plans for White
White takes space with d4 and Nc3, develops naturally and castles, aiming to exploit Black's cramped kingside bishop on e7. Plans include f4 or a kingside expansion with g4 in some lines, and pressure along the d-file if Black ever releases the tension.
Plans for Black
Black keeps the e5 strongpoint with ...Nf6, ...Nbd7, ...Be7 and ...O-O (the Hanham setup), then looks for ...c6, ...b5 or ...exd4 followed by ...Re8 and pressure on e4.
Typical pawn structures
A compact structure with pawns on d6 and e5 against White's e4 and d4. When Black exchanges on d4 the game opens and the d6 pawn can become backward.
Who it suits
Players who want a sturdy, low-theory defense and do not mind a cramped but resilient position.
Common traps
Légal's trap: 3.Bc4 Bg4 4.Nc3 g6? 5.Nxe5! Bxd1?? 6.Bxf7+ Ke7 7.Nd5# is one of the oldest mates in chess. In the Hanham order, Black must also watch Ng5 and Bxf7+ tricks before castling.
Variations
- Philidor Defense: Lion Variation — 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nf6 4. Nc3 Nbd7
- Philidor Defense: Hanham Variation — 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nd7
- Philidor Defense: Nimzowitsch Variation — 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nf6
- Philidor Defense: Philidor Countergambit — 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 f5
- Philidor Defense: Lopez Countergambit — 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bc4 f5
- Philidor Defense: Exchange Variation — 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 exd4
- Philidor Defense: Philidor Gambit — 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Bd7
- Philidor Defense: Bird Gambit — 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 exd4 4. c3
- Philidor Defense: Morphy Gambit — 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4
- Philidor Defense: Nimzowitsch, Locock Variation — 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nf6 4. Ng5
- Philidor Defense: Steinitz Variation — 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bc4 Be7 4. c3
- Philidor Defense: Albin-Blackburne Gambit — 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Bg4 4. dxe5 Nd7
- Philidor Defense: Boden Variation — 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 exd4 4. Qxd4 Bd7
- Philidor Defense: Larsen Variation — 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 g6
- Philidor Defense: Hanham, Kmoch Variation — 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nd7 4. Bc4 c6 5. Ng5
- Philidor Defense: Paulsen Attack — 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 d5 5. exd5
- Philidor Defense: Nimzowitsch, Larobok Variation — 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nf6 4. Nc3 Nbd7 5. Bc4 Be7 6. Ng5 O-O 7. Bxf7+
- Philidor Defense: Berger Variation — 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Be7 6. Be2 O-O 7. O-O c5 8. Nf3 Nc6 9. Bg5 Be6 10. Re1