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Philidor Defence

Named after Philidor, the great 18th-century player: Black holds e5 firmly with ...d6 and ...Nbd7, then develops calmly. Solid and easy to learn.

Beginner · Open games (1.e4 e5) · 14 steps. On Chess Castles, Chess Guru reads each step aloud in English, Hindi or Marathi while the moves play on the board, and you can practise any position against the engine.

Step 1

♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎
The position

Philidor Defence (C41). You play Black. Named after Philidor, the great 18th-century player: Black holds e5 firmly with ...d6 and ...Nbd7, then develops calmly. Solid and easy to learn.

Step 2

♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 1.e4

White plays pawn to e4. It takes a centre square (e4). It opens a line for the queen on d1. It opens a line for the bishop on f1. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 46% of 3.9 million games.

Step 3

♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 1...e5

Black plays pawn to e5. It takes a centre square (e5). It opens a line for the queen on d8. It opens a line for the bishop on f8. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 21% of 1.8 million games.

Step 4

♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 2.Nf3

White plays knight to f3. It develops the knight into the game. It controls the centre (d4, e5). It attacks the pawn on e5. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 89% of 384k games.

Step 5

♜︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 2...d6

Black plays pawn to d6. It controls the centre (e5). It opens a line for the bishop on c8. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 3% of 336k games.

Step 6

♜︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 3.d4

White plays pawn to d4. It takes a centre square (d4). It opens a line for the bishop on c1. It opens a line for the queen on d1. It challenges the opponent's pawns. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 85% of 11k games.

Step 7

♜︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 3...Nf6

Black plays knight to f6. It develops the knight into the game. It controls the centre (e4, d5). It attacks the pawn on e4. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 17% of 9462 games.

Step 8

♜︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 4.Nc3

White plays knight to c3. It develops the knight into the game. It controls the centre (e4, d5). Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 75% of 1722 games.

Step 9

♜︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 4...Nbd7

Black plays knight to d7. It develops the knight into the game. It controls the centre (e5). Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 90% of 15k games.

Step 10

♜︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 5.Bc4

White plays bishop to c4. It develops the bishop into the game. It controls the centre (d5). Now castling is possible. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 80% of 17k games.

Step 11

♜︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♝︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 5...Be7

Black plays bishop to e7. It develops the bishop into the game. Now castling is possible. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 97% of 14k games.

Step 12

♜︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♝︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♝︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 6.O-O

White castles. Castling puts the king in safety and brings the rook toward the centre. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 83% of 13k games.

Step 13

♚︎♜︎♛︎♝︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♝︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♝︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 6...O-O

Black castles. Castling puts the king in safety and brings the rook toward the centre. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 88% of 11k games.

Step 14

♚︎♜︎♛︎♝︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♝︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♝︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♚︎♜︎♛︎♝︎♜︎
The position

This is the main position of the Philidor Defence. Now practise it against the engine: choose a strength and play on from here.

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More lessons in Open games (1.e4 e5)

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