C41
Philidor Defense
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bc4 Be7
In the Philidor Defense, aim to understand the plans and pawn structures, not just memorize the first moves.
The Philidor Defense is a chess opening classified under ECO code C41. It is reached after the moves 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bc4 Be7: 6 moves in, with White to play.
Learn its typical plans and pawn structures rather than memorizing moves — that’s what holds up over the board.
37 named variations branch from this position; the list at the end of the page goes one move deeper into each.
Play the Philidor Defense? See where you go wrong.
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Analyze my games free →Variations of the Philidor Defense
- Albin-Blackburne Gambit1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Bg4 4. dxe5 Nd7
- Berger Variation1. 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
- Bird Gambit1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 exd4 4. c3
- Boden Variation1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 exd4 4. Qxd4 Bd7
- Exchange Variation1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6
- Hanham Variation1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nd7
- Hanham Variation, Delmar Variation1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nd7 4. Bc4 c6 5. c3
- Hanham Variation, Krause Variation1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nd7 4. Bc4 c6 5. O-O
- Hanham Variation, Schlechter Variation1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nd7 4. Bc4 c6 5. Nc3
- Hanham Variation, Sharp Variation1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nd7 4. Bc4 Nb6
- Hanham Variation, Steiner Variation1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nd7 4. Bc4 c6 5. O-O Be7 6. dxe5
- Hanham, Kmoch Variation1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nd7 4. Bc4 c6 5. Ng5
- Larsen Variation1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 g6
- Lion Variation1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nf6 4. Nc3 Nbd7
- Lion Variation, Bishop Sacrifice1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nf6 4. Nc3 Nbd7 5. Bc4 Be7 6. Bxf7+
- Lion Variation, Delayed Bishop Sacrifice1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 Nbd7 4. Nf3 e5 5. Bc4 Be7 6. dxe5 dxe5 7. Bxf7+
- Lion Variation, Forcing Line1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nf6 4. Nc3 Nbd7 5. Bc4 Be7 6. Ng5 O-O 7. Bxf7+ Rxf7 8. Ne6
- Lion Variation, Lion's Claw, with Bc4 and h61. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nf6 4. Nc3 Nbd7 5. Bc4 Be7 6. O-O h6
- Lion Variation, Lion's Claw, with Be2 and c61. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nf6 4. Nc3 Nbd7 5. Be2 Be7 6. O-O c6
- Lion Variation, Shirov Gambit1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nd7 4. Nc3 Ngf6 5. g4
- Lion Variation, Sozin Variation1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 e5 4. Nf3 Nbd7 5. Bc4 Be7 6. O-O O-O 7. Qe2 c6 8. a4 exd4
- Lopez Countergambit1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bc4 f5
- Lopez Countergambit, Jaenisch Variation1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 f5 4. Bc4 exd4 5. Ng5 Nh6 6. Nxh7
- Morphy Gambit1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4
- Nimzowitsch Variation1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nf6 4. dxe5
- Nimzowitsch Variation, Klein Variation1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nf6 4. Bc4
- Nimzowitsch Variation, Rellstab Variation1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nf6 4. dxe5 Nxe4 5. Qd5
- Nimzowitsch Variation, Sokolsky Variation1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nf6 4. dxe5 Nxe4 5. Nbd2
- Nimzowitsch, Larobok Variation1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nf6 4. Nc3 Nbd7 5. Bc4 Be7 6. Ng5 O-O 7. Bxf7+
- Nimzowitsch, Locock Variation1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nf6 4. Ng5
- Paulsen Attack1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 d5 5. exd5
- Philidor Countergambit1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 f5
- Philidor Countergambit, Berger Variation1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 f5 4. dxe5 fxe4 5. Ng5 d5 6. e6 Bc5 7. Nc3
- Philidor Countergambit, Zukertort Variation1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 f5 4. Nc3
- Philidor Countergambit, del Rio Attack1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 f5 4. dxe5 fxe4 5. Ng5 d5 6. e6
- Philidor Gambit1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Bd7
- Steinitz Variation1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bc4 Be7 4. c3
Related openings
Philidor Defense: Albin-Blackburne GambitPhilidor Defense: Berger VariationPhilidor Defense: Bird GambitPhilidor Defense: Boden VariationPhilidor Defense: Exchange VariationPhilidor Defense: Hanham VariationPhilidor Defense: Hanham Variation, Delmar VariationPhilidor Defense: Hanham Variation, Krause VariationPhilidor Defense: Hanham Variation, Schlechter VariationPhilidor Defense: Hanham Variation, Sharp Variation