Chess opening · ECO C41
Philidor Defense
2...d6 against 2.Nf3 is the Philidor Defense. Black protects the e5 pawn with another pawn, which keeps the queen's knight free to choose between c6 and d7 later. The setup is compact and hard to break, but it is also passive at first: Black gives White more room in the center and has to find a good post for the dark-squared bishop.
- Rank by weighted share
- #11 of 159
Key moves
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6
- 2... d6The pawn on d6 shields e5 and opens the c8 bishop's diagonal toward g4. The cost is on the other wing: the f8 bishop now has only e7 to go to, so it usually develops there and waits behind the pawn chain.
What 3.d4 asks of Black
White's most direct reply strikes at e5 at once. Black then picks a structure. Taking with 3...exd4 gives up the center for open lines and quick development. Keeping the pawn with 3...Nd7 or 3...Nf6 holds the strongpoint on e5 and leads to a slower, closed game.
Whichever path Black chooses, the plan of keeping e5 depends on having enough defenders there. Knights on d7 and f6, a bishop on e7 and sometimes a rook on e8 all play their part.
The bishop on c4 and the f7 square
3.Bc4 points a bishop at f7 before Black has castled. Until the king leaves e8, f7 is guarded only by the king, so Black develops with care, often playing ...Be7 and ...Nf6 and getting the king to g8 before opening anything.
Black can follow with ...c6. The pawn covers d5 and b5 and can prepare ...b5 to push the c4 bishop off its diagonal.
Top replies by rating
Bc4 leads the four bands below 1800. From 1800 up, d4 takes over, and at 2000 and up its share is well ahead of Bc4.
| Rating | Top | Second | Third |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 1200 | Bc4 30% | d4 28% | Nc3 19% |
| 1200–1399 | Bc4 34% | d4 29% | Nc3 16% |
| 1400–1599 | Bc4 39% | d4 30% | Nc3 11% |
| 1600–1799 | Bc4 41% | d4 34% | Nc3 8% |
| 1800–1999 | d4 46% | Bc4 41% | Nc3 5% |
| 2000 and up | d4 67% | Bc4 25% | Nc3 5% |
Questions
Why does Black's position feel cramped in the Philidor?
The d6 and e5 pawns take squares away from Black's own pieces, the f8 bishop most of all. Black accepts that in return for a center that White cannot easily break, and frees the game later with ...c6, ...b5 or ...d5.
Can Black play ...Nc6 later?
Yes. The queen's knight is not committed by 2...d6, and ...Nc6 is a normal choice, especially after 3.d4 exd4 when the knight hits a white piece on d4.
Related openings
Try it on the board. The first coached game and three analyses are free.