Philidor is difficult to play with black. Always capture on d4 to get the knight on d4 otherwise you may easily lose in a few moves for Bf7, Ng5, Nd5 are always threatening.
This may be interesting for black as an alternative to 2 .. Nc6. Haven't tried it yet.
[d] rnbqkbnr/ppp2p1p/3p2p1/8/3NP3/8/PPP2PPP/RNBQKB1R w KQkq - 0 5
[pgn]
[Event "Edited game"]
[Site "HP"]
[Date "2016.05.24"]
[Round "-"]
[White "-"]
[Black "-"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 g6
*
[/pgn]
How to play Philidor Defense
Moderators: hgm, Rebel, chrisw
-
Henk
- Posts: 7218
- Joined: Mon May 27, 2013 10:31 am
Re: How to play Philidor Defense
Sorry for this has nothing to do with Philidor for he always played 3 .. f5.
[d] rnbqkbnr/ppp3pp/3p4/4pp2/3PP3/5N2/PPP2PPP/RNBQKB1R w KQkq f6 0 4
Don't understand how this can be playable. After 4. de5: fe4:
See also https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philidor_Defence
[d] rnbqkbnr/ppp3pp/3p4/4P1N1/4p3/8/PPP2PPP/RNBQKB1R b KQkq - 1 5
[d] rnbqkbnr/ppp3pp/3p4/4pp2/3PP3/5N2/PPP2PPP/RNBQKB1R w KQkq f6 0 4
Don't understand how this can be playable. After 4. de5: fe4:
See also https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philidor_Defence
[d] rnbqkbnr/ppp3pp/3p4/4P1N1/4p3/8/PPP2PPP/RNBQKB1R b KQkq - 1 5
-
Henk
- Posts: 7218
- Joined: Mon May 27, 2013 10:31 am
Re: How to play Philidor Defense
[Event "Unknown"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "1790.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "NN"]
[Black "François André Philidor"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "0"]
[BlackElo "0"]
[pgn]
[EventDate "1790.??.??"]
[ECO "C41"]
[PlyCount "56"]
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 f5 4. dxe5 fxe4 5. Ng5 d5 6. f4 Bc5 7. c4 c6 8.
Nc3 Ne7 9. h4 h6 10. Nh3 O-O 11. Na4 Bb4+ 12. Bd2 Bxd2+ 13. Qxd2 d4 14. c5
b5 15. cxb6 axb6 16. b3 Be6 17. Be2 Nf5 18. Ng1 Ng3 19. Rh2 e3 20. Qb2 d3
21. Bf3 Rxf4 22. O-O-O Rfxa4 23. bxa4 Rxa4 24. a3 Rc4+ 25. Kb1 Rc2 26. Qb4
Na6 27. Qf4 Nc5 28. Qxg3 Ba2+
0-1
[/pgn]
[Site "?"]
[Date "1790.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "NN"]
[Black "François André Philidor"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "0"]
[BlackElo "0"]
[pgn]
[EventDate "1790.??.??"]
[ECO "C41"]
[PlyCount "56"]
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 f5 4. dxe5 fxe4 5. Ng5 d5 6. f4 Bc5 7. c4 c6 8.
Nc3 Ne7 9. h4 h6 10. Nh3 O-O 11. Na4 Bb4+ 12. Bd2 Bxd2+ 13. Qxd2 d4 14. c5
b5 15. cxb6 axb6 16. b3 Be6 17. Be2 Nf5 18. Ng1 Ng3 19. Rh2 e3 20. Qb2 d3
21. Bf3 Rxf4 22. O-O-O Rfxa4 23. bxa4 Rxa4 24. a3 Rc4+ 25. Kb1 Rc2 26. Qb4
Na6 27. Qf4 Nc5 28. Qxg3 Ba2+
0-1
[/pgn]
-
Henk
- Posts: 7218
- Joined: Mon May 27, 2013 10:31 am
Re: How to play Philidor Defense
Maybe interesting comments.
[pgn]
[Event "Analyse du jeu des Échecs"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "1749.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "NN"]
[Black "François André Philidor"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "0"]
[BlackElo "0"]
[EventDate "1749.??.??"]
[ECO "C41"]
[PlyCount "64"]
1. e4
{Annotations by Philidor from Black's perspective.}
1... e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bc4 f5
{It is always advantageous to change your
king's bishop's pawn for his king's pawn, because, by that
means, your king's and queen's pawns may place may place
themselves in the centre of the chess-board; besides, in
castling on the right wing, your castle finds itself free and
able to act from the very beginning of the game, as will be
shown by a back-game on the same play.}
4. d3 c6 5. exf5
{If
your adversary refuse taking your bishop's pawn, you are still
to leave it exposed, and not move it till he has castled; you
must afterwards, with your pawns on the right wing; form your
attack upon the pawns which cover his king, as is explained in
a back-game on that move. You are to observe, as a general
rule, not to determine easily to push on the pawns on either
wing before your adversary's king has castled, because he will
otherwise retire on the side where your pawns are less
advanced, and consequently less able to annoy him.}
5... Bxf5 6. Bg5 Nf6 7. Nbd2
{Should he take your knight with his
bishop, you must take his with your pawn, in order to bring
the strength of your pawns towards the centre.}
7... d5 8. Bb3 Bd6
{This is the best square your king's bishop can choose, except
the fourth of your queen's bishop: in that place he may be of
use in forming your attack upon the king's castle's pawn, in
case he should castle on his left side.}
9. Qe2 Qe7 10. O-O
{If he had castled on his queen's side, it would then have
been your play to castle on your king's side, in order to
attack him afterwards more easily with the pawns on your
left. Again, it being necessary to observe, as a general rule,
that, as it is often dangerous to attack the adversary too
soon, here likewise you must be reminded not to be too hasty
in your attack, until your pawns are previously sustained by
one another, and also by your pieces, otherwise those
premature attacks will be unsuccessful, as will be shown by a
back-game on this play.}
10... Nbd7 11. Nh4
{He plays the knight to
make room for his king's bishop's pawn, with a design next to
advance it two squares to try to break the line of your
pawns.}
11... Qe6 12. Nxf5
{If he had pushed his king's bishop's
pawn two squares, instead of taking your bishop, you should
then have attacked his queen with your queen's bishop, and
then pushed your king's castle's pawn upon his bishop, to
force him to take your knight; in this case, your best way
would be to take his bishop with your pawn, in order the
better to support your king's pawn, and replace it in case it
be taken.}
12... Qxf5 13. Bxf6
{If he did not take this knight, his
bishop would remain imprisoned by your pawns, or he would lose
three moves, which loss would entirely ruin his game.}
13... gxf6 14. f4 Qg6 15. fxe5 fxe5 16. Rf3
{He plays this castle with
the design either to attack and remove your queen or to double
it, if necessary, with his other castle.}
16... h5
{You play this
pawn two squares, to give room to your queen, in case your
adversary attack her with his king's castle.}
17. Raf1 O-O-O 18. c4 e4
{Here is a move as difficult to comprehend as to be
well explained; in the first place you are to observe, that
when you find yourself with a string of pawns following one
another, the pawn which is at the head of them must strive to
preserve its post; your king's pawn not being upon the same
coloured squares, or in an oblique line with the others, your
adversary has pushed his queen's bishop's pawn, for two
reasons: the first, to induce you to advance your queen's
pawn, which would then be stopped by that of his queen, and,
by that means, to render useless your king's pawn thus left
behind: the second is, to prevent, at the same time, your
king's bishop from battering upon his king's castle's
pawn. You ought, therefore, to push your king's pawn upon his
castle, and even sacrifice it, because your adversary, by
taking it, opens a free passage to the pawn of your queen,
which you are to advance immediately, and sustain, in case of
need, with your others, in order order to try to make a queen
with it, or draw some other considerable advantage from it, to
win the game. It is true, that his queen's pawn being now on
the same line with its king, appears to have the same
advantage of having no opposition from your pawns to make a
queen; however, the difference is great, because his pawn
being entirely separated and incapable of being joined to, or
sustained by, any of the others, will always be in danger of
being seized on is road by your pieces continually warring
against it. This move, as has been before observed, is very
difficult; and one must be already a good player to judge well
of it.}
19. dxe4 d4 20. Bc2 Ne5
{It was necessary to play this
knight, in order to stop his king's pawn; the more so, because
this very pawn, in its present situation, stops the passage of
its own bishop, and even of its knight.}
21. Rf6 Qg7 22. Qf2
{He plays his queen, in order afterwards to give check, but,
if, instead of playing her, he had pushed his king's castle's
pawn, to hinder the attack of your knight, you must have
pushed your queen's pawn one square, which would have insured
you the game.}
22... Ng4 23. Qf5+ Kb8 24. Rxd6
{He takes this bishop
to save his king's castle's pawn; besides, that bishop proves
more incommodious to him than all your other pieces, and by
this play he keeps your queen's castle in check with his
queen.}
24... Rxd6 25. Qf4 Qe5
{Having the advantage of a castle
against a bishop, towards the end of a party, you will gain by
exchanging queens; because his queen is troublesome to you in
her present situation, and to avoid the check-mate, he finds
himself under the necessity of taking her.}
26. Qxe5 Nxe5 27. Rf5 Ng4 28. c5 Rg6 29. Nc4 Ne3 30. Nxe3 dxe3 31. Rf3 Rd8
{You must make yourself master of the openings, to bring the
castles into play, especially at the latter end of the game.}
32. Rxe3 Rd2
{Whatever else he had played, he could not prevent you from doubling your castles, without losing his bishop, or suffering you to make a queen with your pawn.} 0-1
[/pgn]
[pgn]
[Event "Analyse du jeu des Échecs"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "1749.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "NN"]
[Black "François André Philidor"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "0"]
[BlackElo "0"]
[EventDate "1749.??.??"]
[ECO "C41"]
[PlyCount "64"]
1. e4
{Annotations by Philidor from Black's perspective.}
1... e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bc4 f5
{It is always advantageous to change your
king's bishop's pawn for his king's pawn, because, by that
means, your king's and queen's pawns may place may place
themselves in the centre of the chess-board; besides, in
castling on the right wing, your castle finds itself free and
able to act from the very beginning of the game, as will be
shown by a back-game on the same play.}
4. d3 c6 5. exf5
{If
your adversary refuse taking your bishop's pawn, you are still
to leave it exposed, and not move it till he has castled; you
must afterwards, with your pawns on the right wing; form your
attack upon the pawns which cover his king, as is explained in
a back-game on that move. You are to observe, as a general
rule, not to determine easily to push on the pawns on either
wing before your adversary's king has castled, because he will
otherwise retire on the side where your pawns are less
advanced, and consequently less able to annoy him.}
5... Bxf5 6. Bg5 Nf6 7. Nbd2
{Should he take your knight with his
bishop, you must take his with your pawn, in order to bring
the strength of your pawns towards the centre.}
7... d5 8. Bb3 Bd6
{This is the best square your king's bishop can choose, except
the fourth of your queen's bishop: in that place he may be of
use in forming your attack upon the king's castle's pawn, in
case he should castle on his left side.}
9. Qe2 Qe7 10. O-O
{If he had castled on his queen's side, it would then have
been your play to castle on your king's side, in order to
attack him afterwards more easily with the pawns on your
left. Again, it being necessary to observe, as a general rule,
that, as it is often dangerous to attack the adversary too
soon, here likewise you must be reminded not to be too hasty
in your attack, until your pawns are previously sustained by
one another, and also by your pieces, otherwise those
premature attacks will be unsuccessful, as will be shown by a
back-game on this play.}
10... Nbd7 11. Nh4
{He plays the knight to
make room for his king's bishop's pawn, with a design next to
advance it two squares to try to break the line of your
pawns.}
11... Qe6 12. Nxf5
{If he had pushed his king's bishop's
pawn two squares, instead of taking your bishop, you should
then have attacked his queen with your queen's bishop, and
then pushed your king's castle's pawn upon his bishop, to
force him to take your knight; in this case, your best way
would be to take his bishop with your pawn, in order the
better to support your king's pawn, and replace it in case it
be taken.}
12... Qxf5 13. Bxf6
{If he did not take this knight, his
bishop would remain imprisoned by your pawns, or he would lose
three moves, which loss would entirely ruin his game.}
13... gxf6 14. f4 Qg6 15. fxe5 fxe5 16. Rf3
{He plays this castle with
the design either to attack and remove your queen or to double
it, if necessary, with his other castle.}
16... h5
{You play this
pawn two squares, to give room to your queen, in case your
adversary attack her with his king's castle.}
17. Raf1 O-O-O 18. c4 e4
{Here is a move as difficult to comprehend as to be
well explained; in the first place you are to observe, that
when you find yourself with a string of pawns following one
another, the pawn which is at the head of them must strive to
preserve its post; your king's pawn not being upon the same
coloured squares, or in an oblique line with the others, your
adversary has pushed his queen's bishop's pawn, for two
reasons: the first, to induce you to advance your queen's
pawn, which would then be stopped by that of his queen, and,
by that means, to render useless your king's pawn thus left
behind: the second is, to prevent, at the same time, your
king's bishop from battering upon his king's castle's
pawn. You ought, therefore, to push your king's pawn upon his
castle, and even sacrifice it, because your adversary, by
taking it, opens a free passage to the pawn of your queen,
which you are to advance immediately, and sustain, in case of
need, with your others, in order order to try to make a queen
with it, or draw some other considerable advantage from it, to
win the game. It is true, that his queen's pawn being now on
the same line with its king, appears to have the same
advantage of having no opposition from your pawns to make a
queen; however, the difference is great, because his pawn
being entirely separated and incapable of being joined to, or
sustained by, any of the others, will always be in danger of
being seized on is road by your pieces continually warring
against it. This move, as has been before observed, is very
difficult; and one must be already a good player to judge well
of it.}
19. dxe4 d4 20. Bc2 Ne5
{It was necessary to play this
knight, in order to stop his king's pawn; the more so, because
this very pawn, in its present situation, stops the passage of
its own bishop, and even of its knight.}
21. Rf6 Qg7 22. Qf2
{He plays his queen, in order afterwards to give check, but,
if, instead of playing her, he had pushed his king's castle's
pawn, to hinder the attack of your knight, you must have
pushed your queen's pawn one square, which would have insured
you the game.}
22... Ng4 23. Qf5+ Kb8 24. Rxd6
{He takes this bishop
to save his king's castle's pawn; besides, that bishop proves
more incommodious to him than all your other pieces, and by
this play he keeps your queen's castle in check with his
queen.}
24... Rxd6 25. Qf4 Qe5
{Having the advantage of a castle
against a bishop, towards the end of a party, you will gain by
exchanging queens; because his queen is troublesome to you in
her present situation, and to avoid the check-mate, he finds
himself under the necessity of taking her.}
26. Qxe5 Nxe5 27. Rf5 Ng4 28. c5 Rg6 29. Nc4 Ne3 30. Nxe3 dxe3 31. Rf3 Rd8
{You must make yourself master of the openings, to bring the
castles into play, especially at the latter end of the game.}
32. Rxe3 Rd2
{Whatever else he had played, he could not prevent you from doubling your castles, without losing his bishop, or suffering you to make a queen with your pawn.} 0-1
[/pgn]
-
whereagles
- Posts: 565
- Joined: Thu Nov 13, 2014 12:03 pm
Re: How to play Philidor Defense
Philidor defense is defined by 2. ...d6. The move 3. ...f5 is a gambit (of Philidor's authorship) which, if I recall correctly, is not that sound.
The Philidor defense is playable, although it leaves to some cramped positions for black. Taking on d4 is not necessary as well, I think. It leaves white with a little bit more than its initial advantage.
The Philidor defense is playable, although it leaves to some cramped positions for black. Taking on d4 is not necessary as well, I think. It leaves white with a little bit more than its initial advantage.
-
Henk
- Posts: 7218
- Joined: Mon May 27, 2013 10:31 am
Re: How to play Philidor Defense
Looks like Nd7 is playable too. After Ng5 black must watch out for a Ne6 trap.
[pgn]
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "?"]
[Round "-"]
[White "?"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nd7 3. Nf3 e5 4. dxe5 dxe5 5. Bc4 c6 6. Ng5 Nh6 7. O-O Bc5
8. a4 O-O 9. h3 Kh8 10. Qe2 Qe7 11. Nf3 Ng8 12. Nbd2 Ngf6 13. Rd1 a5 14.
Nb3 Bb6 15. Nh4 Nc5
[/pgn]
[pgn]
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "?"]
[Round "-"]
[White "?"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nd7 3. Nf3 e5 4. dxe5 dxe5 5. Bc4 c6 6. Ng5 Nh6 7. O-O Bc5
8. a4 O-O 9. h3 Kh8 10. Qe2 Qe7 11. Nf3 Ng8 12. Nbd2 Ngf6 13. Rd1 a5 14.
Nb3 Bb6 15. Nh4 Nc5
[/pgn]
-
Henk
- Posts: 7218
- Joined: Mon May 27, 2013 10:31 am
Re: How to play Philidor Defense
[pgn]
[Event "Unknown"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "1790.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "François André Philidor"]
[Black "NN"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "0"]
[BlackElo "0"]
[EventDate "1790.??.??"]
[ECO "C41"]
[PlyCount "21"]
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nd7 4. Bc4 c6 5. Ng5 Nh6 6. a4 Be7 7. Bxf7+ Nxf7
8. Ne6 Qa5+ 9. Bd2 Qb6 10. a5 Qxb2 11. Bc3
1-0
[/pgn]
[Event "Unknown"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "1790.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "François André Philidor"]
[Black "NN"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "0"]
[BlackElo "0"]
[EventDate "1790.??.??"]
[ECO "C41"]
[PlyCount "21"]
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nd7 4. Bc4 c6 5. Ng5 Nh6 6. a4 Be7 7. Bxf7+ Nxf7
8. Ne6 Qa5+ 9. Bd2 Qb6 10. a5 Qxb2 11. Bc3
1-0
[/pgn]
-
Henk
- Posts: 7218
- Joined: Mon May 27, 2013 10:31 am
Re: How to play Philidor Defense
Looks like Rubinstein only played it once.
[pgn]
[Event "Ostende-B"]
[Site "Ostend BEL"]
[Date "1907.06.17"]
[Round "24"]
[White "Moritz Billecard"]
[Black "Akiba Rubinstein"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "0"]
[BlackElo "0"]
[EventDate "?"]
[ECO "C41"]
[PlyCount "118"]
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nd7 4. Bc4 c6 5. O-O Be7 6. c3 Ngf6 7. Re1 O-O 8.
Nbd2 exd4 9. Nxd4 Nc5 10. a4 Re8 11. f3 d5 12. exd5 Nxd5 13. Ne4 Nb6 14.
Ba2 Nxe4 15. fxe4 c5 16. Qh5 Rf8 17. Nf3 Be6 18. Bxe6 fxe6 19. Bg5 Qe8 20.
Qxe8 Raxe8 21. Bxe7 Rxe7 22. Ne5 Nd7 23. Nc4 Nb6 24. Ne5 a5 25. Red1 g6 26.
g3 Kg7 27. h4 h5 28. Kg2 Rfe8 29. b3 c4 30. bxc4 Rc8 31. Rd4 Rc5 32. Nd3
Rxc4 33. Rxc4 Nxc4 34. Kf2 Rc7 35. Nf4 Kf6 36. Ke2 Rd7 37. Nd3 e5 38. Rf1+
Ke7 39. Rb1 b6 40. Rg1 Rd8 41. Rb1 Ke6 42. Rd1 Nd6 43. Nf2 Rc8 44. Kd3 Nb7
45. Kc2 Nc5 46. Ra1 Rd8 47. Rb1 Nxa4 48. Nd3 Rc8 49. Rb5 Rxc3+ 50. Kd2 Rc4
51. Rxe5+ Kf6 52. Re8 Nc5 53. e5+ Kf7 54. Rd8 Ke7 55. Rd5 Nxd3 56. Rxd3 a4
57. Rd6 a3 58. Rxb6 Ra4 59. Rb1 a2
0-1
[/pgn]
[pgn]
[Event "Ostende-B"]
[Site "Ostend BEL"]
[Date "1907.06.17"]
[Round "24"]
[White "Moritz Billecard"]
[Black "Akiba Rubinstein"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "0"]
[BlackElo "0"]
[EventDate "?"]
[ECO "C41"]
[PlyCount "118"]
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nd7 4. Bc4 c6 5. O-O Be7 6. c3 Ngf6 7. Re1 O-O 8.
Nbd2 exd4 9. Nxd4 Nc5 10. a4 Re8 11. f3 d5 12. exd5 Nxd5 13. Ne4 Nb6 14.
Ba2 Nxe4 15. fxe4 c5 16. Qh5 Rf8 17. Nf3 Be6 18. Bxe6 fxe6 19. Bg5 Qe8 20.
Qxe8 Raxe8 21. Bxe7 Rxe7 22. Ne5 Nd7 23. Nc4 Nb6 24. Ne5 a5 25. Red1 g6 26.
g3 Kg7 27. h4 h5 28. Kg2 Rfe8 29. b3 c4 30. bxc4 Rc8 31. Rd4 Rc5 32. Nd3
Rxc4 33. Rxc4 Nxc4 34. Kf2 Rc7 35. Nf4 Kf6 36. Ke2 Rd7 37. Nd3 e5 38. Rf1+
Ke7 39. Rb1 b6 40. Rg1 Rd8 41. Rb1 Ke6 42. Rd1 Nd6 43. Nf2 Rc8 44. Kd3 Nb7
45. Kc2 Nc5 46. Ra1 Rd8 47. Rb1 Nxa4 48. Nd3 Rc8 49. Rb5 Rxc3+ 50. Kd2 Rc4
51. Rxe5+ Kf6 52. Re8 Nc5 53. e5+ Kf7 54. Rd8 Ke7 55. Rd5 Nxd3 56. Rxd3 a4
57. Rd6 a3 58. Rxb6 Ra4 59. Rb1 a2
0-1
[/pgn]
-
F. Bluemers
- Posts: 868
- Joined: Thu Mar 09, 2006 11:21 pm
- Location: Nederland
Re: How to play Philidor Defense
This is not so new,it's known as the Larsen variation(yes,another one..).Henk wrote:Philidor is difficult to play with black. Always capture on d4 to get the knight on d4 otherwise you may easily lose in a few moves for Bf7, Ng5, Nd5 are always threatening.
This may be interesting for black as an alternative to 2 .. Nc6. Haven't tried it yet.
[d] rnbqkbnr/ppp2p1p/3p2p1/8/3NP3/8/PPP2PPP/RNBQKB1R w KQkq - 0 5
[pgn]
[Event "Edited game"]
[Site "HP"]
[Date "2016.05.24"]
[Round "-"]
[White "-"]
[Black "-"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 g6
*
[/pgn]
Keene wrote an article about it in MCT 1987 volume 5.
That was a nice magazine.