Chess openings / Philidor Defense
Philidor Defense: Lion Variation, Lion's Claw, with Bc4 and h6
Philidor Defense: Lion Variation, Lion's Claw, with Bc4 and h6 (C41) starts 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Nbd7 5.Bc4 Be7 6.O-O h6. In 136 games between strong players, White wins 59%, 8% are drawn and Black wins 33%; the most played move is 7.Re1 (46%).
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Nbd7 5.Bc4 Be7 6.O-O h6
- ECO
- C41
- Games between strong players
- 136
- To move
- White
White wins, draws and Black wins, from this position.
What strong players play next
The moves played most from this position in over-the-board broadcasts and the Lichess Elite Database, how often, and how the games ended.
| Move | Played | Results | Leads to |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7.Re1 | 46% (63) | – | |
| 7.a4 | 30% (41) | – | |
| 7.h3 | 13% (18) | – | |
| 7.Nh4 | 3% (4) | – |
Where it comes from and where it goes
Branches from Philidor Defense: Lion Variation 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Nbd7
More Philidor Defense lines
- Philidor Defense 3,914 games
- Philidor Defense: Exchange Variation 2,232 games
- Philidor Defense: Hanham Variation 610 games
- Philidor Defense: Lion Variation, Shirov Gambit 566 games
- Philidor Defense: Nimzowitsch Variation 306 games
- Philidor Defense: Larsen Variation 163 games
- Philidor Defense: Albin-Blackburne Gambit 158 games
- Philidor Defense: Lion Variation, Bishop Sacrifice 135 games
- Philidor Defense: Hanham Variation, Schlechter Variation 78 games
- Philidor Defense: Lion Variation, Forcing Line 75 games
- Philidor Defense: Nimzowitsch, Larobok Variation 75 games
- Philidor Defense: Hanham Variation, Krause Variation 63 games
Played the Philidor Defense lately?
Enter your Chess.com or Lichess username: every move of your game labelled from Brilliant to Blunder, and where you left theory. Free, no account.