Philidor Defense
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6
A defense for Black
Solid and practical - named after the greatest player of the 1700s.
Show me the opening
0 / 4 moves
Win likelihood
Black ~44%Our chess engine scores this position at about 44% for Black - theoretically harder, but very playable. From here it would play Bc4.
Most openings are close - the first move gives White a small edge. What actually wins games at the beginner level is playing the plan and not hanging pieces, far more than which opening you pick. How we score this.
The idea
Black supports e5 with ...d6 rather than developing a knight. It's very solid and avoids the main lines of 1.e4 e5, though Black has slightly less space.
The plan
Develop the knights to d7 and f6, fianchetto or develop the king's bishop, castle short, and play for a solid structure with counterplay on the queenside.
What to play next
After White plays d4, respond with ...Nf6 and ...Nbd7 to develop naturally. Allow White's bishop to come to c4 while developing your own bishop to e7, then castle short. The resulting position is solid and allows for counterplay with ...c6 and eventually ...d5.
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Nbd7 5.Bc4 Be7 6.O-O O-O
Watch the typical continuation
Show me the opening
0 / 12 moves
One tip for beginners
Develop your knights before your bishops in the Philidor. The knight on d7 keeps c5 for the other knight and avoids blocking the light-squared bishop.
What to watch out for
Don't let White play d4 without a fight - after ...Nd7 and ...Nf6, challenge the centre with ...c5 or ...exd4 at the right moment.
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