Philidor defence facts for kids
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6
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The Philidor's Defence is a well-known way to start a game of chess. It is also often called simply the Philidor. This opening was named after Philidor, a very famous chess master from the 1700s. He wrote a book about chess called L'Analyse du jeu des échecs. In this book, he shared his ideas about how to play this defence.
When you play the Philidor's Defence, you are trying to protect your pieces. You also want to control the center of the board. This opening is a solid choice for Black. It helps Black build a strong position.
Contents
How to Play the Philidor's Defence
The Philidor's Defence starts with specific moves. These moves set up Black's position. Let's look at the main ways to play it.
Basic Moves
The first moves of the Philidor's Defence are:
- 1.e4 e5
- 2.Nf3 d6
After these moves, Black has a pawn on d6. This pawn protects the e5 pawn. It also opens a path for the dark-squared bishop.
Philidor's Counter-Gambit
A "gambit" is when a player offers a pawn. They do this to get an advantage later. The Philidor's Counter-Gambit is a bold way to play. It tries to challenge White's control of the center.
The moves for this variation are:
- 1.e4 e5
- 2.Nf3 d6
- 3.d4 f5
Here, Black plays f5. This move attacks White's pawn on e4. It also opens the f-file for Black's rook.
Main Line of Play
The "main line" is the most common way to continue an opening. In the Philidor's Defence, the main line focuses on developing pieces. It also aims to control the center.
The moves for the main line are:
- 1.e4 e5
- 2.Nf3 d6
- 3.d4 exd4
- 4.Nxd4 Nf6
- 5.Nc3 Be7 or 5...g6 followed by 6...Bg7
In this line, Black trades pawns in the center. Then, Black develops knights and bishops. The goal is to create a safe king position. Black also wants to prepare for attacks.
Changing to Other Openings
Sometimes, a game can start as one opening. Then, it can change into another. This is called a "transposition". Black can reach a position similar to the Hanham variation. This happens by transposing from the Pirc Defence.
The moves for this transposition are:
- 1.e4 d6
- 2.d4 Nf6
- 3.Nc3 Nbd7
- 4.Nf3 e5
Here, the game starts like a Pirc Defence. But then, Black plays e5. This makes the position look like a Philidor's Defence. It shows how different openings can be connected.
See also
In Spanish: Defensa Philidor para niños
