Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5/2. Nf3/2...d6/3. d4/3...Nd7/4. Bc4/4...exd4/5. Nxd4/5...Be7

Philidor Defence
a b c d e f g h 8 8 7 7 6 6 5 5 4 4 3 3 2 2 1 1 a b c d e f g h
Position in Forsyth-Edwards Notation (FEN) r1bqk1nr/pppnbppp/3p4/8/2BNP3/8/PPP2PPP/RNBQK2R w
Moves: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nd7 4. Bc4 exd4 5. Nxd4 Be7

5...Be7?

The position after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nd7 4. Bc4 exd4 5. Nxd4 is a critical juncture for Black. The seemingly natural move 5...Be7? is a blunder, and 5...Ngf6 is a safer and superior alternative.

White can exploit the blunder with 6. Bxf7+!, intending to win the Black's queen with 7. Ne6 and 8. Nxd8+.

The move Bxf7+ is beneficial for several reasons:

• It sets up the Ne6 threat, prevents the defense of e6 with fxe6, and captures the black pawn on f7.

• The white knight on d4 can move to e6 to capture the black queen on d8.
• The white knight threatens the black queen on d8.
• White utilizes the a2-g8 diagonal to capture the black pawn on f7.
• Additionally, White can consider playing Qd5, while Black can play g6 and use the 8th rank to control the square d8 with the rook on h8.

Theory table

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nd7 4. Bc4 exd4 5. Nxd4 Be7?

	6	7	8	9
Hanham Variation	Bxf7+!! Kxf7	Ne6!! Kxe6	Qd5+ Kf6	Qf5#	1-0

Bibliography

• Kasparov, Garry, & Keene, Raymond 1989 Batsford chess openings 2. ISBN 0-8050-3409-9.

• Kaufman, Larry (2004). The Chess Advantage in Black and White. ISBN 0-8129-3571-3.
• Panov, Vasily (1973). Teoría de Aperturas, Tomo I: Aperturas Abiertas - Aperturas Semiabiertas. ISBN 84-270-0132-0.
• Schiller, Eric (2002). Standard Chess Openings. ISBN 1-58042-048-6.

External links

• Chargemax Entertainment (2022). Chess For Beginners: Anand & Topalov easily get an edge vs Philidor Hanham variation.
• ChessBase (2023). Philidor Defence.
• Chess Openings for Beginners (2009). Philidor Defense: General Information.
• ChessPathways (2019). PHILIDOR DEFENSE.
• ChessPathways (2019). The Philidor Defense.
• Chess Simplified (2019). Philidor Defence.
• HangingPawns (2019). Introduction to the Philidor Defense.
• Hrishi Chavan (2022). Philidor Defence - Hanham Variation.
• Marsh, Sean (ChessAble) (2021). Chess Opening Basics: The Philidor Defense.
• Miodrag Perunovic (2019). Chess For Beginners: Anand & Topalov easily get an edge vs Philidor Hanham variation.
• Nicolas Skettos (2022). How To Beat The Philidor Defense - Hanham Variation - Black Lion - Chess Opening Traps.
• papachess.com (2024). papachess.com, Nimzowitsch's Unbeatable Weapon: Philidor Defense.
• papachess.com (2024). papachess.com, Philidor Defense: Nimzowitsch Variation, Rellstab Variation, move by move.
• Prem, Krishna (2012). Chess openings - Philidor Defence.
• Sean Lei (2020). My Precious "Philidor". Philidor and Lion Defence Chess.
• Solomon, Ruddell (TheChessGiant) (2021). Chess Openings: Learn to Play the Philidor Defense!.
• The Chess Website (2012). Philidor Defense - Chess Openings.