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

Philidor Defence
	a b c d e f g h 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 a b c d e f g h
	Position in Forsyth-Edwards Notation (FEN) r1bqk1nr/pppnbppp/3p4/4p3/2BPP3/5N2/PPP2PPP/RNBQK2R w
	Moves: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nd7 4. Bc4 Be7

4..Be7

This natural move immediately loses a pawn, 4...exd4 is preferable. The only move that wins a pawn is dxe5. The Hanham variation with 3...Nd7?! is full of traps, which is why 3..Ngf6 is more common.

Theory Table


5	6	7	8
dxe5 Nxe5	Nxe5 dxe5	Qh5 g6	Qxe5	+/-

Philidor Defence
a b c d e f g h 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 a b c d e f g h
Position in Forsyth-Edwards Notation (FEN) r1bqk1nr/pppnbppp/3p4/4p3/2BPP3/5N2/PPP2PPP/RNBQK2R w
Moves: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nd7 4. Bc4 Be7

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

4..Be7

Theory Table

References