1h2g3f4e5d6c7b8a

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6

Shown from Black's side. ECO C41.

Opening guide · an opening for Black

Philidor Defense

The Philidor Defense starts 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6. Black defends the e5 pawn with a pawn instead of the knight. The position is solid but a little passive, because the pawn on d6 blocks the bishop on f8. White usually takes space in the centre with 3. d4.

Games in our sample
81,249
White wins
50.5%
Draws
4.5%
Black wins
45.0%
Open this position on the analysis boardResults by rating

How the Philidor Defense scores at each rating

Each row is one rating band. The share is how much of all the games in that band started with this opening.

RatingGamesShareWhite winsDrawsBlack wins
under 10005,9152.6%50.6%4.8%44.6%
1000 to 119910,1613.2%51.2%4.3%44.5%
1200 to 139915,7693.4%50.8%3.8%45.3%
1400 to 159919,3703.2%50.0%4.1%45.9%
1600 to 179917,3762.7%50.7%4.8%44.6%
1800 to 19999,1741.8%50.3%5.0%44.7%
2000 to 21992,7901.1%50.2%6.2%43.6%
2200 and over6940.6%49.9%6.8%43.4%
All ratings81,2492.6%50.5%4.5%45.0%

Counted from 3,156,949 rated blitz, rapid and classical games played on Lichess from 2026-10-01 to 2026-10-02 (the first 5,000,000 games of the month's public file; bullet and unrated games left out). The rating is the average of the two players' Lichess ratings. Source: the Lichess open database (public domain).

Main lines

The named lines of the Philidor Defense that were played most in our sample, each with the position it reaches.

  • 1h2g3f4e5d6c7b8a

    Exchange Variation

    1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 exd4

    10,945 games · White 51.1% · draws 4.7% · Black 44.2%

    Analyse this position
  • 1h2g3f4e5d6c7b8a

    Hanham Variation

    1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nd7

    1,462 games · White 48.1% · draws 3.3% · Black 48.6%

    Analyse this position
  • 1h2g3f4e5d6c7b8a

    Lion Variation

    1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nf6 4. Nc3 Nbd7

    1,283 games · White 44.5% · draws 5.4% · Black 50.1%

    Analyse this position
  • 1h2g3f4e5d6c7b8a

    Morphy Gambit

    1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4

    1,140 games · White 49.4% · draws 4.8% · Black 45.8%

    Analyse this position
  • 1h2g3f4e5d6c7b8a

    Nimzowitsch Variation

    1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nf6

    1,080 games · White 54.3% · draws 5.6% · Black 40.2%

    Analyse this position
  • 1h2g3f4e5d6c7b8a

    Lopez Countergambit

    1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bc4 f5

    788 games · White 47.3% · draws 3.3% · Black 49.4%

    Analyse this position

Ideas for White

  • 3. d4 claims the centre. If Black takes, recapture with the knight.

Ideas for Black

  • The Hanham setup with ...Nf6, ...Nbd7, ...Be7 and ...c6 holds the e5 point.
  • After 3. d4 avoid 3...Bg4: 4. dxe5 Bxf3 5. Qxf3 dxe5 6. Bc4 gives White a strong attack.

Questions

What are the moves of the Philidor Defense?
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6. In the ECO classification it is filed under C41.
How does the Philidor Defense score?
In 81,249 games with it in our sample, White won 50.5%, 4.5% were drawn and Black won 45.0%.
At which ratings is the Philidor Defense played most?
Among players rated 1200 to 1399 it is 3.4% of all games in our sample, its highest share. Its lowest share, 0.6%, is among players rated 2200 and over.
Which line of the Philidor Defense is played most?
Philidor Defense: Exchange Variation (1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 exd4), with 10,945 games in our sample.

Related openings