Chess Openings - Philidor Defense
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1. e4 e5
2. Nf3 d6
After the King's Knight Opening, 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3, black can defend the pawn in several ways. We have finished a discussion of the most common response: 2... Nc6. There are a couple of strong alternatives which are worth discussing. The first is the Philidor Defense - an old alternative that begins with 2... d6. The defense is named after it's original proponent, the 18th century French master Philidor.
The idea behind the defense is to establish the e Pawn as a strong point. The advance of the d pawn provides solid support for black's threatened centre. However, with this solidity comes a loss of mobility - Black's King Bishop is blocked in. This often leads to a cramped game for black, while white has freedom to develop as he sees fit. Because of this critical weakness, the Philidor Defense is not popular with modern masters.
How Common is the Philidor Defense?
Uncommon at Novice Level
Rare at Master Level
In response to the King's Knight Opening, white employs the Philidor Defense about 5% of the time. The opening is most often seen at lower levels.