Philidor Defense: Lion Variation, Forcing Line position after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Nbd7 5.Bc4 Be7 6.Ng5 O-O 7.Bxf7+ Rxf7 8.Ne6. White: knight on e6, pawn on d4, pawn on e4, knight on c3, pawn on a2, pawn on b2, pawn on c2, pawn on f2, pawn on g2, pawn on h2, rook on a1, bishop on c1, queen on d1, king on e1, rook on h1. Black: rook on a8, bishop on c8, queen on d8, king on g8, pawn on a7, pawn on b7, pawn on c7, knight on d7, bishop on e7, rook on f7, pawn on g7, pawn on h7, pawn on d6, knight on f6, pawn on e5.
Philidor Defense: Lion Variation, Forcing Line is a chess opening that arises after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Nbd7 5.Bc4 Be7 6.Ng5 O-O 7.Bxf7+ Rxf7 8.Ne6. It is classified C41 in the ECO system, and the position after these moves has black to move. The Philidor Defense supports the e5 pawn with d6, giving Black a very solid but cramped position. Named after François-André Danican Philidor, the eighteenth-century player who argued that pawns are the soul of chess.
Strategic character
Solid and passive. Black has few weaknesses but little space, and freeing moves must be timed carefully. The modern treatment reaches it via the Hanham setup with Nd7 and c6 rather than by the direct move order.
Who should play it
Players who prefer defending sound positions over seeking early complications, and who want minimal theory against 1.e4 e5 lines.
This line is a variation within the Philidor Defense family. The strategic ideas above describe the family as a whole; this particular line reaches them by the move order 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Nbd7 5.Bc4 Be7 6.Ng5 O-O 7.Bxf7+ Rxf7 8.Ne6.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Philidor Defense: Lion Variation, Forcing Line?
The Philidor Defense: Lion Variation, Forcing Line is a chess opening that arises after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Nbd7 5.Bc4 Be7 6.Ng5 O-O 7.Bxf7+ Rxf7 8.Ne6. It is classified C41 in the ECO system. The Philidor Defense supports the e5 pawn with d6, giving Black a very solid but cramped position. Named after François-André Danican Philidor, the eighteenth-century player who argued that pawns are the soul of chess.
What are the moves of the Philidor Defense: Lion Variation, Forcing Line?
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Nbd7 5.Bc4 Be7 6.Ng5 O-O 7.Bxf7+ Rxf7 8.Ne6. After these moves it is black to move.
Is the Philidor Defense: Lion Variation, Forcing Line good for beginners?
Players who prefer defending sound positions over seeking early complications, and who want minimal theory against 1.e4 e5 lines.