The Philidor Defence: Essentials (White Repertoire)

By Theo van Stratum

The Philidor Defence (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6) answers 1.e4 with a solid, flexible pawn structure rather than an immediate fight for the centre, which gives White a free hand to claim space and develop naturally. Covers the modern Hanham System (3.d4 Nd7), two reasonable ways to meet the immediate central trade 3...exd4 (recapturing with either 4.Nxd4 or 4.Qxd4), and how to punish the sharp, under-defended Philidor Countergambit (3...f5).