Editing Philidor Defence (section)

{{Short description|Chess opening}}
{{distinguish|Philidor position}}
{{Infobox chess opening
|openingname=Philidor Defence
|image={{Chess diagram
|
|
|rd|nd|bd|qd|kd|bd|nd|rd
|pd|pd|pd|  |  |pd|pd|pd
|  |  |  |pd|  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |pd|  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |pl|  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  |nl|  |  
|pl|pl|pl|pl|  |pl|pl|pl
|rl|nl|bl|ql|kl|bl|  |rl
|
|}}
|moves=1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6
|ECO=C41
|birth=
|nameorigin=[[François-André Danican Philidor]]
|parentopening=[[King's Knight Opening]]
|AKA=Philidor's Defence
|chessgid=538716&move=3&moves=e4.e5.Nf3.d6&nodes=21722.538716
}}

The '''Philidor Defence''' (or '''Philidor's Defence''') is a [[chess opening]] characterised by the moves:

:1. [[b:Chess Opening Theory/1. e4|e4]] [[b:Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5|e5]]
:2. [[b:Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5/2. Nf3|Nf3]] [[b:Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5/2. Nf3/2...d6|d6]]

The opening is named after the famous 18th-century player [[François-André Danican Philidor]], who advocated it as an alternative to the common 2...Nc6. His original idea was to challenge White's {{chessgloss|centre}} by the pawn thrust ...f7–f5.

Today, the Philidor is known as a {{chessgloss|solid}} but passive choice for Black, and is seldom seen in top-level play except as an alternative to the heavily analysed openings that can ensue after the normal 2...Nc6. It is considered a good opening for amateur players who seek a defensive strategy that is simpler and easier to understand than the complex positions that result from an opening such as the [[French Defence]].

The ''[[Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings]]'' code for Philidor Defence is C41.
{{AN chess|pos=toc}}
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