Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5/2. Nf3/2...d6/3. d4/3...Nd7

Hanham variation C41 Philidor defence 4. Bc4 · (leading to Krause variation) 4. Nc3 · (leading to Lion variation) 3...Nd7 · Hanham variation 3...Nd7 develops a piece and defends e5. Though the knight controls less of the centre than it would on f6, on d7 the knight is safe from being kicked by d5 or pinned by Bb5. If 4. dxe5!?, Black can recapture with either 4...Nxe5 or 4...dxe5 (the knight on d7 prevents 5. Qxd8+). The move is one of Black's main alternatives to the main line, 3...exd4. As it can be argued that opening the position with such an exchange is likely to benefit White due to a lead in development, Black hopes to keep the position closed and catch up. White's options are to choose which piece to develop, or take more of the centre. The main move is 4. Bc4. White develops a piece and prepares to castle. From c4, the bishop pressures Black's weak f7 pawn. This reinvigorates the threat of dxe5 tactically. For instance, if 4...Be7? 5. dxe5 then 5...dxe5 loses to 6. Qd5!, forming a battery and threatening mate on f7. If 5...Nxe5 instead, then 6. Nxe5 dxe5 7. Qh5 threatens mate on f7 and wins the e5 pawn. 7...g6 8. Qxe5 (winning pawn and threatening the rook) Nf6 9. Bh7 and Black's position is abysmal. Black can try 4...exd4, allowing the position to open up after all, although they must still be careful of tactics involving the weak f7 square and White's powerful bishop. The mainline is 4...c6, in order to control the d5 square and so prevent White's queen from coming there. 4. Nc3 is less sharp and affords Black more time to develop. After 4...Ngf6 this is known as the Lion variation, as it is a position that Black usually needs the Lion defence move order to achieve, 1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 Nbd7 followed by 4. Nf3. Alternatively, White can take the opportunity afforded by Black's passive play to seize more space with 4. c4, and develop their knight behind the pawn line. After 4...Ngf6 5. Nf3, this transposes into an Old Indian defence, a position more usually seen after 1. d4: 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 d6 3. Nc3 Nbd7 4. e4 e5 5. Nf3. History It is named after American chess player James Hanham (1840―1923), who played it eleven times in the 6th American Chess Congress, 1889.6th American Chess Congress - Chessgames.com An earlier outing for 3...Nd7 was in the 1868 British Chess Association Congress, where John Lord played it twice.De Vere v Lord, 1868 - Chessgames.comMacDonnell v Lord, 1868 - Chessgames.com Theory table 4. Bc4 Be7? 5. dxe5 dxe5 6. Qd5 Bb4+ 7. c3 Qe7 8. cxb4 +++ 4. ... ... 5. ... Nxe5 6. Nxe5 dxe5 7. Qh5 g6 8. Qxe5 Nf6 9. Bh6 +++ 4. ... Ngf6? 5. dxe5 dxe5?? 6. Ng5 Qe7 7. Bxf7+ Qxf7 8. Nxf7 Kxf7 +++ 4. ... ... 5. ... Nxe5 6. Nxe5 dxe5 7. Bxf7+ Ke7 8. Qxd8+ Kxd8 ++ 4. ... c6 5. O-O Be7 6. dxe5 dxe5 7. Ng5 Bxg5 8. Qh5 Qe7 9. Qxg5 Qxg5 10. Bxg5 + Krause/Steiner variation 4. Nc3 Ngf6 5. Bc4 Be7 6. O-O O-O 7. Re1 c6 8. a4 Lion variation + 4. c4 Ngf6 5. Nc3 Old Indian(transposition) References See also Philidor Defence Schiller, Eric (2002). Standard Chess Openings. 1-58042-048-6. External links Chess Openings for Beginners https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Y5sthOWJ4Q&t=12s Philidor Defense: General Information 2009 ChessPathways https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0d5EU7rNkqs&t=6s The Philidor Defense 2019 HangingPawns https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4bp4qlRqGg Introduction to the Philidor Defense 2019 Hrishi Chavan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eh5VFjOthlw&t=11s Philidor Defence - Hanham Variation 2022 Miodrag Perunovic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnX3cs0SNfc Chess For Beginners: Anand & Topalov easily get an edge vs Philidor Hanham variation 2019 Nicolas Skettos https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyI8sXFlzF4 How To Beat The Philidor Defense - Hanham Variation - Black Lion - Chess Opening Traps 2022 Sean Lei https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5WeFECjRwU My Precious "Philidor". Philidor and Lion Defence Chess 2020