Ponderchess / Openings
Play the guided film, or select a scene to pause and study its position.
Opening
The Philidor Defense in 3D
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6. Black defends e5 with the d-pawn, accepting a slightly passive position in return for a sound pawn chain and a flexible setup.
Rebuild the sequence yourself. The board responds to each move, and hints are available.
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Philidor Defense: Lion Variation, Lion's Claw, with Bc4 and h6, move by move: e4 e5 Nf3 d6 d4 Nf6 Nc3 Nbd7 …
The white pieces
Take space with d4, develop with Nc3, Bc4 or Be2 and castle short. The f7 square is the target in the early phase, and in the middlegame the extra space lets White prepare a kingside or queenside pawn advance.
The black pieces
Keep the e5 pawn, finish development with ...Be7, ...O-O and ...c6, and look for queenside play with ...b5 or a well-timed ...exd4 to open the e-file for the rook.
Look a little deeper · 01
After 3.d4, Black can hold the centre with 3...Nf6 and ...Nbd7 (the Lion and Hanham setups), give it up with 3...exd4 (the Exchange Variation), or play the sharp Philidor Countergambit, 3...f5.
Look a little deeper · 02
In the Hanham and Lion structures, Black keeps a pawn on e5 with pieces on d7, e7 and f6, then plays ...c6, ...O-O and often ...Qc7, ...Re8 or queenside expansion with ...b5.
Look a little deeper · 03
In the Exchange Variation, Black concedes the centre but gets free development with ...Nf6, ...Be7 and ...O-O, and a later ...Re8 or ...d5 to challenge e4.
Look a little deeper · 04
Move order matters. 3...Nd7 at once allows 4.Bc4, hitting f7, so Black must reply precisely with 4...c6. Many players prefer 3...Nf6 4.Nc3 Nbd7, the Lion Variation.
Philidor Defense: Lion Variation, Lion's Claw, with Bc4 and h6, move by move: e4 e5 Nf3 d6 d4 Nf6 Nc3 Nbd7 …
Keyboard: Space pauses, the arrow keys step. Gold arrows are White's moves, violet are Black's, red rays are threats, green shows support, blue shows plans.
