Philidor's Defense : King's Knight's Openings - Part 3

Welcome to Part 3 of King's Knight's opening moves. Part 2 focused on The Damiano Gambit, this lesson will explain the Philidor's Defense.
 

GAME THE FOURTH.

Philidor's Defense.

WHITE.	BLACK.
1. P. to K's 4th.	1. P. to K's 4th.
2. K. Kt. to B's 3d.	2. P. to Q's 3d.
3. P. to Q's 4th.	3. P. to K. B's 4th.
4. Q. P. takes P.	4. K. B. P. takes P.
5. Kt. to K. Kt's 5th.	5. P. to Q's 4th.
6. P. to K's 6th.	6. Kt. to K. R's 3d.
7. P. to K. B's 3d.	7. Q. Kt. to B's 3d.
8. B. to Q. Kt's 5th.	8. Q. to her 3d.
9. Q. Kt. to B's 3d.	9. Q. B. takes K. P.
10. K. Kt. takes B.	10. Q. takes Kt.
11. Q. takes Q's P.	11. Q. takes Q.
12. Kt. takes Q.	12. Castles.
13. P. takes K. P.
You have a Pawn more than Black, and a better position.

FIRST VARIATION OF THIS ATTACK,

Commencing at White's 7th move.

WHITE.	BLACK.
1. P. to K's 4th.	1. P. to K's 4th.
2. K. Kt. to B's 3d.	2. P. to Q's 3d.
3. P. to Q's 4th.	3. P. to K. B's 4th.
4. Q. P. takes P.	4. K. B. P. takes P.
5. Kt. to K. Kt's 5th.	5. P. to Q's 4th.
6. P. to K's 6th.	6. Kt. to K. R's 3d.
7. Q. Kt. to B's 3d.	7. P. to Q. B's 3d.
8. K. Kt. takes K. R. P.	8. Q. B. takes K. P. (best)
9. Kt. takes K. B.	9. K. takes Kt.
10. Q. Kt. takes K. P.	10. Kt. to K. Kt's 5th.
11. K. Kt. to K. Kt's 5th, with the better game.

SECOND VARIATION OF THIS ATTACK.

Commencing at White's 8th move.

WHITE.	BLACK.
1. P. to K's 4th.	1. P. to K's 4th.
2. K. Kt. to B's 3d.	2. P. to Q's 3d.
3. P. to Q's 4th.	3. P. to K. B's 4th.
4. Q. P. takes P.	4. K. B. P. takes P.
5. Kt. to K. Kt's 5th.	5. P. to Q's 4th.
6. P. to K's 6th.	6. Kt. to K. R's 3d.
7. Q. Kt. to B's 3d.	7. P. to Q. B's 3d.
8. K. Kt. takes K. P.	8. P. takes Kt.
9. Q. to K. R's 5th. (ch.)	9. P. to K. Kt's 3d.
10. Q. to K's 5th.	10. K. R. to Kt's sq.
11. B. takes K. Kt.	11. B. takes B.
12. Q. R. to Q's sq.	12. Q. to K's 2d.
13. Kt. takes K. P.	13. Q. B. takes P.
14. R. to Q's 6th. (the winning move.)	14. Q. B. to K. B's 4th.
15. Kt. to B's 6th. (ch.)	15. K. to B's sq. (best)
16. R. to Q's 8th. (ch.)	16. K. to B's 2d.
17. B. to Q. B's 4th. (ch.)	17. B. to K's 3d. (best)
18. Kt. takes R., and wins.

VARIATION OF THE DEFENSE IN THIS OPENING,

Beginning at Black's 3d move.

WHITE.	BLACK.
1. P. to K's 4th.	1. P. to K's 4th.
2. K. Kt. to B's 3d.	2. P. to Q's 3d.
3. P. to Q's 4th.	3. K. Kt. to B's 3d.
4. Q. B. to K. Kt's 5th.	4. Q. B. to K. Kt's 5th.
5. P. takes K. P.	5. B. takes Kt.
6. Q. takes B.	6. P. takes P.
7. Q. to her Kt's 3d.	7. P. to Q. Kt's 3d.
8. K. B. to Q. B's 4th.	8. Q. to Q's 2d.
9. B. takes Kt.	9. P. takes B.
10. Q. Kt. to B's 3d.	10. K. B. to K. Kt's 2d.
11. Q. R. to Q's sq.	11. Q. to K's 2d.
12. B. to Q. Kt's 5th. (ch.)	12. P. to Q. B's 3d.
13. Kt. to Q's 5th, with an excellent game.

ANOTHER VARIATION OF THE DEFENSE,

Beginning also from Black's 3d move.

WHITE.	BLACK.
1. P. to K's 4th.	1. P. to K's 4th.
2. K. Kt. to B's 3d.	2. P. to Q's 3d.
3. P. to Q's 4th.	3. Q. B. to K. Kt's 5th.
4. P. takes P.	4. B. takes Kt.
5. Q. takes B.	5. P. takes P.
6. B. to Q. B's 4th.	6. Q. to K. B's 3d.
7. Q. to her Kt's 3d.	7. P. to Q. Kt's 3d.
8. Q. Kt. to B's 3d.	8. P. to Q. B's 3d.
9. Castles.	9. B. to Q's 3d.
10. P. to K. B's 4th.	10. P. takes P.
11. Q. B. takes P.	11. B. takes B. (best)
12. P. to K's 5th.	12. B. takes K. R. P. (ch.)
And White has the better game.

SUMMARY OF THE FOREGOING VARIATIONS
IN PHILIDOR'S DEFENSE.

The result of the preceding analysis serves to prove that Q. P. one, as the second move of Black, is not a tenable defense; since, play as he can afterwards, if the best moves are adopted by the first player, he will always have a very insecure or a very constrained game.

---

GAMES

ILLUSTRATIVE OF PHILIDOR'S DEFENSE.

Game I.—Mr. Morphy plays without seeing the Chess board or men, against M. Boucher, at Paris.

Mr. Paul Morphy (seated)

WHITE.  (Mr. M.)	BLACK.  (M. B.)
1. P. to K's 4th.	1. P. to K's 4th.
2. K. Kt. to K. B's 3d.	2. P. to Q's 3d.
3. P. to Q's 4th.	3. P. takes P.
4. Q. takes P.	4. Q. Kt. to Q. B's 3d.
5. K. B. to Q. Kt's 5th.	5. Q. B. to Q's 2d.
6. B. takes Kt.	6. B. takes B.
7. B. to K. Kt's 5th.	7. P. to K. B's 3d.
8. B. to K. R's 4th.	8. Kt. to K. R's 3d.
9. Q. Kt. to Q. B's 3d.	9. K. B. to K's 2d.
10. Castles on K's side.	10. Castles.
11. Q. to Q. B's 4th. (ch.)	11. K. to R's sq.
12. K. Kt. to Q's 4th.	12. Q. to her 2d.
13. Q. R. to Q's sq.	13. K. R. to K. B's 2d.
14. P. to K. B's 4th.	14. P. to Q. R's 4th.
15. P. to K. B's 5th.	15. K. R. to K. B's sq.
16. K. Kt. to K's 6th.	16. K. R. to K. Kt's sq.
17. P. to Q. R's 4th.	17. Kt. to Kt's 5th.
18. Q. to K's 2d.	18. Kt. to K's 4th.
19. B. to K. Kt's 3d.	19. Q. to Q. B's sq.[A]
20. B. takes Kt.	20. Q. P. takes B.
21. K. R. to K. B's 3d.[B]	21. Q. B. to Q's 2d.[C]
22. K. R. to K. R's 3d.[D]	22. P. to K. R's 3d.
23. Q. to Q's 2d.	23. K. to R's 2d.[E]
24. Q. takes Q. B.	24. B. to Q's 3d.
25. K. R. takes K. R. P. (ch.)[F]	25. K. takes R.
26. R. to Q's 3d.[G]	26. K. to R's 4th.
27. Q. to K. B's 7th. (ch.)
And wins; the battle having lasted about seven hours.

[A] To enable him to capture the Bishop, which is about to take the Kt., with the Q's Pawn.

[B] The attack looks already irresistible, but the actual finish is charmingly accomplished.

[C] By this move Black may be said to lose a Piece. His best course—but that a bad one—was possibly to retreat his Bishop to K's square.

[D] Threatening mate in two moves.

[E] To avert the promised mate, by R. takes Pawn, &c.

[F] The termination is very pretty—quite an elegant little problem.

[G] And Black has no possible means of escape; for, if he play Q. to K's sq., White simply captures the Queen for nothing; if B. to Q. B's 4th (ch.), then follows K. to B's sq., &c.

Game II.—Between Mr. Morphy and Mr. Harrwitz.

Mr. Paul Morphy

WHITE.  (Mr. M.)	BLACK.  (Mr. H.)
1. P. to K's 4th.	1. P. to K's 4th.
2. K. Kt. to K. B's 3d.	2. P. to Q's 3d.
3. P. to Q's 4th.	3. P. takes P.
4. Q. takes P.	4. Q. Kt. to Q. B's 3d.
5. K. B. to Q. Kt's 5th.	5. Q. B. to Q's 2d.
6. B. takes Kt.	6. B. takes B.
7. B. to K. Kt's 5th.	7. P. to K. B's 3d.
8. B. to K. R's 4th.	8. Kt. to K. R's 3d.
9. Q. Kt. to B's 3d.	9. K. B. to K's 2d.
10. Castles on K's side.	10. Q. to Q's 2d.
11. Q. R. to Q's sq.	11. Castles on K's side.
12. Q. to B's 4th. (ch.)	12. K. R. to K. B's 2d.
13. K. Kt. to Q's 4th.	13. Kt. to K. Kt's 5th.
14. P. to K. R's 3d.	14. Kt. to K's 4th.
15. Q. to K's 2d.	15. P. to K. Kt's 4th.[A]
16. B. to K. Kt's 3d.	16. K. R. to K. Kt's 2d.
17. K. Kt. to K. B's 5th.	17. K. R. to K. Kt's 3d.
18. P. to K. B's 4th.	18. P. takes P.
19. K. R. takes P.	19. K. to R's sq.
20. K. R. to K. R's 4th.	20. K. B. to his sq.
22. Q. R. to K. B's sq.	22. Q. to K's 3d.
23. Q. Kt. to Q. Kt's 5th.	23. Q. to K. Kt's sq.
24. Q. R. to K. B's 2d.	24. P. to Q. R's 3d.
25. Q. Kt. takes Q. B. P.[B]	25. Q. R. to Q. B's sq.
26. Q. Kt. to Q's 5th.	26. B. takes Kt.
27. K. P. takes B.	27. Q. R. to Q. B's 2d.[C]
28. P. to Q. B's 4th.	28. B. to K's 2d.
29. K. R. to K. R's 5th.	29. Q. to K's sq.
30. P. to Q. B's 5th.[D]	30. Q. R. takes P.
31. K. R. takes P. (ch.)	31. K. takes R.
32. Q. to K. R's 5th. (ch.)	32. K. to Kt. sq.
33. Kt. takes B. (ch.)	33. K. to Kt's 2d.[E]
34. Kt. to K. B's 5th. (ch.)	34. K. to Kt's sq.
35. Kt. takes Q. P.
And Black cannot possibly save the game.

[A] Very imprudent in such a position and against such an opponent. It must be admitted, however, that Black has no good move at this crisis.

[B] Perfectly sound, as the sequel shows.

[C] Taking the Pawn would have been injudicious; for example,

	27. Q. takes Pawn.
28. K. R. takes K. R. P. (ch.)	28. K. takes R. (best).
29. Q. to K. R's 5th. (ch.)	29. B. to K. R's 3d.
30. Kt. takes B.	30. K. R. takes Kt.
31. Q. to K. B's 5th. (ch.)	31. Anything.
32. Q. takes Q. R., &c.

[D] The first step in a combination of admirable daring and ingenuity.

[E] Had he taken the Knight it would have cost him his Queen.

Game III.—Between Mr. Morphy and Mr. Harrwitz.

Mr. Daniel Harrwitz

WHITE.  (Mr. M.)	BLACK.  (Mr. H.)
1. P. to K's 4th.	1. P. to K's 4th.
2. K. Kt. to K. B's 3d.	2. P. to Q's 3d.
3. P. to Q's 4th.	3. P. takes P.
4. Q. takes P.	4. Q. Kt. to Q. B's 3d.
5. K. B. to Q. Kt's 5th.	5. Q. B. to Q's 2d.
6. B. takes Kt.	6. B. takes B.
7. B. to K. Kt's 5th.	7. Kt. to K. B's 3d.
8. Q. Kt. to Q. B's 3d.	8. K. B. to K's 2d.
9. Castles on Q's side.	9. Castles.
10. K. R. to K's sq.	10. P. to K. R's 3d.
11. B. to K. R's 4th.	11. Kt. to K's sq.
12. B. takes B.	12. Q. takes B.
13. P. to K's 5th.	13. B. takes Kt.
14. P. takes B.	14. Q. to K. Kt's 4th. (ch.)
15. K. to Q. Kt's sq.	15. P. takes P.
16. K. R. takes P.	16. Q. to K. Kt's 7th.
17. Kt. to Q's 5th.	17. Q. takes K. R. P.
18. K. R. to K's sq.	18. Q. to Q's 3d.
19. K. R. to K. Kt's sq.	19. K. to K. R's 2d.
20. Q. to K's 3d.	20. P. to K. B's 4th.
21. Kt. to K. B's 4th.	21. Q. to Q. Kt's 3d.
22. Q. to K's 2d.	22. K. R. to K. B's 2d.
23. Q. to Q. B's 4th.	23. Q. to K. B's 3d.
24. Kt. to K. R's 5th.[A]	24. Q. to K's 2d.
25. Q. R. to K's sq.	25. Q. to Q's 2d.
26. P. to Q. R's 3d.	26. Kt. to Q's 3d.
27. Q. to Q's 4th.	27. Q. R. to K. Kt's sq.
28. K. R. to K. Kt's 2d.	28. P. to Q. Kt's 3d.
29. Q. R. to K. Kt's sq.	29. Kt. to K's sq.
30. Q. to Q. B's 3d.	30. P. to K. B's 5th.[B]
31. Q. R. to K. R's sq.[C]	31. P. to K. Kt's 3d.
32. Q. R. to K. Kt's sq.	32. Q. to Q's 4th.
33. Q. to K's sq.	33. P. takes Kt.
34. K. R. to Kt's 5th.[D]	34. Q. takes P.
35. Q. to K's 5th.	35. K. R. to K. B's 3d.
36. Q. to K's 7th. (ch.)	36. Q. R. to K. Kt's 2d.
37. Q. takes Kt.	37. P. takes R.
38. Q. to K's sq.	38. Q. to Q. B's 3d.
39. P. to K. B's 3d.	39. K. R. to K's 3d.
40. Q. to K. B's 2d.	40. Q. R. to K's 2d.
And White abandoned the game.

[A] This looks promising, but does not turn out well. He had better, perhaps, have played K. R. to K. Kt's 6th.

[B] Well played. White must now beware, for his Kt. is in sore peril.

[C] This will not save the Kt. The best move was K. R. to Kt's 4th.

[D] Merely desperate.

Game IV.—Between Mr. Morphy and Mr. Bird of London.

Mr. Henry Edward Bird

WHITE.  (Mr. B.)	BLACK.  (Mr. M.)
1. P. to K's 4th.	1. P. to K's 4th.
2. Kt. to K. B's 3d.	2. P. to Q's 3d.
3. P. to Q's 4th.	3. P. to K. B's 4th.
4. Kt. to Q. B's 3d.	4. K. B. P. takes P.
5. Q. Kt. takes P.	5. P. to Q's 4th.
6. Kt. to K. Kt's 3d.	6. P. to K's 5th.
7. Kt. to K's 5th.	7. Kt. to K. B's 3d.
8. Q. B. to K. Kt's 5th.	8. B. to Q's 3d.
9. Kt. to K. R's 5th.	9. Castles.
10. Q. to Q's 2d.	10. Q. to K's sq.
11. P. to K. Kt's 4th.	11. Kt. takes K. Kt. P.
12. Kt. takes Kt.	12. Q. takes Kt.
13. Kt. to K's 5th.	13. Kt. to Q. B's 3d.
14. B. to K's 2d.	14. Q. to K. R's 6th.
15. Kt. takes Kt.	15. P. takes Kt.
16. B. to K's 3d.	16. R. to Q. Kt's sq.
17. Castles (Q. R.)	17. R. takes K. B. P.
18. B. takes R.	18. Q. to Q. R's 6th.
19. P. to Q. B's 3d.	19. Q. takes Q. R. P.
20. P. to Q. Kt's 4th.	20. Q. to Q. R's 8th. (ch.)
21. K. to B's 2d.	21. Q. to R's 5th. (ch.)
22. K. to Kt's 2d.	22. B. takes Q. Kt. P.
23. P. takes B.	23. R. takes P. (ch.)
24. Q. takes R.	24. Q. takes Q. (ch.)
25. K. to B's 2d.	25. P. to K's 6th.
26. B. takes P.	26. B. to K. B's 4th. (ch.)
27. R. to Q's 3d.	27. Q. to Q. B's 5th. (ch.)
28. K. to Q's 2d.	28. Q. to Q. R's 7th. (ch.)
29. K. to Q's square.	29. Q. to Kt's 8th. (ch.)
And White resigns.

Game V.—(By Philidor.)

Mr. François André Danican Philidor

WHITE.	BLACK.
1. P. to K's 4th.	1. P. to K's 4th.
2. K. Kt. to K. B's 3d.	2. P. to Q's 3d.
3. P. to Q's 4th.	3. P. to K. B's 4th.
4. P. takes K. P.	4. K. B. P. takes K. P.
5. Kt. to Kt's 5th.	5. P. to Q's 4th.
6. P. to K. B's 4th.[A]	6. K. B. to Q. B's 4th.
7. P. to Q. B's 4th.	7. P. to Q. B's 3d.
8. Q. Kt. to B's 3d.	8. K. Kt. to K's 2d.
9. P. to K. R's 4th.	9. P. to K. R's 3d.
10. K. Kt. to R's 3d.	10. Castles.
11. Q. Kt. to Q. R's 4th.	11. B. to Q. Kt's 5th. (ch.)
12. B. to Q's 2d.	12. B. takes B. (ch.)
13. Q. takes B.	13. P. to Q's 5th.
14. P. to Q. B's 5th.	14. P. to Q. Kt's 4th.
15. P. takes P. (in passing).	15. Q. R. P. takes P.
16. P. to Q. Kt's 3d.	16. Q. B. to K's 3d.
17. B. to K's 2d.	17. Kt. to K. B's 4th.
18. K. Kt. to his sq.	18. K. Kt. to Kt's 6th.
19. K. R. to his 2d.	19. P. to K's 6th.
20. Q. to her Kt's 2d.	20. P. to Q's 6th.
21. B. to K. B's 3d.	21. K. R. takes P.
22. Castles on Q's side.	22. K. R. takes Kt.
23. P. takes K. R.	23. Q. R. takes P.
24. P. to Q. R's 3d.	24. R. to Q. B's 5th. (ch.)
25. K. to Q. Kt's sq.	25. R. to Q. B's 7th.
26. Q. to Kt's 4th.	26. Q. Kt. to R's 3d.
27. Q. to K. B's 4th.	27. Q. Kt. to B's 4th.
28. Q. takes K. Kt.
And Black mates in two moves.

[A] This is not the proper move; he should play 6. P. to K's 6th.

The next lesson will focus on Petroff's Defense as I continue with my 11 part series of King's Knight's Opening on the Learn to Play Chess blog.