Philidor Defense: Hanham Variation, Steiner Variation is a chess opening with the ECO code C41, part of the Philidor Defense family. It goes 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nd7 4. Bc4 c6 5. O-O Be7 6. dxe5. White opens with 1. e4 (the king's pawn) and Black answers 1... e5. After 11 moves it is Black to move. After the last move White is a pawn ahead in material. The lesson on the board explains every move of the line and lets you play it yourself; it is free.
The moves
1. e4 – White plays the pawn to e4
1... e5 – Black plays the pawn to e5
2. Nf3 – White plays the knight to f3
2... d6 – Black plays the pawn to d6
3. d4 – White plays the pawn to d4
3... Nd7 – Black plays the knight to d7
4. Bc4 – White plays the bishop to c4
4... c6 – Black plays the pawn to c6
5. O-O – White castles kingside
5... Be7 – Black plays the bishop to e7
6. dxe5 – White captures on e5 with the d-pawn
About the Philidor Defense
After 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3, Black defends e5 with 2...d6. It is solid but a bit passive, because the f8 bishop is blocked.
Black keeps a strong e5 point with ...Nf6, ...Nbd7, ...Be7 and ...c6.
White plays d4 and gets more space; Black must not give up the centre too early.
Watch f7: Bc4 and Ng5 tricks are common against this setup.
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