Philidor Defense: Lion Variation, Sozin Variation is a chess opening with the ECO code C41, part of the Philidor Defense family. It goes 1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 e5 4. Nf3 Nbd7 5. Bc4 Be7 6. O-O O-O 7. Qe2 c6 8. a4 exd4. White opens with 1. e4 (the king's pawn) and Black answers 1... d6. After 16 moves it is White to move. After the last move Black 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... d6 – Black plays the pawn to d6
2. d4 – White plays the pawn to d4
2... Nf6 – Black plays the knight to f6
3. Nc3 – White plays the knight to c3
3... e5 – Black plays the pawn to e5
4. Nf3 – White plays the knight to f3
4... Nbd7 – Black plays the knight to d7
5. Bc4 – White plays the bishop to c4
5... Be7 – Black plays the bishop to e7
6. O-O – White castles kingside
6... O-O – Black castles kingside
The line goes on for 4 more moves; the lesson shows them all.
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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