For White· 49 lines

Italian Game - Philidor Defense and Sidelines (2...d6)

Let's learn the rarer 2nd moves! Black has five tries here: 2...d6, 2...Nf6, 2...d5, 2...Bc5 and 2...Qf6. We have a clear plan against each one. Let's begin with 1.e4.

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Main line

Scroll the moves: the board follows.

Key lines

The free lines of this chapter, each one trainable move by move.

  1. Main Line: position after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Be7 6. g3 O-O 7. Bg2 c6 8. O-O Re8 9. h3
    Main Line

    … 6... O-O 7. Bg2 c6 8. O-O Re8 9. h3

  2. 2...Nf6: position after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 Nc6 4. Nxc6 dxc6 5. d3 Bc5 6. Be2 Ng4 7. Bxg4 Qh4 8. Qf3 Bxg4 9. Qg3
    2...Nf6

    … 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 Nc6 4. Nxc6 dxc6 5. d3 Bc5 6. Be2 Ng4 7. Bxg4 Qh4 8. Qf3 Bxg4 9. Qg3

  3. 2...Nf6: position after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 Nc6 4. Nxc6 dxc6 5. d3 Bc5 6. Be2 h5 7. c3 Ng4 8. d4 Bb6 9. a4
    2...Nf6

    … 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 Nc6 4. Nxc6 dxc6 5. d3 Bc5 6. Be2 h5 7. c3 Ng4 8. d4 Bb6 9. a4

  4. 2...Nf6: position after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 Nxe4 4. Qe2 d5 5. d3 Qe7 6. dxe4 Qxe5 7. exd5
    2...Nf6

    … 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 Nxe4 4. Qe2 d5 5. d3 Qe7 6. dxe4 Qxe5 7. exd5

  5. 2...Nf6: position after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 Nxe4 4. Qe2 d6 5. Nxf7 Kxf7 6. Qxe4
    2...Nf6

    … 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 Nxe4 4. Qe2 d6 5. Nxf7 Kxf7 6. Qxe4

  6. 2...Nf6: position after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 Nxe4 4. Qe2 Qe7 5. Qxe4 d6 6. d4 dxe5 7. dxe5
    2...Nf6

    … 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 Nxe4 4. Qe2 Qe7 5. Qxe4 d6 6. d4 dxe5 7. dxe5

  7. 2...Nf6: position after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d4 d5 6. Bd3 Be7 7. O-O Nc6 8. c4
    2...Nf6

    … 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d4 d5 6. Bd3 Be7 7. O-O Nc6 8. c4

  8. 2...Nf6: position after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d4 d5 6. Bd3 Nc6 7. O-O Be7 8. Nbd2 Nxd2 9. Bxd2 Bg4 10. c3
    2...Nf6

    … 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d4 d5 6. Bd3 Nc6 7. O-O Be7 8. Nbd2 Nxd2 9. Bxd2 Bg4 10. c3

  9. 2...Nf6: position after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d4 d5 6. Bd3 Bd6 7. O-O O-O 8. c4 c6 9. Re1 Bf5 10. Qb3 Qd7 11. Nc3 Nxc3 12. Bxf5 Qxf5 13. Qxb7
    2...Nf6

    … 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d4 d5 6. Bd3 Bd6 7. O-O O-O 8. c4 c6 9. Re1 Bf5 10. Qb3 Qd7 11. Nc3 Nxc3 12. Bxf5 Qxf5 13. Qxb7

  10. 2...Nf6: position after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d4 d5 6. Bd3 Bd6 7. O-O O-O 8. c4 c6 9. Re1 Re8 10. Qb3 Na6 11. cxd5 cxd5 12. Nc3
    2...Nf6

    … 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d4 d5 6. Bd3 Bd6 7. O-O O-O 8. c4 c6 9. Re1 Re8 10. Qb3 Na6 11. cxd5 cxd5 12. Nc3

  11. 2...d5: position after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d5 3. exd5 Qxd5 4. Nc3 Qd6 5. Bc4
    2...d5

    … 2. Nf3 d5 3. exd5 Qxd5 4. Nc3 Qd6 5. Bc4

  12. 2...d5: position after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d5 3. exd5 Qxd5 4. Nc3 Qa5 5. Bc4
    2...d5

    … 2. Nf3 d5 3. exd5 Qxd5 4. Nc3 Qa5 5. Bc4

  13. 2...d5: position after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d5 3. exd5 Qxd5 4. Nc3 Qd8 5. Bc4
    2...d5

    … 2. Nf3 d5 3. exd5 Qxd5 4. Nc3 Qd8 5. Bc4

  14. 2...d5: position after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d5 3. exd5 Qxd5 4. Nc3 Qc5 5. d4
    2...d5

    … 2. Nf3 d5 3. exd5 Qxd5 4. Nc3 Qc5 5. d4

  15. 2...d5: position after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d5 3. exd5 Qxd5 4. Nc3 Qe6 5. Bb5+ c6 6. Ba4
    2...d5

    … 2. Nf3 d5 3. exd5 Qxd5 4. Nc3 Qe6 5. Bb5+ c6 6. Ba4

  16. 2...d5: position after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d5 3. exd5 e4 4. Qe2 Nf6 5. Nc3 Be7 6. Nxe4 Nxd5 7. c4 Nb4 8. d4 O-O 9. a3 Re8 10. Bf4 Bf5 11. O-O-O Bf8 12. Ne5
    2...d5

    … 2. Nf3 d5 3. exd5 e4 4. Qe2 Nf6 5. Nc3 Be7 6. Nxe4 Nxd5 7. c4 Nb4 8. d4 O-O 9. a3 Re8 10. Bf4 Bf5 11. O-O-O Bf8 12. Ne5

  17. 2...d5: position after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d5 3. exd5 e4 4. Qe2 Nf6 5. Nc3 Be7 6. Nxe4 O-O 7. Nxf6+ Bxf6 8. d4 Re8 9. Be3 Qxd5 10. Qb5 Qd8 11. Bc4 c6 12. Qb3
    2...d5

    … 2. Nf3 d5 3. exd5 e4 4. Qe2 Nf6 5. Nc3 Be7 6. Nxe4 O-O 7. Nxf6+ Bxf6 8. d4 Re8 9. Be3 Qxd5 10. Qb5 Qd8 11. Bc4 c6 12. Qb3

  18. 2...Bc5: position after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Bc5 3. Nxe5 Bxf2+ 4. Kxf2 Qh4+ 5. Kg1 Qxe4 6. Nf3
    2...Bc5

    … 2. Nf3 Bc5 3. Nxe5 Bxf2+ 4. Kxf2 Qh4+ 5. Kg1 Qxe4 6. Nf3

  19. 2...Bc5: position after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Bc5 3. Nxe5 Qh4 4. d4 Qxe4+ 5. Be3
    2...Bc5

    … 2. Nf3 Bc5 3. Nxe5 Qh4 4. d4 Qxe4+ 5. Be3

  20. 2...Qf6: position after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Qf6 3. Nc3 c6 4. d4 exd4 5. Bg5
    2...Qf6

    … 2. Nf3 Qf6 3. Nc3 c6 4. d4 exd4 5. Bg5

  21. 3...Nd7: position after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nd7 4. Bc4 Be7 5. dxe5 dxe5 6. Qd5 Bb4+ 7. c3 Bxc3+ 8. Nxc3
    3...Nd7

    … 3. d4 Nd7 4. Bc4 Be7 5. dxe5 dxe5 6. Qd5 Bb4+ 7. c3 Bxc3+ 8. Nxc3

  22. 3...Nd7: position after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nd7 4. Bc4 Be7 5. dxe5 dxe5 6. Qd5 Bb4+ 7. c3 Qe7 8. cxb4
    3...Nd7

    … 3. d4 Nd7 4. Bc4 Be7 5. dxe5 dxe5 6. Qd5 Bb4+ 7. c3 Qe7 8. cxb4

  23. 3...Nd7: position after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nd7 4. Bc4 Be7 5. dxe5 dxe5 6. Qd5 Nh6 7. Bxh6 Rf8 8. Be3
    3...Nd7

    … 3. d4 Nd7 4. Bc4 Be7 5. dxe5 dxe5 6. Qd5 Nh6 7. Bxh6 Rf8 8. Be3

  24. 3...Nd7: position after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nd7 4. Bc4 Be7 5. dxe5 dxe5 6. Qd5 Nh6 7. Bxh6 O-O 8. Be3
    3...Nd7

    … 3. d4 Nd7 4. Bc4 Be7 5. dxe5 dxe5 6. Qd5 Nh6 7. Bxh6 O-O 8. Be3

  25. 3...Nd7: position after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nd7 4. Bc4 Be7 5. dxe5 dxe5 6. Qd5 Nb6 7. Qxf7+ Kd7 8. Nxe5+ Kd6 9. Nc3
    3...Nd7

    … 3. d4 Nd7 4. Bc4 Be7 5. dxe5 dxe5 6. Qd5 Nb6 7. Qxf7+ Kd7 8. Nxe5+ Kd6 9. Nc3

  26. 3...Nd7: position after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nd7 4. Bc4 exd4 5. Nxd4 Ne5 6. Bb3
    3...Nd7

    … 3. d4 Nd7 4. Bc4 exd4 5. Nxd4 Ne5 6. Bb3

  27. 3...Nd7: position after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nd7 4. Bc4 exd4 5. Nxd4 Nb6 6. Be2
    3...Nd7

    … 3. d4 Nd7 4. Bc4 exd4 5. Nxd4 Nb6 6. Be2

  28. 3...Nd7: position after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nd7 4. Bc4 exd4 5. Nxd4 Ngf6 6. Nc3
    3...Nd7

    … 3. d4 Nd7 4. Bc4 exd4 5. Nxd4 Ngf6 6. Nc3

  29. 3...Nd7: position after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nd7 4. Bc4 c6 5. O-O Be7 6. dxe5 dxe5 7. Ng5 Bxg5 8. Qh5 Qe7 9. Qxg5 Qxg5 10. Bxg5 Ngf6 11. f3
    3...Nd7

    … 3. d4 Nd7 4. Bc4 c6 5. O-O Be7 6. dxe5 dxe5 7. Ng5 Bxg5 8. Qh5 Qe7 9. Qxg5 Qxg5 10. Bxg5 Ngf6 11. f3

  30. 3...Bg4: position after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Bg4 4. dxe5 Nc6 5. exd6 Bxd6 6. Nc3
    3...Bg4

    … 3. d4 Bg4 4. dxe5 Nc6 5. exd6 Bxd6 6. Nc3

  31. 3...Bg4: position after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Bg4 4. dxe5 dxe5 5. Qxd8+ Kxd8 6. Nxe5
    3...Bg4

    … 3. d4 Bg4 4. dxe5 dxe5 5. Qxd8+ Kxd8 6. Nxe5

  32. 3...Bg4: position after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Bg4 4. dxe5 Bxf3 5. Qxf3 dxe5 6. Qb3 Nf6 7. Bc4 Qe7 8. Qxb7
    3...Bg4

    … 3. d4 Bg4 4. dxe5 Bxf3 5. Qxf3 dxe5 6. Qb3 Nf6 7. Bc4 Qe7 8. Qxb7

  33. 3...Bg4: position after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Bg4 4. dxe5 Bxf3 5. Qxf3 dxe5 6. Qb3 b6 7. Bc4
    3...Bg4

    … 3. d4 Bg4 4. dxe5 Bxf3 5. Qxf3 dxe5 6. Qb3 b6 7. Bc4

  34. 3...Nf6: position after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nf6 4. dxe5 dxe5 5. Qxd8+ Kxd8 6. Nxe5
    3...Nf6

    … 3. d4 Nf6 4. dxe5 dxe5 5. Qxd8+ Kxd8 6. Nxe5

  35. 3...Nf6: position after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nf6 4. dxe5 Nxe4 5. Qd5 Bf5 6. Bc4
    3...Nf6

    … 3. d4 Nf6 4. dxe5 Nxe4 5. Qd5 Bf5 6. Bc4

  36. 3...Nf6: position after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nf6 4. dxe5 Nxe4 5. Qd5 f5 6. Bc4
    3...Nf6

    … 3. d4 Nf6 4. dxe5 Nxe4 5. Qd5 f5 6. Bc4

  37. 3...Nf6: position after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nf6 4. dxe5 Nxe4 5. Qd5 Nc5 6. Bg5
    3...Nf6

    … 3. d4 Nf6 4. dxe5 Nxe4 5. Qd5 Nc5 6. Bg5

  38. 3...Nc6: position after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nc6 4. dxe5 dxe5 5. Qxd8+ Nxd8 6. Nxe5
    3...Nc6

    … 3. d4 Nc6 4. dxe5 dxe5 5. Qxd8+ Nxd8 6. Nxe5

  39. 3...Nc6: position after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nc6 4. dxe5 dxe5 5. Qxd8+ Kxd8 6. Bc4
    3...Nc6

    … 3. d4 Nc6 4. dxe5 dxe5 5. Qxd8+ Kxd8 6. Bc4

  40. 3...Nc6: position after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nc6 4. dxe5 Bg4 5. exd6 Bxf3 6. Qxf3
    3...Nc6

    … 3. d4 Nc6 4. dxe5 Bg4 5. exd6 Bxf3 6. Qxf3

  41. 3...Nc6: position after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nc6 4. dxe5 Bg4 5. exd6 Bxd6 6. h3 Bxf3 7. Qxf3
    3...Nc6

    … 3. d4 Nc6 4. dxe5 Bg4 5. exd6 Bxd6 6. h3 Bxf3 7. Qxf3

  42. 3...Nc6: position after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nc6 4. dxe5 Bg4 5. exd6 Bxd6 6. h3 Bh5 7. Nc3
    3...Nc6

    … 3. d4 Nc6 4. dxe5 Bg4 5. exd6 Bxd6 6. h3 Bh5 7. Nc3

  43. 3...Nc6: position after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nc6 4. dxe5 Nxe5 5. Nxe5 dxe5 6. Qxd8+ Kxd8 7. Bc4
    3...Nc6

    … 3. d4 Nc6 4. dxe5 Nxe5 5. Nxe5 dxe5 6. Qxd8+ Kxd8 7. Bc4

  44. 4...Be7: position after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Be7 5. Bf4 Nf6 6. Nc3 O-O 7. Qd2 Nc6 8. O-O-O Nxd4 9. Qxd4 Be6 10. f3
    4...Be7

    … 4. Nxd4 Be7 5. Bf4 Nf6 6. Nc3 O-O 7. Qd2 Nc6 8. O-O-O Nxd4 9. Qxd4 Be6 10. f3

  45. 4...Be7: position after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Be7 5. Bf4 Nf6 6. Nc3 O-O 7. Qd2 c5 8. Ndb5
    4...Be7

    … 4. Nxd4 Be7 5. Bf4 Nf6 6. Nc3 O-O 7. Qd2 c5 8. Ndb5

  46. 4...Be7: position after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Be7 5. Bf4 Nf6 6. Nc3 O-O 7. Qd2 d5 8. Ndb5 c6 9. Nc7 Bb4 10. f3 Nh5 11. Nxa8 Nxf4 12. Qxf4
    4...Be7

    … 4. Nxd4 Be7 5. Bf4 Nf6 6. Nc3 O-O 7. Qd2 d5 8. Ndb5 c6 9. Nc7 Bb4 10. f3 Nh5 11. Nxa8 Nxf4 12. Qxf4

  47. 4...Be7: position after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Be7 5. Bf4 Nf6 6. Nc3 O-O 7. Qd2 d5 8. Ndb5 c6 9. Nc7 d4 10. Nxa8 dxc3 11. Qxd8 Rxd8 12. bxc3 Be6 13. Nc7
    4...Be7

    … 4. Nxd4 Be7 5. Bf4 Nf6 6. Nc3 O-O 7. Qd2 d5 8. Ndb5 c6 9. Nc7 d4 10. Nxa8 dxc3 11. Qxd8 Rxd8 12. bxc3 Be6 13. Nc7

  48. 4...Be7: position after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Be7 5. Bf4 Nf6 6. Nc3 O-O 7. Qd2 a6 8. O-O-O b5 9. Be2 b4 10. Nd5 Nxe4 11. Qe3 Re8 12. Qxe4
    4...Be7

    … 4. Nxd4 Be7 5. Bf4 Nf6 6. Nc3 O-O 7. Qd2 a6 8. O-O-O b5 9. Be2 b4 10. Nd5 Nxe4 11. Qe3 Re8 12. Qxe4

  49. 4...Be7: position after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Be7 5. Bf4 Nf6 6. Nc3 O-O 7. Qd2 a6 8. O-O-O b5 9. Be2 b4 10. Nd5 Nxd5 11. exd5 a5 12. g4
    4...Be7

    … 4. Nxd4 Be7 5. Bf4 Nf6 6. Nc3 O-O 7. Qd2 a6 8. O-O-O b5 9. Be2 b4 10. Nd5 Nxd5 11. exd5 a5 12. g4

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Learn Philidor Defense and Sidelines (2...d6) on the board

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