Philidor Defense: Lion Variation
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Nbd7
Lion Variation
1.2.3.4.
What Is The Lion Variation?
4...Nbd7 defends e5 a second time, so you never have to release the centre with ...exd4. The pawn stays on e5, the c-pawn stays free for ...c6, and you get the c6, d6, e5 chain that ordinary Philidor lines surrender. The cost is f7: with the knight on d7 instead of c6, only your king guards it.
Every White attacking try here aims at f7: the Sozin 5.Bc4, the Shirov Gambit 5.g4, the Lion's Claw, and the bishop sacrifice on f7. Beat them by completing the regrouping: ...Be7, castle, ...c6 and ...Qc7, then ...Re8 and ...Bf8, holding e5 and refusing every exchange. Whoever arrives first, your setup or White's break, wins the game.
How Does Play Continue From Here?
| Move | Share | Games | |
|---|---|---|---|
| dxe5 | 40% | 142 | |
| Bc4 | 25% | 87 | |
| d5 | 8% | 28 | |
| Bg5 | 6% | 20 |
The Named Lines Of The Lion Variation
| Line | Moves |
|---|---|
| Shirov Gambit | 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 Nd7 4.Nc3 Ngf6 5.g4 |
| Bishop Sacrifice | 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Nbd7 5.Bc4 Be7 6.Bxf7+ |
| Lion's Claw, with Bc4 and h6 | 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Nbd7 5.Bc4 Be7 6.O-O h6 |
| Lion's Claw, with Be2 and c6 | 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Nbd7 5.Be2 Be7 6.O-O c6 |
| Delayed Bishop Sacrifice | 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 Nbd7 4.Nf3 e5 5.Bc4 Be7 6.dxe5 dxe5 7.Bxf7+ |
| Forcing Line | 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Nbd7 5.Bc4 Be7 6.Ng5 O-O 7.Bxf7+ Rxf7 8.Ne6 |
| Sozin Variation | 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 |