Tree path 7 levels King's Pawn Game › King's Knight Opening › Philidor Defense › Philidor Defense › Nimzowitsch Variation › Philidor Defense: Lion Variation › Lion's Claw, with Bc4 and h6
- Chess Codex
- King's Pawn Game C20
- King's Knight Opening C40
- Philidor Defense C41
- Philidor Defense C41
- Nimzowitsch Variation C41
- Philidor Defense: Lion Variation C41
- Lion's Claw, with Bc4 and h6 C41 you are here
Philidor Defense: Lion Variation, Lion's Claw, with Bc4 and h6
Overview
Philidor Defense: Lion Variation, Lion's Claw, with Bc4 and h6 is a specific line in the Open Games family (ECO C41), arising from a recognised theoretical position.
The Open Games group covers open games — classical 1.e4 e5 openings where both sides contest the centre directly with pawns.
It is reached after 12 plies of play, with the move sequence 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nf6 4. Nc3 Nbd7 5. Bc4 Be7 6. O-O h6.
The line refines Philidor Defense: Lion Variation, which traces back to the root opening King's Pawn Game.
Explore the position on the interactive board, study its real-world results from Lichess, and challenge the engine when you are ready.
- ECO code
- C41
- Group
- Open Games (C)
- Plies
- 12
This overview is generated automatically from the opening's metadata. Know this line well? Write a description — submissions are reviewed before publishing.
Statistics from Lichess
61,839 games · White 49.0% / Draw 4.8% / Black 46.2%
| Moves | Games | W / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| Re1 | 16,112 | |
| dxe5 | 14,235 | |
| h3 | 10,967 | |
| a4 | 6,247 | |
| Be3 | 5,473 | |
| Qe2 | 3,550 | |
| d5 | 885 | |
| Nd5 | 836 |
Source: Lichess Opening Explorer · cached 2026-09-26 02:39:16
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Submissions are reviewed before publishing.