Philidor Defense: Lion Variation, Sozin Variation
Overview
Philidor Defense: Lion Variation, Sozin Variation sits at the top of the Open Games tree, indexed as ECO C41.
The Open Games group covers open games — classical 1.e4 e5 openings where both sides contest the centre directly with pawns.
It begins with 16 plies and takes 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 to reach the canonical position.
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
- 16
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Statistics from Lichess
1,345 games · White 42.9% / Draw 5.9% / Black 51.2%
| Moves | Games | W / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| Nxd4 | 1,345 |
Source: Lichess Opening Explorer · cached 2026-09-26 03:10:35
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