Philidor Defense: Philidor Gambit
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Statistics from Lichess
28,153 games: White 57.3% / Draw 3.6% / Black 39.1%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 20,13320K | ||
| 2,6002,600 | ||
| 2,4272,427 | ||
| 1,5631,563 | ||
| 444444 | ||
| 331331 | ||
| 173173 | ||
| 170170 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 31, 2026
Engine evaluation
+1.81 White is clearly better
Best play: 4. dxe5 Nc6 5. Bg5 Be7 6. Bxe7 Qxe7 7. exd6 Qxe4+ 8. Be2 Qf4
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
Overview
Philidor Defense: Philidor Gambit (ECO C41, Open Games) is a gambit in the Philidor Defense, reached after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Bd7 (3 moves).
In 28,153 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 57.3%, Black 39.1% and 3.6% were drawn. White's most played move here is 4. dxe5, in 72% of those games.
Written from the Lichess opening list and explorer. Know this line well? Write about it.
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How to play against the Philidor Defense: Philidor Gambit
4. Bc4 scores best for White: 63.4%, with White winning 61.9% and Black 35.1% of 2,600 games. The most played, 4. dxe5, scores 59.4% in 20K games, and 4. d5 scores lowest: 51.7%. Stockfish's first choice is 4. dxe5.
Main answers: those played in at least 5% of these games. Score: White's wins plus half the draws, in rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500. How to play against other popular openings
Cite this page
Caissa Codex. “Philidor Defense: Philidor Gambit (C41)”. Lichess data as of 31 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/philidor-defense-philidor-gambit