Chessy
Bishop's Opening: Philidor Counterattack Qf3 — How Black Punishes
White has brought out their queen early, eyeing your f7-pawn. In the Bishop's Opening: Philidor Counterattack with Qf3, you have already played the principled Nf6, hitting that queen and gaining time. The engine says you are already doing well — Stockfish rates this -0.28, a small edge for Black. That means you are slightly better here. Statistics across over six hundred thousand games confirm it: Black wins 52.1% of the time, while White wins only 44.2%. Your job now is to finish development while White figures out what went wrong. The drill below lets you practise the critical replies.
Play the Bishop's Opening: Philidor Counterattack: Qf3 against the engine
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Practise the Philidor Counterattack now — the drill below will test you against White's most common replies.
Create a free account →Why Black Is Already Comfortable
After 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 c6 3.Qf3 Nf6, White's queen and bishop point at f7, but your knight on f6 blocks the immediate threat while developing with tempo — the queen has to move or be defended. The engine assessment of -0.28 shows Black has already outplayed White's early queen sortie. Black's win rate of 52.1% against White's 44.2% (with only 3.7% draws) tells you this is a practical position where Black scores well. Your goals are simple: complete development, castle kingside, and take aim at White's overextended pieces.
The Engine's Answer: Nc3 is White's Best Try
Stockfish recommends Nc3 as White's strongest response, continuing with the forcing sequence Nc3 b5 Bb3 b4. White develops a piece and then retreats the bishop under attack from your b5-pawn. This is the critical test. In that line, you gain space on the queenside with your b-pawn advance while White's bishop gets kicked. If White plays Nc3 against you, respond with b5 immediately — you are chasing the bishop and grabbing space at the same time. After Bb3, push b4 to attack the knight. You are creating a pawn roller that cramps White's queenside.
The Most-Played Continuations — And Which to Punish
The most common White move is d3 (218,619 games), but the engine flags it as an inaccuracy — it loses about 0.6 pawns compared to Nc3. White scores only 44.8% after d3. Simply continue developing: d5 hits the centre and opens lines for your pieces. Even worse for White are Nh3 (a mistake losing ~1.7 pawns) and g4 (a mistake losing ~2.1 pawns). After Nh3, White's knight is awkwardly placed on the rim; after g4, White has seriously weakened their kingside. Trust your development — Black wins 41% and 39.5% respectively against those moves. Solid moves like castling or central breaks keep your edge.
Locale & Practical Tips for Club Players
This position rewards patience. Because White's queen came out early, any retreat costs them time. If White plays h3 or c3, just keep developing — Bc5 or d5 are natural, strong responses. Notice that the least-played moves like h3 (47,425 games) still give White a poor 45% score. Do not be tempted to grab the queen with g5 or similar tricks — your advantage comes from piece play, not traps. Stay disciplined: develop, castle, and open the centre when ready. The Bishop's Opening: Philidor Counterattack Qf3 is a fine weapon for Black at any club level.
Results across 606,370 Lichess games
| Most-played continuation | Games | White wins |
|---|---|---|
| d3 | 218,619 | 44.8% |
| Nc3 | 82,734 | 51.6% |
| Nh3 | 58,451 | 41.0% |
| g4 | 56,042 | 39.5% |
| h3 | 47,425 | 45.0% |
| c3 | 32,301 | 42.6% |
Frequently asked questions
Is Black really better in the Bishop's Opening Qf3 line?
Yes. The engine gives Black a small edge (-0.28), and the Lichess database across 606,370 games shows Black winning 52.1% of the time, versus White's 44.2%.
What should I play if White chooses d3?
d3 is an inaccuracy. The best response is d5, striking in the centre. White scores only 44.8% after d3, so you are already in great shape.
What happens if White plays g4 or Nh3?
Both are mistakes. g4 loses ~2.1 pawns and Nh3 loses ~1.7 pawns compared to the engine's best Nc3. Just develop naturally — after Nh3 you can play d5, and after g4 you can continue with d5 or Bc5.
How many games feature the Bishop's Opening: Philidor Counterattack: Qf3?
Over 606K Lichess games have reached the Bishop's Opening: Philidor Counterattack: Qf3 position. White wins 44.2%, Black wins 52.1%, with 3.7% draws — based on real rated games.