Chessy
Philidor Defense: Lopez Countergambit as Black
The Philidor Defense: Lopez Countergambit is not a quiet system. After 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bc4 f5, White already gets the move in a position Stockfish rates +1.87, a near-winning advantage for White. That means you are under serious pressure and need to know the important replies, the most common continuations, and where White can go wrong. Use the drill below to practise the exact position and get used to defending it accurately.
Play the Philidor Defense: Lopez Countergambit against the engine
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Play the drill to practise defending this exact position, and create a free account to track your opening work.
Create a free account →Why this position is so uncomfortable
The opening has already committed Black to an ambitious pawn push, and the engine says the risk has backfired badly. Stockfish rates this +1.87, a near-winning advantage for White. That means you are close to decided against you. In practical terms, this is a position where king safety and piece activity matter immediately, because White can choose from several active continuations and keep the pressure on.
The move the engine wants
The engine's best move here is d4. The continuation given is d4 Nc6 Ng5 Nh6, which shows that the key battle is not about slow manoeuvring but about surviving White's direct play and meeting it with active development. If you are going to play this opening as Black, you need to be ready for White's initiative and respond accurately right away.
What the database says White usually does
In 888,485 games at this exact position, White wins 52.2%, draws 3.1%, and Black wins 44.8%. The most-played continuations are d3 with 340,066 games, exf5 with 310,161 games, Nc3 with 105,207 games, d4 with 62,331 games, O-O with 20,873 games, and Bxg8 with 13,872 games. Those numbers tell you this is not a rare edge case: White has many practical choices, and you should know the main ones before you face them over the board.
The replies that cause trouble
The database marks d3 as an inaccuracy, losing about 0.9 pawns, and says d4 was better. It also marks exf5 as an inaccuracy, losing about 0.6 pawns, again with d4 as the better move. Nc3 is worse still: it is listed as a mistake, losing about 1.4 pawns, with d4 again the best answer. For your training, that means you should recognise when White chooses a quieter developing move and be ready to punish it by keeping up the pressure and following the engine's recommendation.
Results across 888,485 Lichess games
| Most-played continuation | Games | White wins |
|---|---|---|
| d3 | 340,066 | 52.7% |
| exf5 | 310,161 | 51.6% |
| Nc3 | 105,207 | 53.9% |
| d4 | 62,331 | 55.2% |
| O-O | 20,873 | 51.9% |
| Bxg8 | 13,872 | 48.8% |
Frequently asked questions
Is the Philidor Defense: Lopez Countergambit sound for Black?
In this exact position, the results are poor for Black. Stockfish rates it +1.87, a near-winning advantage for White, and the database also shows White scoring better overall.
What should I play against White's best response?
The engine's best move here is d4. The main continuation given is d4 Nc6 Ng5 Nh6, so you should train the position with that line in mind and focus on accurate defence.
What are the most common White moves here?
The most common continuations are d3, exf5, Nc3, d4, O-O, and Bxg8. The two biggest practical choices are d3 and exf5, so those are especially worth knowing in the drill.
Which White moves are marked as mistakes?
d3 is an inaccuracy, exf5 is an inaccuracy, and Nc3 is a mistake. In each case, the better move listed is d4, which is the move the engine prefers in this position.
How many games feature the Philidor Defense: Lopez Countergambit?
Over 888K Lichess games have reached the Philidor Defense: Lopez Countergambit position. White wins 52.2%, Black wins 44.8%, with 3.1% draws — based on real rated games.