Chessy
Philidor Defense: Philidor Countergambit as Black
The Philidor Defense: Philidor Countergambit starts with an early pawn thrust that asks White to prove an advantage immediately. That sounds active, but the position after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 f5 is already a hard one for Black. Stockfish rates it +1.59, a near-winning advantage for White. That means you are in serious trouble and need to know the most accurate defence, not just the most natural-looking move. The drill below lets you practise the key position until the ideas stick.
Play the Philidor Defense: Philidor Countergambit against the engine
Free, no signup — you play black, the engine adapts to your level.
Play the drill below and practise defending this sharp position as Black. Create a free account to track your progress and repeat the key line.
Create a free account →What the position demands from Black
This opening is defined by risk. After 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 f5, White gets a central lead and immediate targets to aim at. Your task as Black is not to pretend everything is fine; it is to understand that the position is already very unpleasant and to look for the most accurate reply when White opens things up. In practical terms, you are trying to survive the first tactical wave and keep your position from collapsing further.
The engine’s preferred defence
The engine’s best move here is exf5, leading to exf5 Bxf5 Nc3 e4. That tells you the critical idea: when White reacts, the position remains sharp and you need to stay active rather than drifting. Even so, the evaluation is still +1.59, a near-winning advantage for White. So if you are Black, your goal is not to ‘equalise’ by force; it is to choose the most resilient continuation and avoid making the bad position worse.
What the database says White usually does
The position has been reached in 384,536 games in the Lichess database, and the results are grim for Black: White wins 53.8%, draws 3.5%, and Black wins 42.7%. The most played continuations are dxe5 with 219,428 games, exf5 with 77,023 games, Nc3 with 40,709 games, Bd3 with 15,105 games, Bc4 with 10,358 games, and Bg5 with 6,919 games. In other words, White has plenty of ways to keep the pressure on, and you need to be ready for the common ones first.
The mistakes you should expect
Two moves are called out as mistakes here: Bd3 and Bg5. Bd3 loses about 1.7 pawns, and the better move was Bc4. Bg5 loses about 1.5 pawns, and again the better move was Bc4. That is very useful for practical play: if White chooses one of these weaker developing moves, you can be alert to the chance that they have helped you a little. But do not mistake that for safety — the overall position still strongly favours White, so accuracy remains essential.
Results across 384,536 Lichess games
| Most-played continuation | Games | White wins |
|---|---|---|
| dxe5 | 219,428 | 53.5% |
| exf5 | 77,023 | 53.5% |
| Nc3 | 40,709 | 57.8% |
| Bd3 | 15,105 | 52.1% |
| Bc4 | 10,358 | 59.5% |
| Bg5 | 6,919 | 50.7% |
Frequently asked questions
Is the Philidor Countergambit sound for Black?
In this position, the answer is no. Stockfish rates it +1.59, a near-winning advantage for White, so Black is already under heavy pressure. The database results also favour White across a very large sample.
What is the best move for Black here?
The engine’s best move is **exf5**. It continues with **exf5 Bxf5 Nc3 e4**. Even then, the evaluation still shows a big edge for White, so you are choosing the most accurate defence in a difficult position, not solving all your problems.
What are White’s most common replies?
The most played continuations are **dxe5**, **exf5**, **Nc3**, **Bd3**, **Bc4**, and **Bg5**. White’s results are strong in every one of those common choices, which is a good sign that this opening is uncomfortable for Black.
Which White moves are mistakes here?
**Bd3** is a mistake and loses about **1.7 pawns**, while **Bg5** is a mistake and loses about **1.5 pawns**. In both cases, **Bc4** was the better move. That gives you a useful practical warning about what to expect at the board.
How many games feature the Philidor Defense: Philidor Countergambit?
Over 384K Lichess games have reached the Philidor Defense: Philidor Countergambit position. White wins 53.8%, Black wins 42.7%, with 3.5% draws — based on real rated games.