Bishop's Opening: Philidor Counterattack
The Philidor Counterattack is 2...c6, preparing ...d5 to hit the c4 bishop and take the center. White can stop it with Nc3 or meet it with Nf3 and Bb3, while Black wants ...d5 followed by quick piece play.
- Moves
- 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 c6
- ECO
- C23
- Engine
- +0.32 · a slight edge for White (Stockfish 17.1, depth 20)
- Played
- 3,353 games in our lichess sample
- White scores
- 54.5%
Key ideas for both sides
White
- Nc3 covers d5, so ...d5 loses its punch; after ...Bc5, Qg4 hits g7 and asks Black to weaken with ...g6.
- Nf3 lets Black play ...d5, but after Bb3 White pressures e5 and d5 and can take on e5 later.
- d4 opens the center; after ...d5, Bb3 keeps the bishop on the a2-g8 diagonal.
Black
- ...d5 is the point, gaining space and hitting the c4 bishop with tempo.
- ...Nf6 and ...Bb4 pile up on e4, as the second engine line shows.
- Against Qg4, ...g6 and ...d6 hold g7 and e5 but leave dark squares around the king, so castle quickly.
Plans and pawn structure
Because ...c6 takes c6 away from Black's knight, development is slower, and that is why White can afford Nc3 and the queen sortie Qg4. If ...d5 lands with support, Black gets pawns on d5 and e5, and the c4 bishop must retreat. White's long-term plan is to pressure e5 with Nf3 and d3 or d4 and to aim a bishop on b3 at f7. In the open lines both kings must castle fast, because the e-file opens.
Where the engine's main line heads: Open game: e4 against e5. An open game: e4 against e5. Development, the f7 and f2 squares, and the d4 or d5 break are what count.
What the engine plays from here
Stockfish 17.1 at depth 20 rates the position +0.32: a slight edge for White. Its three top choices for White:
- +0.32 3.Nc3 Bc5 4.Qg4 g6 5.Qg3 d6
- +0.27 3.Nf3 d5 4.Bb3 Nf6 5.Nc3 Bb4
- +0.19 3.d4 d5 4.Bb3 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nxe4
Pawns, from White's side.
How it scores on lichess
3,353 rated lichess games reached this position; White scored 54.5%.
Light: White wins. Grey: draws. Dark: Black wins. About the sample.
Where it goes next
- Lisitsyn Variation3.d4 · rare
How to play against it
As White, Nc3 is the simplest way to keep ...d5 under control. If you play Nf3 and Black pushes ...d5, retreat with Bb3 rather than trading on d5 too soon. Watch the e4 pawn: in several lines Black wins it with ...Nxe4 when White's pieces are loose.
Questions
What are the moves of the Bishop's Opening: Philidor Counterattack?
The Bishop's Opening: Philidor Counterattack starts 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 c6. Its ECO code is C23.
Is the Bishop's Opening: Philidor Counterattack good for Black?
Stockfish 17.1 rates the position +0.32 at depth 20, which is a slight edge for White. In 3,353 lichess games from our sample, White scored 54.5%. An ambitious central plan for Black that gives good play; White needs to know Nc3 and the Qg4 idea to keep an edge.
What is the main idea of the Bishop's Opening: Philidor Counterattack?
Black prepares ...d5 to hit the c4 bishop and take over the center. White either stops it with Nc3 or allows it and keeps the bishop on b3, aimed at f7.
What should White play next?
The engine's first choice is Nc3, with Nf3 and d4 close behind. 3.Nc3 covers d5 so that ...d5 is harder to play, and it prepares Qg4 against g7.
Related lines
Updated October 2026. Sources and method.