Chess Openings Lab
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Philidor Defense: Hanham Variation

The Hanham Variation is 3.d4 Nd7, where Black defends e5 with the queen's knight and keeps the pawn center intact. White wants to exploit f7 and the cramped setup with Bc4, while Black aims for ...Ngf6, ...Be7, ...c6 and a solid, slightly passive game.

Moves
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 Nd7
ECO
C41
Engine
+0.77 · a clear edge for White (Stockfish 17.1, depth 20)
Played
1,872 games in our lichess sample
White scores
50.2%

Key ideas for both sides

White

  • Play 4.Bc4 to aim at f7 right away; after ...exd4 recapture with the queen and develop Nc3 and Bf4.
  • Gain queenside space with a4, as the engine shows, so ...b5 never comes easily.
  • If Black recaptures on e5 with the knight after dxe5, look for tactics on f7 with the bishop and queen.
  • Castle short and put a rook on e1 to keep pressure on the e5 pawn.

Black

  • After 4.Bc4, play ...exd4 or ...c6. Careless moves like ...Be7 allow dxe5 and a strike at f7.
  • Develop with ...Ngf6, ...Be7 and ...O-O, then hold e5 with ...c6 and a queen move to c7.
  • Use ...Ne5 after exchanges on d4 to trade White's strong c4 bishop.
  • Keep the queen covering f7 until the king has castled.

Plans and pawn structure

If Black holds e5, the structure is the classic Philidor: e4 and d4 against d6 and e5, with White having more space. White plays Bc4, a4, O-O and a rook to e1, maybe h3 and Be3, and waits for Black to run out of useful moves. Black plays ...Ngf6, ...Be7, ...O-O, ...c6 and the queen to c7, sometimes ...b6 with a second fianchetto. When Black gives up e5 with ...exd4, the game opens and Black uses ...Ne5 against the c4 bishop.

What the engine plays from here

Stockfish 17.1 at depth 20 rates the position +0.77: a clear edge for White. Its three top choices for White:

  1. +0.77 4.Bc4 exd4 5.Qxd4 Ngf6 6.Nc3 Be7
  2. +0.57 4.a4 Be7 5.Nc3 Ngf6 6.Bc4 exd4
  3. +0.53 4.Nc3 Ngf6 5.a4 Be7 6.Bc4 exd4

Pawns, from White's side.

How it scores on lichess

1,872 rated lichess games reached this position; White scored 50.2%.

under 120049.3%
1200–159952.7%
1600–199948.6%
2000 and up51.1%

Light: White wins. Grey: draws. Dark: Black wins. About the sample.

Where it goes next

  • Hanham Variation, Steiner Variation4.Bc4 · rare
  • Lion Variation, Shirov Gambit4.Nc3 · rare

How to play against it

As White, play 4.Bc4 and keep f7 in mind. If Black plays ...Ngf6 or ...Be7, look at dxe5 and the follow-up against f7. Otherwise develop with Nc3, a4 and O-O and keep the space edge. Do not trade pieces too early; the cramped side wants exchanges.

Questions

What are the moves of the Philidor Defense: Hanham Variation?

The Philidor Defense: Hanham Variation starts 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 Nd7. Its ECO code is C41.

Is the Philidor Defense: Hanham Variation good for Black?

Stockfish 17.1 rates the position +0.77 at depth 20, which is a clear edge for White. In 1,872 lichess games from our sample, White scored 50.2%. A solid but passive choice for Black that demands care around f7, while White gets an easy space edge.

What is the main idea of the Philidor Defense: Hanham Variation?

Black keeps a pawn on e5 by defending it with ...Nd7. White uses Bc4 to pressure f7 and a4 to gain space, while Black aims for a solid but cramped setup with ...Ngf6, ...Be7 and ...c6.

What should White play next?

The engine's first choice is Bc4, with a4 and Nc3 close behind. 4.Bc4 aims straight at f7, so Black must handle the center carefully before developing the kingside.

Updated October 2026. Sources and method.