François André Philidor Number of games in database: 24 Years covered: 1749 to 1794 Overall record: +16 -4 =4 (75.0%)* * Overall winning percentage = (wins+draws/2) / total games Based on games in the database; may be incomplete.
François-André Danican Philidor was born on September 7th, 1726, in Dreux France. A musical prodigy, his first composition was played before King Louis XV when he was only 11 years old. He was taught chess by Sire de Legal, who initially gave him rook odds, until the young Philidor became too strong for his teacher.
In 1744 Philidor played two chess games blindfolded simultaneously in public in Paris, a feat never before known to have been accomplished. In 1749 his "Analysis of Chess" was published in London, the first chess book to explain the openings, the middlegame, and the general strategy of chess. The book claimed that 'Les pions sont l'ame du jeu', a phrase that became widely known as 'the pawns are the soul of chess', a maxim known to chessplayers ever since.
His name is associated with a fundamental chess tactic commonly known as Philidor's Legacy, a smothered mating pattern involving a queen and knight. However this tactic first appeared in print by a book by Luis Ramirez de Lucena.
Number of games in database: 24
Years covered: 1749 to 1794
Overall record: +16 -4 =4 (75.0%)*
* Overall winning percentage = (wins+draws/2) / total games
Based on games in the database; may be incomplete.
Most played openings
Search Sacrifice Explorer for François André Philidor
Search Google® for François André Philidor
(born Sep-07-1726, died Aug-31-1795) France
[what is this?]
In 1744 Philidor played two chess games blindfolded simultaneously in public in Paris, a feat never before known to have been accomplished. In 1749 his "Analysis of Chess" was published in London, the first chess book to explain the openings, the middlegame, and the general strategy of chess. The book claimed that 'Les pions sont l'ame du jeu', a phrase that became widely known as 'the pawns are the soul of chess', a maxim known to chessplayers ever since.
His name is associated with a fundamental chess tactic commonly known as Philidor's Legacy, a smothered mating pattern involving a queen and knight. However this tactic first appeared in print by a book by Luis Ramirez de Lucena.
He passed away in London, England in 1795.