Public Service Anouncement for Beginners

I hope this will help players who are just starting out.  I have come across this variation of Philidor's Defense in quite a few games against beginners and I am surprised how often it comes up:

1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 ...

The Philidor is really not that bad an opening but too many beginners will now play 3 ... Bg4, which gives Black a really bad game.  White will now play

4 dxe ...

And if Black plays 4 ... dxe he loses a pawn after 5 Qxd8+ (eliminating the pin) and 6 Nxe5.

So after 4 dxe many Black players try 4 ... Bxf3, but now after

5 Qxf3 dxe

6 Bc4  ...

checkmate is threatened.  Now Black may try 6 ... Nf6 but after 7 Qb3! White is hitting b7 and f7 and Black is on the ropes.  Black can play 6 ... Qd7 or ... Qe7 so that after 7 Qb3 he has 7 ... c6 to guard b7,  but trust me he is virtually lost.  Check out the Games Explorer.

In case you didn't know, one of the most famous games of all time, Morphy - Allies, started with this opening.  It's a game every beginner should know, and many players have it memorized.  Check it out on the Games Explorer.

So please don't play 3 ... Bg4!  Check out the other Philidor lines, or try defending with the Russian Game or Ruy Lopez.

I hope some of the new players found this helpful.