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The Philidor Defense: Bg4 is Overrated Garbage

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Dyslexic_Goat
Dyslexic_Goat
Apr 24, 2017
0
#1

Just look at this nonsense. 

 

Look, man. I know the blitz games of a noob like me aren't exactly a refutation of a major opening, but ask yourself this: why would you, as black, deliberately choose an opening that will, at best, put you in a position that is trash? 

Don't believe me? This crap is over-played. Here's how things usually tend to play out.

Or, this. 
In theory, Bg4 isn't quite a losing error, but it's the next-best thing. And why anyone would bother playing an almost-losing opening as Black is beyond me. 
It's not that you can't play it and make a surviving game. It's the opportunity cost associated with it: 1) assuming you're playing an opponent roughly equal in skill to yourself, you shouldn't make moves that put yourself in a worse position, and 2) other openings are guaranteed to give yourself a position that's far less of a headache. 
To summarize. A GM would destroy me playing Black after Bg4. An equal player to myself, though, gets trashed. I win this variation close to 100% of the time, and I keep thinking maybe, just maybe, the world will learn to get its crap together. It ain't my job to educate the masses, but come on. Do yourself a favor and consign this opening to the garbage bin where it belongs.
Cherub_Enjel
Cherub_Enjel
Closed: Inactive
Apr 24, 2017
0
#2

I'm not sure who overrates 3...Bg4, because it's a pretty terrible opening move, almost as bad as 2...f6. 

Dyslexic_Goat
Dyslexic_Goat
Apr 24, 2017
0
#3

I've been seeing it in far more games than you'd expect, considering its awful results.

Cherub_Enjel
Cherub_Enjel
Closed: Inactive
Apr 24, 2017
0
#4

Well, your opponents probably haven't seen the famous Morphy game. 

 

dpnorman
NM dpnorman
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Apr 24, 2017
0
#5

Bg4 isn't "overrated"...everyone knows it's awful because the first game every chess player memorizes is Morphy vs Duke and Count

dpnorman
NM dpnorman
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Apr 24, 2017
0
#6
APG817 wrote:

After 3. d4 black's best reply is 3. ..exd4. I used to play the philidor often, but swapped away from it recently. I played it because I didn't want to get into all the theory after Nf3 Nc6. I was told, "if you dont want to play Nc6 to defend e5, then dont play e5."

That's not true- the Petroff is perfectly fine

Cherub_Enjel
Cherub_Enjel
Closed: Inactive
Apr 24, 2017
0
#7

After 3.d4, black has 4 main replies, including ...Nd7, ...Nf6, ...f5. 

Dyslexic_Goat
Dyslexic_Goat
Apr 24, 2017
0
#8

That game reminded me of this nonsense:

 

AtahanTolunay
AtahanTolunay
Apr 25, 2017
0
#9

I agree with OP. This is played ALOT by black in online blitz. I have no idea how many times I have crushed black in this variation, hundreds maybe?

pfren
IM pfren
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Apr 25, 2017
0
#10

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 Bg4 4.dxe5 Nd7!? is better for white, but quite playable.

Dyslexic_Goat
Dyslexic_Goat
Apr 25, 2017
0
#11
micky1943 wrote:

How can a move (3...Bg4) that is condemned in every opening book and never played by any experienced player be "overrated?"

 

If a bunch of players at skill level x play an opening that isn't worth being considered by skill level x, then it is overrated. 

 

StephenCorelli
StephenCorelli
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Apr 25, 2017
0
#12

I agree with OP too...

every game I play vs Philidor includes Bg4..

StephenCorelli
StephenCorelli
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Apr 25, 2017
0
#13
Only this is what I play....