instead of 4.....Nc6, how about 4.....Nxc3 winning material ? If 5 a3, Ba5 and Black is at least a piece up. Doesn't that win ?
Who is SF ?
Philidor Defence Opening without queens: I totally don't get it. Asking for help.
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I was hoping respondents would understand that my query is not about finding alternative moves. My queries indicate a more fundamental problem. But I can't pin point it despite studying strategies and endgames.
To respond to your alternative move: taking with 4...Nxc6 would allow the knight to be pinned with ...Be2. White will win back a piece and seemingly lose only one pawn.
I consider to abandon the Hanham variaton of the Philidor Defence opening and move on to the normal variation. In this opening a popular line is to trade off the queens early. I study to prepare for this situation. But I am completely lost.
(I should learn to play without queens anyway sometime.)
Would you please take a peek at my study (game below) and answer the questions in the comments.
Everything is counter-intuitive to me. Such as: white is fine with doubled pawns, white is fine with giving up its bishop pair and so forth. The heck is going on?
ELO me: 1450