Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...d6/2. d4/2...Nf6/3. Nc3/3...Nbd7
| Lion Defence | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Position in Forsyth-Edwards Notation (FEN) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Moves: 1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 Nbd7 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Lion Defence
[edit | edit source]This is a rare defence from the many that Black can choose, this is often seen as an oportunity for black to get white out of theory, however, A transposition to the Phildor Defense is very likely (Ex: 1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 Nbd7 4. Nf3 e5) is the same position as (Ex: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nf6 4. Nc3 Nbd7), even though this defence is rare and not seen often in the top levels, in an over the board game, Stockfish 16 evaluates the Lion Defence as a +0.5, the top engine move being pawn to f4.
Possible Moves
[edit | edit source]4. f4 - Anti-Phildor
The name of the variation says it all, this move prevents a transposition to the Phildor Defence, black's most common move and top Stockfish 16 line is e5 (Lion's Cave), white can play Nf3, the main line, or fxe5, a common line for beginner to intermidiate levels, since after dxe5, dxe5 and Nxe5, white can trade queens, but according to Stockfish, even without the ability to castle, the position is drawish (0.0).