Bishop's Opening: Philidor Counterattack

An entry in the Encyclopedia of Chess Openings (ECO C23), reached after 4 half-moves: 1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 c6.

Black rook — Use ← → arrows or click moves to step through.

Black knight — Use ← → arrows or click moves to step through.

End of this line

No further variations branch from this position in our database. To explore neighbouring ideas:

About this opening

Bishop's Opening: Philidor Counterattack is an opening in the Encyclopedia of Chess Openings, classified under code C23. ECO group C (C00–C99) covers open games (1.e4 e5) and the French Defence, including the Ruy Lopez, Italian, Scotch and King's Gambit. This particular variation is reached after 4 half-moves from the starting position, with the move sequence 1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 c6.

It belongs to the Bishop's Opening family. Within that family this is a sub-variation (the Philidor Counterattack line).

The opening sequence in prose form: 1.e4 e5, 2.Bc4 c6. From this position the encyclopaedia records no further canonical continuations — practical play branches into unnamed transpositions or returns to the parent line for alternative ideas.