Theoria
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Philidor Defense

Boden Variation

C41offbeatsolid

  1. 1.e4e5
  2. 2.Nf3d6
  3. 3.d4exd4
  4. 4.Qxd4Bd7
704 games47%47%

Rare Philidor Defense line in which Black meets the queen recapture 4. Qxd4 with 4...Bd7, developing quietly instead of hitting the queen with ...Nc6.

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About the Boden Variation

The Boden Variation answers the queen recapture 4. Qxd4 with 4...Bd7, declining the more natural 4...Nc6, which would gain a tempo against the centralized queen. The bishop move develops without disturbing White's queen, and engines consider White clearly better. The line is uncommon. White's most frequent reply is 5. Nc3, after which Black has scored well in online games, while 5. Bc4 and 5. e5 are the main alternatives.

Popular continuations