Philidor Defense: Hanham, Krause & Steiner Variations

Philidor Defense

Definition & Basic Move Order

The Philidor Defense is a solid yet somewhat cramped reply to 1.e4. It begins 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6, immediately reinforcing the e5–pawn and preparing …Nf6 without allowing the pin 3.Bb5. ECO codes C41–C42 cover the main territory.

Strategic Ideas

Flexibility vs. Passive Space. Black keeps a compact pawn chain (d6–e5–f7) and decides later whether to fianchetto with …g6 or develop classically with …Nf6, …Be7, …O-O.
Breaks. Central tension is usually resolved by …exd4 or the freeing advance …f5. The alternative …d5 is rarely possible without preparation.
Typical piece placement. …Nf6, …Be7, …O-O, …Re8, …Bf8 or …g6 are common. The light-squared bishop often emerges on g7 or e7 after …Be7.

Historical Notes

Named after the 18^th-century French master and composer François-André Danican Philidor, who proclaimed that “pawns are the soul of chess.” Despite its early origin, the defense never caught on at the top level as much as the Sicilian or the Ruy Lopez, mainly because White can seize space with an early d4.

Illustrative Mini-Game

Below is a short classic that shows what can go wrong if Black drifts:

White (analysis side) exploited weak dark squares and poor piece mobility.

Fun Facts

Modern engines rate the Philidor as playable but demanding very precise play from Black.
The extremely sharp Pirc-like set-up with …g6 is called the Philidor Counter-Gambit or Lion Defense, creating its own sub-culture of study.

Hanham Variation (Philidor)

Definition & Move Order

The Hanham is the main tabiya of the Philidor. A representative sequence is

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Nbd7.

Instead of the immediate 3…Nd7 (an older move order), Black first develops the f6-knight, reaching the same set-up while avoiding certain gambit lines.

Strategic Themes

“Triangle” structure. Black arranges pawns on d6, e5, c6 and posts knights on f6 and d7, forming an elastic but rock-solid barrier.
Deferred counterplay. Black often waits for the right moment to challenge the center with …c6–d5 or the break …f5.
Piece activity. The dark-squared bishop usually reaches e7 or g7; the light-squared bishop sometimes comes to e6 or g4. The queen often lands on c7 or e7, connecting rooks.

Historical Significance

The line is named after the English master James Moore Hanham (1840-1923), who employed it extensively in the late 19^th century. It enjoyed a resurgence when Teimour Radjabov and the “Lion” specialists popularized similar setups in the 2000s.

Model Game

Rubinstein – Schlechter, Vienna 1908, demonstrates classical Hanham maneuvering:

The game featured Rubinstein’s trademark prophylaxis, eventually cracking Black’s sturdy shell.

Interesting Tidbits

Hanham aficionados often memorize the mantra “Nd7-Be7-c6-Qc7-Re8-Bf8” as a development checklist.
The move order finesse 3…Nd7 4.Bc4 Be7!? is nicknamed the Antoshin Variation, showing how rich the Hanham family is.

Krause Variation (Nimzo-Indian)

Definition & Starting Position

Appearing after 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 Nc6, this line is named for German master Paul Krause (1880-1953). The counter-pin …Nc6 intensifies pressure on d4 before clarifying the center.

Key Plans

Immediate central tension. Black may follow with …d5 or the dynamic pawn sacrifice …e5, leveraging the latent pin on the c3-knight.
Unbalanced structures. White often chooses between 5.Nf3, 5.e3, or the ambitious 5.a3, each steering the game into different pawn structures (isolated d-pawn, hanging pawns, or IQP).
Piece coordination. Because …Nc6 blocks the c-pawn, Black usually relies on …d6 or …d5 for central support, sometimes redeploying the knight to e7 or b4 later.

Example Encounter

Smyslov – Petrosian, Moscow 1961 (drawn after 43 moves):

The ex-World Champions explored the delicate balance between Black’s activity and structural concessions.

Anecdotes & Modern Status

The setup briefly resurfaced when Garry Kasparov employed it in blitz, praising its “surprise value.”
Engines indicate that precise play from both sides leads to equality, explaining its sporadic but persistent appearance in high-level practice.

Steiner Variation (Nimzo-Indian)

Definition & Move Order

The Steiner Variation enters after 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Bd2. Instead of submitting to the pin, White immediately asks the bishop what it intends to do, at the cost of blocking the queen-knight’s natural retreat.

Strategic Motifs

Pairing the bishops. If Black exchanges on d2, White retakes with the queen or knight, gaining the bishop pair but conceding doubled c-pawns.
Sidestepping theory. 4.Bd2 avoids the massive forests of lines after 4.Qc2 or 4.e3, steering the game into less-charted territory.
Central tension. White often follows with Nf3, e3, and Nge2, keeping a flexible center before striking with e4 or d5.

Historical Roots

Named for Austrian master Hermann Steiner (1905-1955), who introduced the idea in the 1930s. Although overshadowed by more fashionable lines, it remains a practical surprise weapon.

Sample Game

Kasparov – Timman, Tilburg 1991, shows how White can exploit the bishop pair:

Kasparov later opened the center with e4 and converted his spatial edge.

Did You Know?

4.Bd2 can transpose into the Queen’s Indian if Black plays …b6 early.
Many club players adopt the Steiner because it cuts down on theoretical study—yet Grandmasters still roll it out as an occasional surprise.