Hanham Variation Philidor Defence

the other main option black maintain central tension , adopt setup ...nd7, ...be7, , ...c6. plan named hanham variation (after american chess master james moore hanham) , favoured aron nimzowitsch. common line is: 3... nf6 4. nc3 nbd7 5. bc4 be7 6. 0-0 (6.ng5 interesting alternative: after 6...0-0 7.bxf7+ rxf7 8.ne6 qe8 9.nxc7 qd8 10.nxa8, white material up, black can develop strong initiative after, example, 10...b5 11.nxb5 qa5+) 6... 0-0 7. a4 (to prevent ...b5) 7... c6 (see diagram).

grandmaster larry kaufman notes hanham variation aims maintain black s pawn on e5, analogously closed lines of ruy lopez, , opines quite popular , on par major defences 1.e4, except annoying detail black can t reach hanham position force.

as alternative 4.nc3 in response black s 3...nf6, according both kaufman , grandmaster christian bauer, white retains advantage with: 4. dxe5! nxe4 5. qd5! (the rellstab variation; 5.nbd2 sokolsky variation) 5... nc5 6. bg5 be7 7. exd6 qxd6 8. nc3.

alternative move order

black tries 3... nd7 intending 4.nc3 ngf6, reaching hanham variation. 4. bc4! awkward black meet, since 4...ngf6 loses 5.ng5, , 4...be7 loses pawn 5.dxe5 nxe5 (5...dxe5?? 6.qd5! wins) 6.nxe5 dxe5 7.qh5! 4... c6 best black, leaves white advantage of bishop pair after 5. 0-0 be7 6. dxe5 dxe5 (6...nxe5 loses pawn 7.nxe5 dxe5 8.qh5) 7. ng5! bxg5 8. qh5! qe7 , 9.bxg5 or 9.qxg5.

black experiments reach hanham variation

in recent years, black has experimented other move orders in attempt reach hanham variation while avoiding 3...nf6 4.dxe5! , 3...nd7 4.bc4!

one such line 1. e4 d6 2. d4 nf6 3. nc3 nbd7 intending 4.nf3 e5. white can deviate, however, 4.f4!? or 4.g4!?
another try 1. e4 d6 2. d4 nf6 3. nc3 e5 transposes hanham after 4.nf3 nbd7, white can instead try gain small advantage 4. dxe5 (kaufman opines 4.nge2 promising ) 4... dxe5 5. qxd8+ kxd8 6. bc4. after 4.dxe5, bauer concludes white stands trifle better provided plays accurately, black doesn t have fear following 6.bc4, choosing of 3 valid replies, 6...ke8, 6...bb4, or 6...be6. 7.bxe6 fxe6 position remains hard nut crack.




^ kaufman 2004, p. 65.
^ hooper & whyld 1996, rellstab variation, p. 334.
^ hooper & whyld 1996, sokolsky variation, p. 378.
^ kaufman 2004, p. 69.
^ bauer 2006, p. 32.
^ bauer 2006, p. 16.
^ bauer 2006, pp. 17–22.
^ bauer 2006, p. 179.
^ kaufman 2004, p. 199.
^ bauer 2006, pp. 197–206.
^ bauer 2006, p. 174.