The Philidor Position
The essential defensive technique in rook endings — the counterpart to the Lucena.
Published 2026-02-01 | Last verified 2026-02-12
Professor Archer says: If the Lucena teaches you how to win, the Philidor teaches you how to survive. And in chess, knowing how to survive is often just as valuable as knowing how to win. I tell my students that these two positions are like two sides of the same coin — you cannot truly understand one without the other. Francois-Andre Danican Philidor, the great eighteenth-century master, gave us this defensive gem, and it has saved countless games in the centuries since.
What Is the Philidor Position?
The Philidor Position is the defensive counterpart to the Lucena. While the Lucena shows how to win a rook-and-pawn endgame with the pawn on the seventh rank, the Philidor shows how to draw one when you are on the defending side, provided you set up correctly before the pawn advances too far.
The key idea is deceptively simple: the defending rook sits on the third rank (from the defender's perspective, or the sixth rank from the attacker's perspective), cutting off the enemy king. As long as the pawn remains on the fifth rank, the rook stays on the third rank, forming an impenetrable barrier. The attacking king cannot advance past its pawn because the rook controls the entire rank.
Once the pawn advances to the sixth rank, the defending rook switches strategy. It retreats to the first rank (the attacker's back rank) and begins delivering checks from behind. Because the pawn has advanced to the sixth rank, the attacking king has less room to shelter from checks, and the defender can deliver an infinite series of checks that the attacker cannot escape.
This two-phase defensive plan — third-rank barrier followed by rear checks — is one of the most elegant drawing techniques in chess. Philidor first published it in 1777, and it remains as relevant today as it was nearly 250 years ago.
The Third-Rank Defence
In the diagram, Black's rook sits on e3, controlling the entire third rank. White has a pawn on e5 and a king that would like to advance to support the pawn's journey to e8. But here is the problem: if White's king tries to step onto the sixth rank, the rook on e3 will check it, forcing it back.
For example, if White plays Ke2-Kd3, the rook simply stays on the third rank, perhaps sliding to a3 or c3. The king cannot cross the invisible barrier that the rook creates. Meanwhile, Black's king sits patiently on e8, blockading the pawn from the front.
The beauty of this setup is its stability. As long as Black maintains the rook on the third rank, there is simply no way for White to make progress. White can shuffle pieces around, but the fundamental barrier remains. The pawn cannot advance without the king's support, and the king cannot advance because of the rook.
The critical moment comes when White pushes the pawn from e5 to e6. Now the rook's third-rank role is complete, and it must switch to phase two: it retreats all the way to the back rank and begins checking from behind. The pawn on the sixth rank actually helps the defender because it restricts the space available to the attacking king, making it harder to escape the checks.
Black's rook on the third rank creates an impassable barrier. White's king cannot cross to the sixth rank.
Phase Two: Checking from Behind
Once the enemy pawn advances to the sixth rank, the defending rook retreats to the first rank (from the attacker's perspective, the eighth rank; from the defender's perspective, the first rank). From this distant position, the rook delivers checks along the file or rank, and the attacking king has no shelter.
Why does the pawn on the sixth rank help the defender? Because the attacking king is squeezed between its own pawn and the edge of the board. If the king stands in front of the pawn (on the seventh rank), it blocks the pawn's advance. If the king steps to the side, it is exposed to rook checks with no pawn shield. The pawn on the sixth rank, which seemed like a threat, actually becomes a wall that hems in the attacking king.
The defender's rook checks relentlessly from behind. If the king goes to the seventh rank, the rook checks. If the king steps sideways, the rook checks. If the king retreats toward the pawn, the rook checks. There is simply no way to escape the harassment, and the position is a theoretical draw.
This perpetual checking mechanism is what makes the Philidor Position so reliable. Unlike the Lucena, where the attacker has a concrete winning plan, the Philidor gives the defender an equally concrete drawing plan. The contest between these two techniques is the heart of rook endgame theory.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
The Philidor defensive technique is simple in concept but requires precision in execution. Here are the most common mistakes that turn a drawable position into a loss.
The number one mistake is placing the rook passively. If the defending rook goes to the first rank too early (before the pawn reaches the sixth rank), the attacker's king can advance freely, and the checking distance may not be sufficient to create a perpetual. The third-rank barrier must be maintained as long as possible.
The second mistake is moving the defending king away from the promotion square. The defending king should stay on the queening square or nearby, blockading the pawn from the front. If the king wanders to the side, the attacker may be able to advance the king and pawn together, reaching a Lucena Position where the bridge technique wins.
The third mistake is panicking when the pawn reaches the sixth rank. Some defenders see the pawn advancing and try to check from the side, or move the rook to a random square. The correct response is always the same: retreat the rook to the back rank and start checking from behind. Trust the technique.
Finally, remember that the Philidor only works cleanly against a center or bishop's pawn. Rook pawns (a and h files) create special situations because the defending king can be squeezed against the edge of the board. Against a rook pawn, the defensive technique is different and requires separate study.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Philidor Position in chess?
The Philidor Position is the essential defensive technique in rook-and-pawn endgames. The defender places the rook on the third rank to block the enemy king from advancing, then switches to checking from behind once the pawn reaches the sixth rank, securing a draw.
How do you defend using the Philidor Position?
Keep your rook on the third rank as a barrier while the pawn is on the fifth rank. Keep your king near the promotion square to blockade the pawn. When the pawn advances to the sixth rank, retreat the rook to the back rank and deliver perpetual checks from behind.
Why is the Philidor Position important?
The Philidor is the counterpart to the Lucena and is essential for defending rook endgames. Knowing this technique allows you to hold draws in positions that would otherwise be lost, and it appears frequently in practical play at all levels.
Professor Archer says: Here is my practical advice: before you play your next tournament game, set up a board and practice the Philidor defensive technique five times. Just five. Play both sides. You will be astonished at how often it appears in your games once you know to look for it. It is a fortress that fits in your pocket, always ready when you need it.
Quick Quiz
In the Philidor defensive technique, where should the defending rook be placed initially?
- On the third rank, cutting off the enemy king (Correct) - Correct. The Philidor defense begins with the rook on the third rank, forming a barrier that prevents the attacking king from advancing to support the pawn. The rook stays there until the pawn reaches the sixth rank.
- Behind the enemy pawn on the same file - Placing the rook behind the pawn is a different technique (Tarrasch's principle for the attacking side). In the Philidor, the defending rook goes to the third rank to cut off the king, not behind the pawn.
- On the first rank, ready to check - Checking from the first rank is phase two of the Philidor, used only after the pawn advances to the sixth rank. Going there too early allows the attacking king to advance freely.
- Next to the defending king for mutual protection - Placing the rook next to the king wastes the rook's long-range power. The rook is most effective creating a barrier on the third rank or checking from maximum distance.