Openings 1.e4 e5: open games

Damiano Defense (2...f6): Why It Fails and How to Punish It

2...f6 guards e5 with a pawn, but it takes the best square from the g8 knight and opens the e8–h5 diagonal. It is a classic beginner move, and it scores badly for Black at every level below 2000.

For Black1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f6Seen in 0.2% of rated games

Lichess rating

C40King's Pawn Game: Damiano Defense

Games from this position (1600–1999): 2,180

Played	Games	White · Draw · Black
36%	781	59%38%
28%	620	60%35%
18%	401	65%32%
9%	193	55%39%
3%	73	53%41%
2%	33	42%55%
1%	23	48%48%
1%	22	50%45%
0.7%	15	67%33%
0.2%	5	20%20%60%
0.2%	4	100%
<0.1%	2	50%50%

Practice as White Practice as Black

Plans for both sides

White

3.Nxe5! is the punishment: if 3...fxe5, then 4.Qh5+ wins material or mates.
Against 3...Qe7 retreat with 4.Nf3. Black wins the pawn back with ...Qxe4+ but loses time, and White develops with Be2 and O-O.
Quiet moves like 3.Bc4 also give a nice game: Black cannot castle short easily with the f-pawn on f6.

Black

If you play 2...f6, never take back with 3...fxe5 after 3.Nxe5.
3...Qe7 4.Nf3 Qxe4+ 5.Be2 is the least bad line, but White is clearly better.
The simple fix is 2...Nc6: it guards e5 and develops a piece.

Damiano Defense at each rating

How often the position after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f6 comes up in rated Lichess games, how it scores and what players answer next.

Rating	Games (Share of games)	White · Draw · Black	Top next move
<1200	21k0.7%	57%39%	3.Bc438%
1200–1599	11k0.2%	58%39%	3.Bc439%
1600–1999	2,180<0.1%	59%37%	3.Bc436%
2000+	253<0.1%	49%43%	3.Nxe539%
All	34k0.2%	57%39%	3.Bc438%

What usually comes next

The most played moves from here, all ratings together. Thicker line = played more often.

Main variations

Black regains the pawn, but the queen is out early and White develops with tempo.
Too rare in our data for numbers.
Show on the board: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f6 3.Nxe5 Qe7 4.Nf3 Qxe4+ 5.Be2
Most common in our games: White develops and aims at the weakened g8–a2 diagonal.
1,744 games from this position (all ratings, any move order). White won 55%, 3% were drawn, Black won 42%.
Show on the board: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f6 3.Bc4 Nc6 4.O-O
White opens the center while Black’s kingside is loose.
1,601 games from this position (all ratings, any move order). White won 58%, 4% were drawn, Black won 38%.
Show on the board: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f6 3.d4 d6 4.Bc4

Common traps

3...fxe5? 4.Qh5+ g6

After 4...g6 5.Qxe5+ the queen forks the king and the rook on h8. White wins the rook.

In our data, the last move of this line was played in 727 games.

Show on the board: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f6 3.Nxe5 fxe5 4.Qh5+ g6 5.Qxe5+ Qe7 6.Qxh8

3...fxe5? 4.Qh5+ Ke7

The king walk is worse: White keeps checking, brings the h-pawn and rook into the attack and mates on h5.

Fewer than 6 games in our data reached the end of this line.

Show on the board: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f6 3.Nxe5 fxe5 4.Qh5+ Ke7 5.Qxe5+ Kf7 6.Bc4+ d5 7.Bxd5+ Kg6 8.h4 h5 9.Bxb7 Bxb7 10.Qf5+ Kh6 11.d4+ g5 12.Qf7 Qe7 13.hxg5+ Qxg5 14.Rxh5#(ends in mate)

At club level

This is a low-rating opening: most of our Damiano games are below 1200, where White scores about 59%. After 3.Nxe5 fxe5 4.Qh5+, White scores about 74%.

Practice it

The trainer answers with the replies people at your rating choose, in the same proportions, and brings back your mistakes on a schedule.

Practice as Black Practice as White

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