Philidor Larsen variation

Is it any good?

I love playing the KID with black and notice some similarities with some KID positions. I haven't found anything as satisfying against e4. Some pirc variations seem to end with black playing for a draw, or just without any play.
Any experiences with the Larsen Philidor? Is it any different?

Most chess lovers who do not bother with openings theory would play 2...d6.
In fact Philidor defence is not worse than any other unpopular defence. Najdorf won several games on strong tournaments, last time in super tornament in Bugojno 1982.

Larsen's touch is 5...g6.
Peter Leko lost once as a white against that variation.

It's good (or better: it's not bad) not only "for the club level", but also as one of the roads "less travelled".

Originally posted by LordOfTheChessboard
Is it any good?

I love playing the KID with black and notice some similarities with some KID positions. I haven't found anything as satisfying against e4. Some pirc variations seem to end with black playing for a draw, or just without any play.
Any experiences with the Larsen Philidor? Is it any different?

I've played the Larsen Philidor, and just like you it came from the playing the KID and the Pirc for some time.

The Larsen Philidor is playable, but it is tempermental, hard to handle, and offers no play beyond what one could get from a Pirc or Modern position.

For the most part, I ended up with positions similar to the Dragon, but with an open e-file instead of an open c-file, which is less dynamic.

I did well against lower-rated players with it, but it was a tough grind in most games.

I think it might be worthwhile for you to take a look at GM Nigel Davies Starting Out: The Modern. It is a very personal book for him, in that he uses many of his own games, and he is very open about his personal biases and approach to the Modern.

In the bibliography, he lists "my formerly secret notebooks" as one of his sources, and that is very indicative of his style and tone for the book. An excellent read.

Originally posted by Paul Leggett
I've played the Larsen Philidor, and just like you it came from the playing the KID and the Pirc for some time.

The Larsen Philidor is playable, but it is tempermental, hard to handle, and offers no play beyond what one could get from a Pirc or Modern position.

For the most part, I ended up with positions similar to the Dragon, but with an open ...[text shortened]... sources, and that is very indicative of his style and tone for the book. An excellent read.

Thank you, this is very helpful. I will take a look at this book. I already read parts of tiger's modern but it was a lot of theory. Perhaps i'm to lazy to learn openings. 😀