Ronan Bennett and Daniel King on chess: I recognise this as one of the main lines of the Philidor Defence. But even if I wasn't reasonably familiar with the theory of the Philidor I would, on principle, avoid the exchange. What has White to gain from taking? Far better that Black be encouraged to play ... exd4, giving up his stake in the centre. But let's say White goes for 7 dxe5. If I had the black pieces, I'd probably play 7... Nxe5 rather than recapturing with the pawn. Now Black has a piece in the centre, threatens the white bishop on c4 and has opened the diagonal for his own light-squared bishop. White would either have to capture again on e5 or retreat the bishop to e2, otherwise ...

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