"ChessTheBlitzer" on the PCG

In a follow-up to his previous video on the Philidor Counter Gambit, ChessTheBlitzer states his opinion that White gets no advantage after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 f5 4.Nc3 fxe4 5.Nxe4 Nf6. Besides asking for feedback from viewers on how White could proceed advantageously after 5...Nf6, the narrator requests specifically that I explain my position on the 4.Nc3 variation.

I have played the line after 4.Nc3 fxe4 5.Nxe4 on many occasions and have always responded with 5...d5 instead of 5...Nf6. In my opinion, White maintains an opening plus after 5...Nf6, which is not the best move. Only by playing 5...d5 does Black strive for advantage. After 5...Nf6, the pawn on d6 blocks Black's king bishop from developing to b4 or c5 or d6. But 5...d5, pushing the d-pawn forward with tempo, unleashes the power of the black KB.

To critics who say that 5...d5 is an example of too many pawn moves for Black in the PCG, I pose this question: what did you expect from an opening named after Philidor, the champion of the pawn?