English Opening · A25

King's English Variation, Hungarian Attack

1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. Rb1

White's kingside bishop takes the long diagonal and Black's kingside bishop takes the long diagonal. c4 fights for d5 without committing the centre pawns: White often fianchettoes and plays a reversed Sicilian with an extra tempo.

The first 4 moves, explained

• 1. c4 Fights for d5 from the flank - contesting the centre without committing a centre pawn. Theory calls this the English Opening.
• 1... e5 Stakes a claim in the centre, controlling d4, and frees the bishop and queen. Theory calls this the King's English Variation.
• 2. Nc3 Develops the knight to c3, eyeing d5 and e4. Theory calls this the Reversed Sicilian.
• 2... Nc6 Develops the knight to c6, eyeing d4 and e5. It also props up the e5 pawn. Theory calls this the Reversed Closed Sicilian.

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