A10-A39 (+C20)

English Opening

175 named lines in this family, ECO A10-A39 (+C20). Under each line you get its moves and the sentences it adds that this page has not already printed; sixty lines to a page. A line's own page carries up to its first 4 per-move notes in full.

Anglo-Indian Defense, Queen's Knight VariationA16

1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3

c4 fights for d5 without committing the centre pawns: White often fianchettoes and plays a reversed Sicilian with an extra tempo.

1. c4 Fights for d5 from the flank - contesting the centre without committing a centre pawn. Theory calls this the English Opening.
1... Nf6 Develops the knight to f6, eyeing d5 and e4. Theory calls this the Anglo-Indian Defense.
2. Nc3 Develops the knight to c3, eyeing d5 and e4.

Anglo-Grünfeld DefenseA16

1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d5

2... d5 Stakes a claim in the centre, controlling e4, and frees the bishop and queen. Theory calls this the Anglo-Grünfeld Defense.

Anglo-Indian Defense, Anglo-Grünfeld Variation, after 4. Nf3, through 4. Nf3A16

1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d5 3. cxd5 Nxd5 4. Nf3

An early pawn trade leaves the c-file as White's avenue and the d-file as Black's - both sides get real winning chances down their own file.

Anglo-Indian Defense, Anglo-Grünfeld Variation, after 4. Nf3, through 4... g6A16

1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d5 3. cxd5 Nxd5 4. Nf3 g6

Anglo-Indian Defense, Anglo-Grünfeld Variation, after 4. g3, through 5... Nb6A16

1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d5 3. cxd5 Nxd5 4. g3 g6 5. Bg2 Nb6

White's kingside bishop takes the long diagonal.

Anglo-Indian Defense, Anglo-Grünfeld Variation, after 4. g3, through 5... Nxc3A16

1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d5 3. cxd5 Nxd5 4. g3 g6 5. Bg2 Nxc3

Anglo-Grünfeld Defense, Korchnoi VariationA16

1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d5 3. cxd5 Nxd5 4. Nf3 g6 5. g3 Bg7 6. Bg2 e5

White's kingside bishop takes the long diagonal and Black's kingside bishop takes the long diagonal.

Anglo-Indian Defense, Hedgehog SystemA17

1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 e6

2... e6 Supports the centre, adding control of d5. Theory calls this the Hedgehog System.

Anglo-Indian Defense, Nimzo-EnglishA17

1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 e6 3. Nf3 Bb4

Anglo-Indian Defense, Queen's Indian Formation, after 1... e6, through 3... b6A17

1. c4 e6 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Nf3 b6

1... e6 Theory calls this the Agincourt Defense.

Anglo-Indian Defense, Zvjaginsev-Krasenkow AttackA17

1. c4 e6 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Nf3 Bb4 4. g4

Anglo-Indian Defense, Queen's Indian VariationA17

1. c4 e6 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Nf3 b6 4. e4 Bb7 5. Bd3

Black's queenside bishop takes the long diagonal.

Anglo-Indian Defense, after 2. Nc3A17

1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d5 3. cxd5 Nxd5 4. Nf3 c5 5. e3 e6

Mikenas-Carls Variation, through 3. e4A18

1. c4 e6 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. e4

Mikenas-Carls Variation, after 3... Nc6A18

1. c4 e6 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. e4 Nc6

Mikenas-Carls Variation, after 3... d5A18

1. c4 e6 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. e4 d5 4. e5

Mikenas-Carls, SicilianA19

1. c4 e6 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. e4 c5

Anglo-Indian Defense, Flohr-Mikenas-Carls Variation, Nei GambitA19

1. c4 e6 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. e4 c5 4. e5 Ng8

King's English Variation, through 1... e5A20

1. c4 e5

1... e5 Stakes a claim in the centre, controlling d4, and frees the bishop and queen. Theory calls this the King's English Variation.

King's English Variation, Nimzowitsch VariationA20

1. c4 e5 2. Nf3

2. Nf3 Develops the knight to f3, eyeing d4 and e5. Theory calls this the Nimzowitsch Variation.

Drill VariationA20

1. c4 e5 2. g3 h5

2. g3 Prepares the fianchetto: the bishop will take the long diagonal via g2.
2... h5 A useful waiting move that grabs space on the h-file. Theory calls this the Drill Variation.

King's English Variation, Nimzowitsch-Flohr VariationA20

1. c4 e5 2. Nf3 e4

2... e4 Puts the question to the knight on f3 - retreat, trade, or be taken. Theory calls this the Nimzowitsch-Flohr Variation.

King's English Variation, Kahiko-Hula GambitA20

1. c4 e5 2. e3 Nf6 3. f4 exf4 4. Nf3

An early pawn trade leaves the e-file as Black's avenue and the f-file as White's - both sides get real winning chances down their own file. Black keeps the extra pawn; White plays for time, open lines, and initiative - the classic gambit trade.