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.

King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation, Quiet Line, after 4... Bb4, through 5... Bxc3A28

1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. e3 Bb4 5. Qc2 Bxc3

c4 fights for d5 without committing the centre pawns: White often fianchettoes and plays a reversed Sicilian with an extra tempo. White's pawn on d2 is pinned against the king.

• 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... Nf6 Develops the knight to f6, eyeing d5 and e4. Theory calls this the Two Knights Variation.

King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation, Quiet Line, after 4... Bb4, through 7. Qf5A28

1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. e3 Bb4 5. Qc2 O-O 6. Nd5 Re8 7. Qf5

King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation, after 4. d4A28

1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. d4 exd4 5. Nxd4 Bb4 6. Bg5 h6 7. Bh4 Bxc3+ 8. bxc3 Ne5

White has doubled pawns on the c-file.

King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation, Fianchetto Line, after 2. Nc3, through 4. g3A29

1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. g3

King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation, Fianchetto Line, after 2. Nc3, through 4... Bb4A29

1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. g3 Bb4

King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation, Fianchetto Line, after 2. g3, through 5... Nc6A29

1. c4 e5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. Nf3 Nc6

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. White's kingside bishop takes the long diagonal.

• 2. g3 Prepares the fianchetto: the bishop will take the long diagonal via g2.

King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation, Fianchetto Line, after 2. g3, through 6. d3A29

1. c4 e5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. d3

King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation, Fianchetto Line, with .. d6, through 6. Bg2A29

1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. g3 Bc5 5. d3 d6 6. Bg2

King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation, Fianchetto Line, with .. d6, Be7A29

1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. g3 Nc6 4. Bg2 d6 5. d3 Be7 6. Nf3 O-O

King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation, Fianchetto Line, with .. d6, a6A29

1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. g3 Bc5 5. d3 d6 6. Bg2 a6

King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation, Fianchetto Line, with .. d6, h6A29

1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. g3 Bc5 5. d3 d6 6. Bg2 h6

King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation, Fianchetto Line, with Bc5A29

1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. g3 d5 5. cxd5 Nxd5 6. Bg2 Bc5

King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation, Fianchetto Line, with Nb6A29

1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. g3 d5 5. cxd5 Nxd5 6. Bg2 Nb6

King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation, Fianchetto Line, with .. d6, after 6... O-OA29

1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. g3 Bc5 5. d3 d6 6. Bg2 O-O 7. O-O

White's pawn on f2 is pinned against the king.

King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation, Fianchetto Line, after 2. Nc3, through 7... O-OA29

1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. g3 Bb4 5. Bg2 Bxc3 6. dxc3 d6 7. O-O O-O

The structure hands White the half-open d-file - rook pressure down it is a standing plan.

King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation, Fianchetto Line, after 2. g3, through 7... O-OA29

1. c4 e5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. d3 Be7 7. O-O O-O

King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation, Fianchetto Line, Delayed .. Nc6A29

1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. g3 Bb4 4. Bg2 O-O 5. Nf3 Re8 6. O-O e4 7. Nd4 Nc6

Symmetrical Variation, through 1... c5A30

1. c4 c5

• 1... c5 Fights for d4 from the flank - contesting the centre without committing a centre pawn. Theory calls this the Symmetrical Variation.

Symmetrical Variation, after 2. Nf3, through 2. Nf3A30

1. c4 c5 2. Nf3

• 2. Nf3 Develops the knight to f3, eyeing d4 and e5.

Wing GambitA30

1. c4 c5 2. b4

• 2. b4 Challenges the pawn on c5 - the central tension has to resolve. The pawn is genuinely on offer - this is the Wing Gambit: development and initiative over material.

Symmetrical Variation, Napolitano GambitA30

1. c4 c5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. b4

Symmetrical Variation, Hedgehog DefenseA30

1. c4 e6 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nc3 c5 4. g3 b6 5. Bg2 Bb7 6. O-O Be7

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

• 1... e6 Supports the centre, adding control of d5. Theory calls this the Agincourt Defense.

Symmetrical, Hedgehog, Flexible FormationA30

1. c4 e6 2. Nf3 c5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. g3 b6 5. Bg2 Bb7 6. O-O Be7 7. d4 cxd4 8. Qxd4 d6 9. Rd1 a6 10. b3 Nbd7

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

Symmetrical Variation, Anti-Benoni VariationA31

1. c4 Nf6 2. d4 c5 3. Nf3

• 1... Nf6 Theory calls this the Anglo-Indian Defense.
• 2. d4 Stakes a claim in the centre, controlling e5, and frees the bishop and queen.
• 2... c5 Challenges the pawn on d4 - the central tension has to resolve. Theory calls this the Benoni Defense.

Symmetrical Variation, Anti-Benoni Variation, Spielmann Defense, after 2. d4A32

1. c4 e6 2. d4 c5 3. Nf3 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6

Symmetrical Variation, Anti-Benoni Variation, Spielmann Defense, after 2. Nf3A33

1. c4 e6 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nc3 c5 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 Nc6

Symmetrical Variation, Anti-Benoni Variation, Geller VariationA33

1. c4 e6 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nc3 c5 4. d4 Nc6 5. g3 cxd4 6. Nxd4 Qb6

Symmetrical Variation, Normal VariationA34

1. c4 c5 2. Nc3

Symmetrical Variation, Fianchetto VariationA34

1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 c5 3. g3

Symmetrical Variation, Three Knights VariationA34

1. c4 c5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Nf3

Symmetrical Variation, after 2. Nf3, through 5... cxd4A34

1. c4 c5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nc3 Nc6 4. g3 d5 5. d4 cxd4

Black comes out ahead on material - White needs concrete play to justify it.

Symmetrical Variation, Rubinstein Variation, after 1... Nf6A34

1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 c5 3. g3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. Bg2 Nc7

Symmetrical Variation, Rubinstein Variation, after 1... c5A34

1. c4 c5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. g3 Nc6 6. Bg2 Nc7

Symmetrical Variation, Two Knights VariationA35

1. c4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6

• 2... Nc6 Develops the knight to c6, eyeing d4 and e5.

Symmetrical Variation, after 2. Nc3, through 3... e5A35

1. c4 c5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Nf3 e5

Symmetrical Variation, Four Knights VariationA35

1. c4 c5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nc3 Nc6

Symmetrical Variation, Four Knights Variation, Keres-Parma SystemA35

1. c4 c5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nc3 Nc6 4. g3 e6

Symmetrical Variation, Two Knights, Fianchetto VariationA36

1. c4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3

Symmetrical Variation, Ultra-Symmetrical VariationA36

1. c4 c5 2. g3 g6 3. Bg2 Bg7 4. Nc3 Nc6

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

• 2... g6 Prepares the fianchetto: the bishop will take the long diagonal via g7.

Symmetrical Variation, Botvinnik SystemA36

1. c4 c5 2. e4 Nc6 3. Nc3 g6 4. g3 Bg7 5. Bg2

• 2. e4 Stakes a claim in the centre, controlling d5, and frees the bishop and queen. Theory calls this the Staunton-Cochrane Variation.

Symmetrical Variation, Botvinnik System Reversed, with e3A36

1. c4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. e3 e5

Symmetrical Variation, Three Knights, Fianchetto Variation, after 2. Nc3, through 5. Nf3, line 1A37

1. c4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. Nf3

Symmetrical Variation, Botvinnik System Reversed, with Nf3, through 5... e5A37

1. c4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. Nf3 e5

Symmetrical Variation, Three Knights, Fianchetto Variation, after 2. Nf3, through 6. Nc3, line 2A37

1. c4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. O-O d6 6. Nc3

Symmetrical Variation, Three Knights, Fianchetto Variation, after 2. Nf3, through 6. Nc3, line 3A37

1. c4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. O-O e6 6. Nc3

Symmetrical Variation, Botvinnik System Reversed, with Nf3, after 6. O-O, through 6... d6A37

1. c4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. Nf3 e5 6. O-O d6

Symmetrical Variation, Botvinnik System Reversed, with Nf3, after 6. O-O, through 6... Nge7A37

1. c4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. Nf3 e5 6. O-O Nge7

Symmetrical Variation, Botvinnik System Reversed, with Nf3, after 6. O-O, through 7. a3A37

1. c4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. Nf3 e5 6. O-O Nge7 7. a3

Symmetrical Variation, Botvinnik System Reversed, with Nf3, after 6. O-O, through 7. d3A37

1. c4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. Nf3 e5 6. O-O Nge7 7. d3

Symmetrical Variation, Botvinnik System Reversed, with Nf3, after 6. O-O, through 7... d6A37

1. c4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. Nf3 e5 6. O-O Nge7 7. d3 d6

Symmetrical Variation, Full Symmetry LineA38

1. c4 Nf6 2. Nf3 c5 3. Nc3 Nc6 4. g3 g6 5. Bg2 Bg7

Symmetrical Variation, Double FianchettoA38

1. c4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. Nf3 Nf6 6. O-O O-O 7. b3

Symmetrical Variation, Duchamp VariationA38

1. c4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. g3 Bg7 4. Bg2 O-O 5. O-O c5 6. Nc3 Nc6 7. d3

• 2... g6 Theory calls this the King's Indian Formation.

Symmetrical Variation, Mecking VariationA39

1. c4 Nf6 2. Nf3 c5 3. Nc3 Nc6 4. g3 g6 5. Bg2 Bg7 6. O-O O-O 7. d4

The WhaleC20

1. e4 e5 2. c4

Lines 121–175 of 175 — page 3 of 3.

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