English Opening

Play as WhiteSystem

A flexible flank opening that can transpose into many different pawn structures.

The main line, move by move

1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. g3 d5 5. cxd5 Nxd5 6. Bg2 Nb6 7. O-O Be7 8. a3 O-O 9. b4 Be6 10. Rb1 f6

  1. 1. c4 — Control d5 from the flank and stay flexible.
  2. 1... e5 — Black takes the center with a pawn.
  3. 2. Nc3 — Develop the knight and add more control of d5.
  4. 2... Nf6 — Black develops and eyes e4.
  5. 3. Nf3 — Develop the knight toward the center.
  6. 3... Nc6 — Develop the knight and eye d4.
  7. 4. g3 — Prepare to fianchetto the bishop on the long diagonal.
  8. 4... d5 — Strike in the center, like a Sicilian with colors reversed.
  9. 5. cxd5 — Takes the pawn on d5.
  10. 5... Nxd5 — Takes the pawn on d5.
  11. 6. Bg2 — The bishop now rakes the long diagonal.
  12. 6... Nb6 — Retreat the knight to a good square.
  13. 7. O-O — Castle: your king gets safe and a rook joins the game.
  14. 7... Be7 — Develop the bishop and prepare to castle.
  15. 8. a3 — Prepare b4 to gain space.
  16. 8... O-O — Castle: your king gets safe and a rook joins the game.
  17. 9. b4 — Gain space on the queenside.
  18. 9... Be6 — Develop the bishop and protect the center.
  19. 10. Rb1 — Put the rook behind the b-pawn.
  20. 10... f6

Other sound lines

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