A10

English Opening

1. c4

The position after 1. c4, Black to move.

In the English Opening, aim to understand the plans and pawn structures, not just memorize the first moves.

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The English Opening is a chess opening classified under ECO code A10. It is reached after the moves 1. c4: 1 move in, with Black to play.

Learn its typical plans and pawn structures rather than memorizing moves — that’s what holds up over the board.

Dozens of named variations branch from this position; the list at the end of the page goes one move deeper into each.

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Variations of the English Opening

Agincourt Defense1. c4 e6
Agincourt Defense, Bogoljubow Defense1. c4 e6 2. Nf3 d5 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Bd6
Agincourt Defense, Catalan Defense1. c4 e6 2. Nf3 d5 3. g3 b6 4. Bg2 Bb7 5. O-O
Agincourt Defense, Catalan Defense Accepted1. c4 e6 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 dxc4
Agincourt Defense, Catalan Defense, Semi-Slav Defense1. c4 e6 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 c6
Agincourt Defense, Kurajica Defense1. c4 e6 2. Nf3 d5 3. g3 c6
Agincourt Defense, Tarrasch Defense1. c4 e6 2. Nf3 d5 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 c5 5. b3 Nc6 6. O-O Be7
Agincourt Defense, Wimpy System1. c4 e6 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. b3 d5 4. Bb2 c5 5. e3
Neo-Catalan1. c4 e6 2. Nf3 d5 3. g3 Nf6
Neo-Catalan Declined1. c4 e6 2. Nf3 d5 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Be7
Romanishin Gambit1. c4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. g3 a6 4. Bg2 b5
Agincourt Defense, Keres Defense1. c4 e6 2. Nf3 d5 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. O-O c5 6. cxd5 Nxd5 7. Nc3 Nc6
Agincourt Defense, Neo-Catalan Declined1. c4 e6 2. Nf3 d5 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. O-O
Agincourt Defense, Neo-Catalan Declined, Early b31. c4 e6 2. Nf3 d5 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. b3
Anglo-Indian Defense1. c4 Nf6
Anglo-Indian Defense, Anti-Anti-Grunfeld1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 g6 3. Nf3 Bg7 4. e4
Anglo-Indian Defense, Grunfeld Formation1. c4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. g3 d5
Anglo-Indian Defense, King's Indian Formation1. c4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6
Anglo-Indian Defense, King's Indian Formation, Double Fianchetto1. c4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. g3 b6 4. Bg2 Bb7
Anglo-Indian Defense, King's Knight Variation1. c4 Nf6 2. Nf3
Anglo-Indian Defense, Old Indian Formation1. c4 Nf6 2. Nf3 d6
Anglo-Indian Defense, Queen's Indian Formation1. c4 Nf6 2. Nf3 b6
Anglo-Indian Defense, Romanishin Variation1. c4 e6 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. g3 a6
Anglo-Indian Defense, Scandinavian Defense1. c4 Nf6 2. Nf3 d5
Anglo-Indian Defense, Scandinavian Defense, Exchange Variation1. c4 Nf6 2. Nf3 d5 3. cxd5 Nxd5
Anglo-Indian Defense, Slav Formation1. c4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. g3 c6
Anglo-Grunfeld Defense1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d5
Anglo-Grunfeld Defense, Korchnoi Variation1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d5 3. cxd5 Nxd5 4. Nf3 g6 5. g3 Bg7 6. Bg2 e5
Anglo-Indian Defense, Anglo-Grunfeld Variation1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d5 3. cxd5 Nxd5 4. Nf3
Anglo-Indian Defense, Queen's Knight Variation1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3
Anglo-Indian Defense, Hedgehog System1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 e6
Anglo-Indian Defense, Nimzo-English1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 e6 3. Nf3 Bb4
Anglo-Indian Defense, Queen's Indian Variation1. c4 e6 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Nf3 b6 4. e4 Bb7 5. Bd3
Anglo-Indian Defense, Zvjaginsev-Krasenkow Attack1. c4 e6 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Nf3 Bb4 4. g4
Mikenas-Carls Variation1. c4 e6 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. e4
Anglo-Indian Defense, Flohr-Mikenas-Carls Variation, Nei Gambit1. c4 e6 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. e4 c5 4. e5 Ng8
Mikenas-Carls, Sicilian1. c4 e6 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. e4 c5
Reversed Sicilian1. c4 e5
Drill Variation1. c4 e5 2. g3 h5
King's English Variation1. c4 e5

Related openings

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