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ECO A10Flank opening

English Opening

A centre without central pawns

  • Fianchetto
  • Positional play
  • Hypermodern

White starts from the flank: the c4 pawn aims at d5 without occupying the centre. The idea is to keep the centre at a distance and choose a convenient continuation after Black's reply. The English is flexible: it easily transposes into a Queen's Gambit, a Sicilian or a King's Indian. That is why it is not always pleasant to play against.

Interactive Opening Board

6…Nb6

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Black
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♔
White
6…Nb6
Speed:

Moves

(12 plies • 6 moves)
6…Nb6Tabiya

The knight retreats, keeping the pieces: a complex positional struggle ahead.

  1. 1–6moves
  2. 1.
  3. 2.
  4. 3.
  5. 4.
  6. 5.
  7. 6.

Defining move

1.c4! — pressure from the wing

The move that makes the opening English

White does not rush to occupy the centre with pawns. The c4 pawn prepares pressure on d5 and leaves the choice open: after Black's reply White can build a centre, transpose to a Queen's Gambit or keep the position flexible. It is an opening for those who like to choose the structure as the game goes.

Tabiya

The Reversed Sicilian

The structure resembles the Sicilian with colours reversed: Black has the central e5 pawn, White an extra move. White presses along the long diagonal and the c-file and waits for the moment to strike with d2-d4. Black guards the centre and seeks counterplay, often with …f5.

The centre

A wing pawn controls the centre

White has the c4 pawn and the d2 and e2 pawns still at home; Black has a central e5 pawn. The d4 square is weak for Black, and a white knight wants it.

Key squaresd5d4e5

Outposts

  • d5The target square

    The c4 pawn, the g2 bishop and the c3 knight all aim at d5. Whoever holds the square holds the centre.

  • d4Black's hole

    After …e5 the d4 square cannot be covered by a pawn. A white knight on d4 can be very strong.

Thematic breaks

  • d5Black

    The …d7-d5 strike

    Stop White from pressing with c4 and gain space of your own.

    What follows: If White trades, Black gets development and White the long diagonal.

  • d4White

    The d2-d4 central break

    Turn the pressure of pieces into a centre when Black is not ready.

    What follows: The game transposes into a Queen's Gambit or a Sicilian, depending on the reply.

White’s plan

  • Press on d5 and on the long diagonal g2–b7: g3, Bg2.
  • Choose the structure: Queen's Gambit, Sicilian or King's Indian.
  • Prepare d2-d4 once Black shows their hand.

Black’s plan

  • Take the centre: …e5 or …d5.
  • Play symmetrically (…c5) and transpose to Sicilian schemes.
  • Do not let White get the centre without a fight.

History

The name comes from the Englishman Howard Staunton, who played 1.c4 in his match with Saint-Amant in 1843. His contemporaries were not impressed, and it was taken seriously only in the twentieth century: Botvinnik, Fischer, Kasparov, Karpov and Carlsen chose it in the most important games.

Legends who played it

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