Chessy
Play the English Opening: Anglo-Grünfeld Defense as Black
After 1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5, White to move, you are already in a practical battleground. The position asks White to decide how to handle the centre, and your job as Black is simple: meet that choice with active, accurate play. The drill below lets you practise the critical position where the opening branch is most often decided, so you can punish slow moves and know what to do against the main continuations.
Play the English Opening: Anglo-Grünfeld Defense against the engine
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Play the drill now and practise the key replies as Black. Create a free account to track your progress and sharpen this opening.
Create a free account →What the opening is asking for
This Anglo-Grünfeld Defence setup is all about White’s central decision. You have challenged the c-pawn structure early, and now the game often turns on whether White clarifies the centre or drifts into a slower setup. As Black, you want to stay alert and respond with energy rather than just copying moves. The position is already concrete, so good move-order awareness matters more than memorising a long line.
The move the engine wants
Stockfish rates this +0.34, a small edge for White. That means you are slightly worse. The engine’s best move here is cxd5, and the continuation given is cxd5 Nxd5 e4 Nxc3. In practice, that tells you the opening revolves around meeting White’s central tension directly instead of waiting passively. If White allows it, exchanging on d5 is the most important idea to know at this exact moment.
What the database says White usually does
Across 419,383 games at this exact position, White scores 49.6%, draws 4.3%, and Black wins 46.1%. The most-played continuation is cxd5, with 267,420 games and a White score of 50.9%. The other common tries are e3, d4, g3, Nf3, and d3. That means your drill should focus on recognising these human choices quickly, especially the main central capture and the quieter developing moves.
The mistakes to punish
The key warning signs here are the listed mistakes. g3 is a mistake and loses about 1.1 pawns; the better move was cxd5. Nf3 is also a mistake and loses about 1.1 pawns; again, cxd5 was better. d3 is a bigger mistake and loses about 1.3 pawns; cxd5 was better there too. For you as Black, the lesson is clear: if White plays one of these slower moves, you should be ready to benefit from the delay and steer the game back toward the central capture.
Results across 419,383 Lichess games
| Most-played continuation | Games | White wins |
|---|---|---|
| cxd5 | 267,420 | 50.9% |
| e3 | 47,466 | 48.4% |
| d4 | 33,702 | 50.1% |
| g3 | 22,806 | 48.6% |
| Nf3 | 13,845 | 47.3% |
| d3 | 10,324 | 41.2% |
Frequently asked questions
What is the main idea of the English Opening: Anglo-Grünfeld Defense for Black?
You are challenging White’s c-pawn setup early with 1...Nf6 and 2...d5. The position then becomes a test of how White handles the centre. Your practical goal is to stay active and answer White’s choice accurately.
What is the best move in this position?
The engine’s best move here is cxd5. The line given continues cxd5 Nxd5 e4 Nxc3. That makes the central exchange the key move to know in this exact position.
Which White moves are most common here?
The most-played continuation is cxd5, and the other common tries are e3, d4, g3, Nf3, and d3. In the database, cxd5 is by far the most common with 267,420 games. The drill helps you learn how to answer those frequent choices.
Are there any moves White should avoid?
Yes. g3 is listed as a mistake, Nf3 is listed as a mistake, and d3 is listed as a mistake. In each case, the better move was cxd5, so Black should be ready to benefit when White delays the central decision.
How many games feature the English Opening: Anglo-Grünfeld Defense?
Over 419K Lichess games have reached the English Opening: Anglo-Grünfeld Defense position. White wins 49.6%, Black wins 46.1%, with 4.3% draws — based on real rated games.