Chessy
English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense — play it as Black
After 1.c4 Nf6, you are in a flexible fight where White gets the first choice and you have to answer accurately. The position is already slightly better for White, so your goal is not to “win the opening” on the spot, but to stay solid, meet White’s most common ideas, and reach a playable middlegame. The drill below lets you practise the exact position and learn how the engine expects you to respond.
Play the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense against the engine
Free, no signup — you play black, the engine adapts to your level.
Play the drill now and practise the key responses as Black. Create a free account to train this position and sharpen your opening play.
Create a free account →What the position is asking of you
The opening starts with 1.c4 Nf6, and that already tells you what kind of game you are entering: a compact, strategic battle rather than a sharp forced line. Because White is to move in the diagram position, you must be ready for several common setups. The practical job as Black is simple: keep your position healthy, develop smoothly, and avoid giving White easy space or easy central control.
What the numbers say
Stockfish rates this +0.34, a small edge for White. That means you are slightly worse, but not out of the game. The database at this exact position is very large: across 8,850,328 games, White wins 49.1%, draws 4.1%, and Black wins 46.7%. So this is not a collapsing opening for Black, but you do need to know how to answer White’s main choices cleanly.
The engine’s main answer
The engine’s best move here is Nf3, and the continuation given is Nf3 c6 Nc3 d5. The lesson is that Black is aiming for a solid central setup and a natural piece placement, not for immediate tactics. In practice, if you keep following sensible development and central counterplay, you are usually steering the game into a normal middlegame where understanding matters more than memorised tricks.
White’s most common tries
The most-played continuations show what you should expect most often:
- Nc3: 4,907,342 games, White scores 49.6%
- d4: 1,291,360 games, White scores 47.9%
- g3: 1,107,996 games, White scores 51.0%
- e3: 595,657 games, White scores 47.9%
- Nf3: 330,282 games, White scores 49.5%
- d3: 284,588 games, White scores 46.7%
This means you should be comfortable facing both direct central play and slower fianchetto-style development. The drill is most useful when you recognise these setups quickly and keep your position under control.
How to think about the middlegame
This opening usually leads to a position where both sides are still organising their pieces and deciding how to contest the centre. As Black, you should stay alert to White’s flexible move order and answer with calm development rather than impatience. Since the position already gives White a small edge, good play is about reducing that pressure and reaching a middlegame where your pieces are active and your structure is sound.
Results across 8,850,328 Lichess games
| Most-played continuation | Games | White wins |
|---|---|---|
| Nc3 | 4,907,342 | 49.6% |
| d4 | 1,291,360 | 47.9% |
| g3 | 1,107,996 | 51.0% |
| e3 | 595,657 | 47.9% |
| Nf3 | 330,282 | 49.5% |
| d3 | 284,588 | 46.7% |
Frequently asked questions
Is the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense good for Black?
It is playable, but the evaluation here is not equal. Stockfish gives **+0.34, a small edge for White**, so you should expect White to be slightly more comfortable. Your task is to stay solid and make the game difficult for White.
What is the best move for Black in this position?
The engine’s best move is **Nf3**. The listed continuation is **Nf3 c6 Nc3 d5**, which shows Black aiming for a stable central setup. That is a good practical guide for how to handle the position.
What should I expect White to play most often?
The most common continuation is **Nc3**, with **4,907,342 games**. Other major choices include **d4**, **g3**, **e3**, **Nf3**, and **d3**. So you need to be ready for both central and kingside development plans.
Is this an aggressive opening or a quiet one?
It is generally a flexible, strategic opening rather than an all-out tactical one. The move **1.c4 Nf6** leads to a position where both sides can develop in different ways. As Black, the focus is on solid play, central control, and piece development.
How many games feature the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense?
Over 9 million Lichess games have reached the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense position. White wins 49.1%, Black wins 46.7%, with 4.1% draws — based on real rated games.