English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense — Queen's Knight g6

With 1.c4 you invite a hypermodern setup, and after 2...g6 Black signals a King's Indian or Grünfeld approach. Your reply 3.d4 is assertive: you take control of the centre with two pawns. Now Black faces a choice. Do they challenge you immediately in the centre, or develop quietly? The statistics from over 8.7 million games show that Black's most popular move here is 3...Bg7, played over 6.9 million times. That's the fianchetto you'd expect — but it's not necessarily the toughest test. Keep your eyes on what happens if Black tries to delay or mis-handle the central fight.

Stockfish's top recommendation for Black is 3...d5, with the continuation 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.cxd5. This is Black's most principled response: they meet your centre pawns head-on. By playing d5, Black aims for a Grünfeld-type structure where the d5 pawn can become a target but also gives Black active piece play. As White, you simply continue developing — Nf3 is natural, and capturing on d5 keeps a solid pawn centre. This is the line you should prepare for if you face a well-booked opponent.

The numbers from Lichess tell a fascinating story about this position. Across 8,703,470 games, White wins 48.3%, draws 4.1%, and Black wins 47.6% — a razor-thin margin. Here's how Black's most common choices break down for your winning chances as White:

Here is where your opening study really pays off. Three of Black's options here are classified as inaccuracies, each losing you about half a pawn of advantage if you respond correctly: - 3...c6: an inaccuracy losing about 0.5 pawns. Black prepares d5 but wastes a tempo. Better was d5. - 3...e6: loses about 0.6 pawns. A passive choice that lets you build a big centre. Better was d5. - 3...c5: loses about 0.5 pawns. This is a direct challenge to your d4 pawn, but it comes at a cost. Better was d5. In all three cases, Black's best according to the engine was simply to play d5 immediately. If your opponent plays any of these less accurate moves, you gain a tangible advantage. No deep tactics needed — just solid play will do.

More than 6.9 million of the 8.7 million games at this position see Black play 3...Bg7 — the natural fianchetto. Statistically, White scores 48.8% here, essentially the same as the overall average. So while 3...Bg7 is playable for Black, it doesn't punish any White mistake. Your plan is straightforward: develop your kingside and maintain your central pawn duo. The engine's preferred 3...d5 is actually Black's sharpest test. Against 3...Bg7, you have no immediate threats to parry, so you can focus on your own piece development and central control — a patient approach works well.