Chessy
How to Play the English Opening: Anglo-Lithuanian Variation
After 1.c4 Nc6, you are in a position where White gets the move but you already have a clear target: answer White’s central play accurately and keep the game on principled terms. The engine’s main idea is straightforward, and the database shows that White often chooses natural developing moves here. In the drill below, you will practice meeting this setup as Black, spotting the most common tries, and choosing the move that keeps your position solid.
Play the English Opening: Anglo-Lithuanian Variation against the engine
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Create a free account →What this opening is really asking of you
The key theme is simple: White is to move, and Black has chosen a flexible setup with 1...Nc6. Stockfish rates this +0.64, a small edge for White. That means you are slightly worse here, so your job is not to grab space recklessly, but to stay accurate and make White work for every advantage. This is a good position to train calm defence and sensible development, because the first important decision belongs to White.
The engine’s main answer
The engine’s best move here is d4, continuing d4 e5 d5 Bb4+. That tells you what Black is trying to meet: a direct central advance, then active piece play. You do not need to guess at a long forcing line beyond that; the lesson is that Black should be ready for central tension and quick development, not passive waiting. In practice, this is the moment where accurate response matters most.
What White usually plays
The most common continuations are Nc3, d4, g3, e3, Nf3, and e4. The first three are especially frequent, and all of them lead to positions where White keeps pressing for the more comfortable game. Since White’s scoring is strong in this exact position, your aim is to understand the typical setup rather than hope for mistakes. If you know what White is likely to choose, you can meet it with more confidence in the drill.
The moves to punish
The database flags two clear inaccuracies and one bigger mistake. e3 is an inaccuracy and loses about 0.6 pawns compared with the best move d4. Nf3 is also an inaccuracy and loses about 0.5 pawns, again with d4 as the better move. e4 is a mistake and loses about 1.1 pawns, with d4 still the better choice. That makes this a useful position for Black: if White chooses one of these slower or less precise moves, you should be ready to benefit from it.
What the numbers say about the position
Across 1,038,621 games at this exact position, White wins 53.0%, draws 3.9%, and Black wins 43.1%. Those numbers fit the engine evaluation: White is doing a bit better, but not so much that Black cannot play for a full game. Treat this as a practical defensive opening, where good structure and accurate central play matter more than memorising sharp tricks.
Results across 1,038,621 Lichess games
| Most-played continuation | Games | White wins |
|---|---|---|
| Nc3 | 521,882 | 53.7% |
| d4 | 138,978 | 53.6% |
| g3 | 129,609 | 54.4% |
| e3 | 85,067 | 51.8% |
| Nf3 | 53,555 | 52.6% |
| e4 | 31,654 | 49.1% |
Frequently asked questions
Is the English Opening: Anglo-Lithuanian Variation good for Black?
It is playable, but the position is not equal. Stockfish rates it +0.64, a small edge for White, so you should expect to defend a slightly worse position rather than claim an advantage.
What is the best move here for White?
The engine’s best move is d4, continuing d4 e5 d5 Bb4+. In this exact position, White’s central play is the main thing Black must respect.
Which White moves are most common here?
The most-played continuations are Nc3, d4, g3, e3, Nf3, and e4. Nc3 is the most frequent by a wide margin, with d4 and g3 also very popular.
What mistakes should I look for as Black?
The clearest ones in the database are e3, Nf3, and e4. e3 and Nf3 are inaccuracies, while e4 is a mistake, and all three are marked worse than the engine’s best move d4.
How many games feature the English Opening: Anglo-Lithuanian Variation?
Over 1 million Lichess games have reached the English Opening: Anglo-Lithuanian Variation position. White wins 53.0%, Black wins 43.1%, with 3.9% draws — based on real rated games.