English Opening: Complete Guide

Flexible flank opening — avoid deep theory while keeping winning chances against any setup. Drill every main line against an adaptive engine, backed by real Lichess win rates and Stockfish evaluations.

219 variations 514,690,640 total games Avg Stockfish +0.26

Play the main line: English Opening

Free, no signup — you play white, the engine adapts to your level.

Practice every variation in this family with AI coaching after every game.

Create a free account →

All 219 variations of the English Opening

Openings & Plans English Opening ECO A10 71M games Anti-Openings English Opening ECO A10 71M games Openings & Plans English Opening: Anglo-Scandinavian Defense: d4 ECO A10 35M games Openings & Plans English Opening: King's English Variation ECO A20 28M games Openings & Plans English Opening: Caro-Kann Defensive System: d4 ECO A11 23M games Openings & Plans English Opening: e5 ECO A10 16M games Openings & Plans English Opening: King's English Variation, Reversed Sicilian ECO A21 16M games Openings & Plans English Opening: Agincourt Defense: d4 ECO A13 13M games Openings & Plans English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense: d4 ECO A15 13M games Openings & Plans English Defense ECO A40 12M games Anti-Openings English Opening: g6 ECO A10 8M games Openings & Plans English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense ECO A15 8M games Openings & Plans English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Queen's Knight Variation: g6 ECO A16 8M games Openings & Plans English Opening: Symmetrical Variation ECO A30 7M games Openings & Plans English Opening: Anglo-Scandinavian Defense ECO A10 6M games Openings & Plans English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense: Nc3 ECO A15 6M games Openings & Plans English Opening: King's English Variation: Nc3 ECO A20 6M games Openings & Plans English Opening: King's English Variation, Two Knights Variation ECO A22 6M games Openings & Plans English Opening: Agincourt Defense ECO A13 6M games Openings & Plans English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Queen's Knight Variation ECO A16 4M games Openings & Plans English Defense: e4 ECO A40 4M games Openings & Plans English Opening: d5 ECO A10 4M games Openings & Plans English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Hedgehog System: d4 ECO A17 4M games Openings & Plans English Opening: The Whale ECO C20 4M games Openings & Plans English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Normal Variation ECO A34 4M games Openings & Plans English Opening: Anglo-Scandinavian Defense: cxd5 ECO A10 3M games Openings & Plans English Opening: Great Snake Variation ECO A10 3M games Anti-Openings English Opening: b6 ECO A10 3M games Anti-Openings English Opening: f5 ECO A10 3M games Openings & Plans English Opening: e6 ECO A10 3M games Openings & Plans English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Queen's Knight Variation: d6 ECO A16 3M games Openings & Plans English Opening: Caro-Kann Defensive System ECO A11 3M games Openings & Plans English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, King's Knight Variation: e6 ECO A15 2M games Openings & Plans English Opening: Anglo-Lithuanian Variation: Nc3 ECO A10 2M games Openings & Plans English Opening: King's English Variation, Reversed Closed Sicilian ECO A25 2M games Openings & Plans English Opening: Carls-Bremen System ECO A22 2M games Openings & Plans English Opening: King's English Variation: d4 ECO A20 2M games Openings & Plans English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Two Knights Variation ECO A35 2M games Openings & Plans English Opening: Symmetrical Variation: e4 ECO A30 2M games Openings & Plans English Opening: c6 ECO A10 1M games Openings & Plans English Defense: Nf3 ECO A40 1M games Openings & Plans English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Hedgehog System ECO A17 1M games Openings & Plans English Opening: The Whale: Nf6 ECO C20 1M games Openings & Plans English Opening: Caro-Kann Defensive System: e4 ECO A11 1M games Openings & Plans English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense: g3 ECO A15 1M games Openings & Plans English Opening: King's English Variation: g3 ECO A20 1M games Openings & Plans English Opening: King's English Variation, Reversed Sicilian: Nf6 ECO A21 1M games Openings & Plans English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense: e3 ECO A15 1M games Openings & Plans English Opening: King's English Variation: e3 ECO A20 1M games Openings & Plans English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Queen's Knight Variation: e5 ECO A16 1M games Openings & Plans English Opening: Carls-Bremen System: Nc6 ECO A22 1M games Openings & Plans English Opening: King's English Variation, Kramnik-Shirov Counterattack ECO A21 1M games Openings & Plans English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, King's Knight Variation ECO A15 1M games Openings & Plans English Opening: Nf6 ECO A10 1M games Openings & Plans English Opening: Agincourt Defense: Nc3 ECO A13 1M games Anti-Openings English Opening: Nc6 ECO A10 1M games Openings & Plans English Opening: Anglo-Dutch Defense: d4 ECO A10 1M games Openings & Plans English Defense: e3 ECO A40 1M games Openings & Plans English Opening: King's English Variation, Reversed Sicilian: Nc6 ECO A21 1M games Openings & Plans English: Four Knights ECO A28 1M games Openings & Plans English Opening: King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation ECO A28 1M games Openings & Plans English Opening: King's English Variation, Reversed Closed Sicilian: Nf3 ECO A25 1M games Openings & Plans English Opening: King's English Variation, Two Knights Variation: Nf3 ECO A22 1M games Openings & Plans English Opening: King's English Variation: e4 ECO A20 1M games Openings & Plans English Opening: c5 ECO A10 1M games Openings & Plans English Opening: Caro-Kann Defensive System: Nc3 ECO A11 1M games Openings & Plans English Opening: Anglo-Dutch Defense ECO A10 1M games Openings & Plans English Opening: Anglo-Lithuanian Variation ECO A10 1M games Openings & Plans English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, King's Knight Variation: d6 ECO A15 1M games Openings & Plans English Opening: Agincourt Defense: e4 ECO A13 974K games Openings & Plans English Opening: King's English Variation, Reversed Closed Sicilian: g3 ECO A25 966K games Openings & Plans English: King's Indian ECO A15 932K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Two Knights, Fianchetto Variation ECO A36 924K games Openings & Plans English Opening: King's English Variation, Three Knights System ECO A27 878K games Openings & Plans English Opening: King's English Variation, Reversed Sicilian: Bc5 ECO A21 716K games Openings & Plans English Opening: The Whale: Nc6 ECO C20 715K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Symmetrical Variation: Nc3 ECO A30 710K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Anglo-Scandinavian Defense, Malvinas Variation ECO A10 709K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Anglo-Lithuanian Variation: e3 ECO A10 698K games Openings & Plans English Opening: King's English Variation, Nimzowitsch Variation ECO A20 681K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Anglo-Lithuanian Variation: g3 ECO A10 666K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Caro-Kann Defensive System: Nf3 ECO A11 623K games Openings & Plans English Opening: King's English Variation, Two Knights Variation, Reversed Dragon ECO A22 567K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Queen's Knight Variation: d5 ECO A16 560K games Openings & Plans English Opening: King's English Variation, Reversed Closed Sicilian: e3 ECO A25 554K games Openings & Plans English Opening: King's English Variation, Two Knights Variation: e4 ECO A22 545K games Openings & Plans English Opening: King's English Variation, Kramnik-Shirov Counterattack: g3 ECO A21 511K games Openings & Plans English Opening: King's English Variation, Two Knights Variation: g3 ECO A22 511K games Openings & Plans English Opening: King's English Variation, Two Knights Variation, Smyslov System ECO A22 511K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Normal Variation: e6 ECO A34 507K games Openings & Plans English Opening: King's English Variation, Kramnik-Shirov Counterattack: e4 ECO A21 465K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Carls-Bremen System: d5 ECO A22 447K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Anglo-Lithuanian Variation: d4 ECO A10 443K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Carls-Bremen System: c6 ECO A22 439K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Normal Variation: Nc6 ECO A34 425K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Scandinavian Defense ECO A15 425K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Agincourt Defense: e3 ECO A13 424K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Anglo-Grünfeld Defense ECO A16 419K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Anglo-Grünfeld Defense ECO A16 419K games Openings & Plans English Opening: King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation: e4 ECO A28 413K games Openings & Plans English Opening: The Whale: d6 ECO C20 409K games Gambits English Opening: Anglo-Scandinavian Defense, Schulz Gambit ECO A10 403K games Openings & Plans English Opening: King's English Variation, Two Knights Variation: d4 ECO A22 398K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense: d3 ECO A15 391K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Anglo-Scandinavian Defense: e3 ECO A10 391K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Anglo-Dutch Defense: Nc3 ECO A10 384K games Openings & Plans English Opening: King's English Variation, Reversed Sicilian: d6 ECO A21 375K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, King's Indian Formation ECO A15 372K games Openings & Plans English Defense: c4 ECO A40 368K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Anti-Benoni Variation ECO A31 368K games Anti-Openings English Opening: d6 ECO A10 356K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Queen's Knight Variation: e6 ECO A16 340K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Mikenas-Carls Variation ECO A18 340K games Openings & Plans English Opening: King's English Variation, Two Knights Variation, Keres Variation ECO A23 333K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Two Knights Variation: g3 ECO A35 329K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Agincourt Defense: g3 ECO A13 323K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Four Knights Variation ECO A35 318K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Two Knights Variation: Nf3 ECO A35 318K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Agincourt Defense: Nf3 ECO A13 316K games Openings & Plans English Opening: King's English Variation, Two Knights Variation: e3 ECO A22 295K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense: Nf3 ECO A15 287K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Queen's Knight Variation: c5 ECO A16 286K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Fianchetto Variation ECO A34 286K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Normal Variation: Nf6 ECO A34 276K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Three Knights Variation ECO A34 276K games Openings & Plans English: Symmetrical ECO A30 276K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Caro-Kann Defensive System: g3 ECO A11 274K games Openings & Plans English Opening: King's English Variation, Reversed Closed Sicilian: d3 ECO A25 261K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Hedgehog System: g3 ECO A17 255K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Great Snake Variation: Nc3 ECO A10 245K games Openings & Plans English Opening: The Whale: Bc5 ECO C20 244K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Great Snake Variation: e4 ECO A10 234K games Openings & Plans English: Four Knights: e4 ECO A28 227K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Normal Variation: d6 ECO A34 220K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, King's Knight Variation: d5 ECO A15 218K games Openings & Plans English Defense: Bf4 ECO A40 216K games Openings & Plans English Opening: King's English Variation, Reversed Closed Sicilian: e4 ECO A25 212K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Two Knights Variation: e4 ECO A35 211K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, King's Knight Variation: c6 ECO A15 204K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Anglo-Dutch Defense: g3 ECO A10 193K games Openings & Plans English Opening: King's English Variation, Reversed Sicilian: f5 ECO A21 193K games Gambits English Opening: Jaenisch Gambit ECO A10 188K games Openings & Plans English Opening: King's English Variation, Two Knights Variation: d3 ECO A22 184K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Anglo-Scandinavian Defense: Nc3 ECO A10 184K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Hedgehog System: e3 ECO A17 169K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Scandinavian Defense, Exchange Variation ECO A15 169K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Two Knights Variation: e3 ECO A35 162K games Openings & Plans English Opening: King's English Variation, Reversed Sicilian: Bb4 ECO A21 155K games Openings & Plans English Opening: The Whale: c5 ECO C20 155K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Old Indian Formation ECO A15 150K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Caro-Kann Defensive System: e3 ECO A11 148K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Anglo-Scandinavian Defense: g3 ECO A10 128K games Openings & Plans English: Four Knights: e3 ECO A28 125K games Openings & Plans English Opening: King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation: e3 ECO A28 125K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Great Snake Variation: g3 ECO A10 125K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Symmetrical Variation: g3 ECO A30 125K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Mikenas-Carls, Sicilian ECO A19 112K games Openings & Plans English: Four Knights: d4 ECO A28 108K games Openings & Plans English Opening: King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation: d4 ECO A28 108K games Anti-Openings English Opening: b5 ECO A10 106K games Openings & Plans English Opening: King's English Variation, Nimzowitsch-Flohr Variation ECO A20 102K games Gambits English Opening: Anglo-Scandinavian Defense, Löhn Gambit ECO A10 102K games Gambits English Opening: Anglo-Scandinavian Defense, Löhn Gambit ECO A10 102K games Openings & Plans English Opening: King's English Variation, Keres Defense ECO A21 98K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Carls-Bremen System: d6 ECO A22 93K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, King's Knight Variation: g6 ECO A15 90K games Openings & Plans English Opening: King's English Variation, Kramnik-Shirov Counterattack: a3 ECO A21 90K games Openings & Plans English: Four Knights: g3 ECO A28 88K games Openings & Plans English Opening: King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation: g3 ECO A28 88K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Great Snake Variation: Nf3 ECO A10 87K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Symmetrical Variation: Nf3 ECO A30 87K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Myers Defense ECO A10 85K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Neo-Catalan ECO A13 83K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Hedgehog System: e4 ECO A17 77K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Hedgehog System: Nf3 ECO A17 75K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Nimzo-English ECO A17 75K games Openings & Plans English Opening: King's English Variation, Kramnik-Shirov Counterattack: Nf3 ECO A21 73K games Openings & Plans English Opening: The Whale: c6 ECO C20 69K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, King's Knight Variation: c5 ECO A15 68K games Openings & Plans English Opening: King's English Variation, Kramnik-Shirov Counterattack: e3 ECO A21 65K games Openings & Plans English Opening: King's English Variation, Two Knights Variation, Fianchetto Line ECO A24 60K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Hedgehog System: d3 ECO A17 59K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Great Snake Variation: d4 ECO A10 57K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Great Snake Variation: e3 ECO A10 54K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Symmetrical Variation: e3 ECO A30 54K games Openings & Plans English: Four Knights: d3 ECO A28 53K games Openings & Plans English Opening: King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation: d3 ECO A28 53K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Two Knights Variation: d3 ECO A35 49K games Openings & Plans English Defense: Nc3 ECO A40 47K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Normal Variation: g6 ECO A34 47K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Anglo-Scandinavian Defense: c5 ECO A10 45K games Gambits English Opening: Myers Gambit ECO A10 43K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Carls-Bremen System: Bc5 ECO A22 38K games Gambits English Opening: Achilles-Omega Gambit ECO A10 31K games Openings & Plans English Opening: King's English Variation, Smyslov Defense ECO A21 30K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Adorjan Defense ECO A10 28K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Agincourt Defense, Kurajica Defense ECO A13 27K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Anglo-Dutch Defense: Nf3 ECO A10 27K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Queen's Indian Formation ECO A17 26K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Agincourt Defense, Catalan Defense ECO A13 22K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Anglo-Dutch Defense: e3 ECO A10 22K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Carls-Bremen System: Bb4 ECO A22 18K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Normal Variation: b6 ECO A34 18K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Symmetrical Variation: d3 ECO A30 15K games Gambits English Opening: Wing Gambit ECO A30 15K games Openings & Plans English Opening: King's English, Mazedonisch ECO A22 11K games Gambits English Opening: Anglo-Dutch Defense, Hickmann Gambit ECO A10 8K games Gambits English Defense: Eastbourne Gambit ECO A40 6K games Openings & Plans English Opening: King's English Variation: d3 ECO A20 5K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Drill Variation ECO A20 5K games Openings & Plans English Opening: King's English Variation, Kramnik-Shirov Counterattack: Nd5 ECO A21 5K games Gambits English Opening: Anglo-Dutch Variation, Ferenc Gambit ECO A10 4K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Grünfeld Formation ECO A15 3K games Openings & Plans English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Slav Formation ECO A15 2K games Gambits English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Napolitano Gambit ECO A30 1K games Gambits English Opening: Wade Gambit ECO A10 1K games Gambits English Opening: Zilbermints Gambit ECO A10 906 games Openings & Plans English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Romanishin Variation ECO A15 821 games Gambits English Opening: Anglo-Dutch Variation, Chabanon Gambit ECO A10 124 games

Frequently asked questions about the English Opening

What is the english in chess?

The English is a chess opening family with 219 variations covered on Chessy. Over 515 million Lichess games have reached these positions across all rating levels.