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English Opening A10

A — Flank openings · Family: English Opening

1. c4

🎓 Train this family

The English Opening (1.c4) is White's most important flank opening: instead of occupying the center immediately, White prepares to strike with d4 or to keep the position closed and outplay the opponent. In spirit it is a reversed Sicilian with an extra tempo, which is why Sicilian specialists so often adopt it.

Three main paths arise: the Reversed Sicilian against ...e5 set-ups, where d5 levers and kingside space matter; the Symmetrical English with ...c5; and the Botvinnik system with e4 and a central space grab against Indian defenses. Black's counterplans typically target d4 with ...e5 or ...c5, so an understanding of pawn breaks matters more here than memorized theory.

Play through the moves on the board above, explore the variations tree below — click any move of any branch — then test yourself against the engine from the position you picked.

• Position after 1 half-moves — Black to move.
• Material is balanced.
• Family “English Opening” contains 175 recorded variation(s) here.

Variations tree of the English Opening family

Click any move to jump to that position; switch branches at any point with the alternative moves. Test your knowledge plays the shown position against the engine.

Variations of this family

Related puzzles

Lichess tactics played in this opening — solve them right on the board:

Related openings

Nearby ECO codes in the A — Flank openings volume — compare the move orders:

• Réti Opening (A09)
• King's Indian Attack (A07)
• Zukertort Opening (A06)
• English Orangutan (A15)
• Zukertort Opening (A05)
• Zukertort Opening (A04)