English Opening
The
English Opening is the
chess opening 1.c4 (in
algebraic notation), the fourth most popular opening move in chess. White begins the fight for the center by staking a claim to the d5 square. Common responses are 1...e5 (which can lead to positions similar to the
Sicilian Defence but with opposite colors), 1...c5 (the
Symmetrical Variation), and 1...Nf6. Also perfectly playable are 1...e6 (often leading to a
Queen's Gambit Declined after 2.d4 d5) and 1...c6 (often leading to a
Slav Defence after 2.d4 d5, a
Caro-Kann Defence after 2.e4 d5, or a
Reti Opening after 2.Nf3 d5 3.b3).
The English is a very flexible opening. Although many lines of the English have a distinct character, as the above discussion suggests it often transposes into other openings. If White plays an early d4, the game will usually transpose into either the
Queen's Gambit or an
Indian defence.For example, after:1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 g6 3.d4 d5the game has transposed into the
Grünfeld Defence, usually reached by the move order:1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5.
Note, however, that White can also play:1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 g6 3.e4making it impossible for Black to reach a Grünfeld, and instead more or less forcing him to defend a
King's Indian Defence with 3...d6. Black also cannot force a Grünfeld with 1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5, since White can deviate with 3.cxd5 Nxd5 4.g3.
Instead of playing an early d4, White can also play Nf3 and
fianchetto the
king's bishop (g3 and Bg2), transposing into a
Reti Opening.
Also, after 1.c4 c6, white can transpose into the
Polish Opening, Outflank Variation, by playing 2.b4!?, which can be used as a surprise weapon if Black doesn't know very much about the Polish Opening.
The many different transpositional possibilities available to White make the English a slippery opening for Black to defend against, and make it advisable for him to consider carefully what
move order to employ. For instance, if Black would like to play a
Queen's Gambit Declined, the most accurate move order to do so is 1...e6 2.d4 d5. (Of course, White can again play the Reti instead with 2.Nf3 d5 3.b3.) If Black plays instead 1...Nf6 2.Nc3 e6, White can avoid the QGD by playing 3.e4 instead.
The English derives its name from the
English (unofficial)
world champion,
Howard Staunton, who played it during his 1843 match with
Amant. It fell out of favor (the opening was notably disdained by
Morphy), but is now recognized as a solid opening that may be used to reach both classical and
hypermodern positions.
Botvinnik,
Karpov, and
Kasparov all employed it during their world championship matches.
Bobby Fischer created a stir when he switched to it from the
King's Pawn against
Boris Spassky in 1972.
The
Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings has classified the English Opening under the codes A10 through A39:
*A10 1.c4
*A11 1.c4 c6 (Caro-Kann Defence)
*A12 1.c4 c6 2.Nf3 d5 3.b3
*A13 1.c4 e6
*A14 1.c4 e6 2.Nf3 d5 3.g3 Nf6 4.Bg2 Be7 5.0-0
*A15 1.c4 Nf6
*A16 1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3
*A17 1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e6
*A18 1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e6 3.e4 (Mikenas-Carls Variation)
*A19 1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e6 3.e4 c5
*A20 1.c4 e5
*A21 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3
*A22 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6
*A23 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.g3 c6 (Bremen System, Keres Variation)
*A24 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.g3 g6 (Bremen System with ...g6)
*A25 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6
*A26 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.d3 d6
*A27 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.Nf3 (Three Knights System)
*A28 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.Nf3 Nf6
*A29 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.g3 (Four Knights, Kingside Fianchetto)
*A30 1.c4 c5 (Symmetrical Variation)
*A31 1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.d4 (Symmetrical, Benoni Formation)
*A32 1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 e6
*A33 1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 e6 5.Nc3 Nc6
*A34 1.c4 c5 2.Nc3
*A35 1.c4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6
*A36 1.c4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3
*A37 1.c4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.Nf3
*A38 1.c4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.Nf3 Nf6
*A39 1.c4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.Nf3 Nf6 6.0-0 0-0 7.d4
* Modern Chess Openings, 14th ed., pgs. 661-665.
*
Chess Books about the English Opening
