ECO family guide

English Opening — all variations and ECO codes

175 named lines across 30 ECO codes (A10–C20), spanning ECO volumes A, C. Source: the CC0-licensed lichess.org opening database.

The main line

Position after 1.c4 (A10). Open this line on Lichess → · English Opening on Lichess

How the main line scores at your rating

Real Lichess win rates for 1.c4, playing as white — the family's other variations are not separately tracked for win rate yet, main line only.

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Win/draw/loss rate by rating band
Rating band	Games	White / draw / Black	Score for white
1400-1600	24,735,282	51.1% / 3.9% / 45.1%	53.0%
1600-1800	32,449,396	50.8% / 4.3% / 44.9%	53.0%
1800-2000	34,158,431	50.5% / 5.0% / 44.6%	53.0%
2000+	33,627,575	49.8% / 6.5% / 43.6%	53.1%

All 175 named variations

Every named line in the English Opening family, from the CC0-licensed ECO classification — not separately tracked for win rate, but every ECO code and move sequence is real, sourced data.

A10English Opening (main line) — 1.c4
A10Achilles-Omega Gambit — 1.c4 Nf6 2.e4
A10Adorjan Defense — 1.c4 g6 2.e4 e5
A10Anglo-Dutch Defense — 1.c4 f5
- A10Hickmann Gambit — 1.c4 f5 2.e4
Anglo-Dutch Variation
- A10Chabanon Gambit — 1.c4 f5 2.Nf3 d6 3.e4
- A10Ferenc Gambit — 1.c4 f5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.e4
A10Anglo-Lithuanian Variation — 1.c4 Nc6
A10Anglo-Scandinavian Defense — 1.c4 d5
- A10Löhn Gambit — 1.c4 d5 2.cxd5 e6
- A10Malvinas Variation — 1.c4 d5 2.cxd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5
- A10Schulz Gambit — 1.c4 d5 2.cxd5 Nf6
A10Great Snake Variation — 1.c4 g6
A10Jaenisch Gambit — 1.c4 b5
A20King's English Variation — 1.c4 e5
A21King's English Variation — 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 d6 3.Nf3
- A26Botvinnik System — 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.d3 d6 6.e4
  - A10Prickly Pawn Pass System — 1.c4 g6 2.Nc3 Bg7 3.g3 Nf6 4.Bg2 O-O 5.e4 d6 6.Nge2 e5 7.O-O c6 8.d3 a6
- A20Kahiko-Hula Gambit — 1.c4 e5 2.e3 Nf6 3.f4 exf4 4.Nf3
- A20Nimzowitsch Variation — 1.c4 e5 2.Nf3
- A20Nimzowitsch-Flohr Variation — 1.c4 e5 2.Nf3 e4
- A21Keres Defense — 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 d6 3.g3 c6
- A21Kramnik-Shirov Counterattack — 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Bb4
- A21Reversed Sicilian — 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3
- A21Smyslov Defense — 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 d6 3.Nf3 Bg4
- A21Troger Defense — 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 d6 4.Bg2 Be6
- A22Adhiban Gambit — 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 e4 4.Ng5 c6
- A22Bellon Gambit — 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 e4 4.Ng5 b5
- A22Two Knights Variation — 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6
  - A22Reversed Dragon — 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.g3 d5
  - A22Smyslov System — 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.g3 Bb4
  - A23Keres Variation — 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.g3 c6
    A23Keres Variation — 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.g3 Bc5 4.Bg2 c6
  - A24Fianchetto Line — 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.g3 g6
- A25Bremen-Hort Variation — 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.e3 d6 6.Nge2 Be6
- A25Closed System — 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.d3
  - A26Full Symmetry — 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.d3 d6
- A25Hungarian Attack — 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.Rb1
- A25Reversed Closed Sicilian — 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6
  A25Reversed Closed Sicilian — 1.c4 e5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 Nc6 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.Nd5
  A25Reversed Closed Sicilian — 1.c4 e5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 Nc6 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.e4 d6 6.Nge2
  A25Reversed Closed Sicilian — 1.c4 e5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 Nc6 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.e4 d6 6.Nge2 Bg4
  A25Reversed Closed Sicilian — 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.g3 Bb4 4.e4 O-O 5.Nge2 Nc6 6.Bg2
- A25Taimanov Variation — 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7
- A27Three Knights System — 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.Nf3
- A28Four Knights Variation — 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nc6
  A28Four Knights Variation — 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.d4 exd4 5.Nxd4 Bb4 6.Bg5 h6 7.Bh4 Bxc3+ 8.bxc3 Ne5
  - A28Bradley Beach Variation — 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.d4 e4
  - A28Flexible Line — 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.d3
  - A28Korchnoi Line — 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.a3
  - A28Quiet Line — 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.e3
    A28Quiet Line — 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.e3 Bb4 5.Qc2 Bxc3
    A28Quiet Line — 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.e3 Bb4 5.Qc2 O-O 6.Nd5 Re8 7.Qf5
  - A29Fianchetto Line — 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.g3
    A29Fianchetto Line — 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.g3 Bb4
    A29Fianchetto Line — 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.g3 Bb4 5.Bg2 Bxc3 6.dxc3 d6 7.O-O O-O
    A29Fianchetto Line — 1.c4 e5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.Nf3 Nc6
    A29Fianchetto Line — 1.c4 e5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.Nf3 Nc6 6.d3
    A29Fianchetto Line — 1.c4 e5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.Nf3 Nc6 6.d3 Be7 7.O-O O-O
    - A29Delayed .. Nc6 — 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.g3 Bb4 4.Bg2 O-O 5.Nf3 Re8 6.O-O e4 7.Nd4 Nc6
    - A29with .. d6 — 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.g3 Bc5 5.d3 d6 6.Bg2
      A29with .. d6 — 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.g3 Bc5 5.d3 d6 6.Bg2 O-O 7.O-O
      - A29Be7 — 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.g3 Nc6 4.Bg2 d6 5.d3 Be7 6.Nf3 O-O
      - A29a6 — 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.g3 Bc5 5.d3 d6 6.Bg2 a6
      - A29h6 — 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.g3 Bc5 5.d3 d6 6.Bg2 h6
    - A29with Bc5 — 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.g3 d5 5.cxd5 Nxd5 6.Bg2 Bc5
    - A29with Nb6 — 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.g3 d5 5.cxd5 Nxd5 6.Bg2 Nb6
A10Myers Defense — 1.c4 g5
A10Myers Gambit — 1.c4 g5 2.d4 Bg7
A10Porcupine Variation — 1.c4 f5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.e4 fxe4 4.g4
A10Wade Gambit — 1.c4 f5 2.g4
A10Zilbermints Gambit — 1.c4 g5 2.d4 e5
A11Caro-Kann Defensive System — 1.c4 c6
A13Agincourt Defense — 1.c4 e6
A13Agincourt Defense — 1.c4 e6 2.Nf3
A13Agincourt Defense — 1.c4 e6 2.Nf3 d5
A13Agincourt Defense — 1.c4 e6 2.Nf3 d5 3.b3 Nf6 4.Bb2 Be7 5.e3 O-O
A13Agincourt Defense — 1.c4 e6 2.Nf3 d5 3.b3 Nf6 4.Bb2 Be7 5.e3 O-O 6.d4
- A13Bogoljubow Defense — 1.c4 e6 2.Nf3 d5 3.g3 Nf6 4.Bg2 Bd6
- A13Catalan Defense — 1.c4 e6 2.Nf3 d5 3.g3 b6 4.Bg2 Bb7 5.O-O
  A13Catalan Defense — 1.c4 e6 2.Nf3 d5 3.g3 c5
  - A13Semi-Slav Defense — 1.c4 e6 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 c6
- A13Catalan Defense Accepted — 1.c4 e6 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 dxc4
- A13Kurajica Defense — 1.c4 e6 2.Nf3 d5 3.g3 c6
- A13Tarrasch Defense — 1.c4 e6 2.Nf3 d5 3.g3 Nf6 4.Bg2 c5 5.b3 Nc6 6.O-O Be7
- A13Wimpy System — 1.c4 e6 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.b3 d5 4.Bb2 c5 5.e3
- A14Keres Defense — 1.c4 e6 2.Nf3 d5 3.g3 Nf6 4.Bg2 Be7 5.O-O c5 6.cxd5 Nxd5 7.Nc3 Nc6
- A14Neo-Catalan Declined — 1.c4 e6 2.Nf3 d5 3.g3 Nf6 4.Bg2 Be7 5.O-O
  A14Neo-Catalan Declined — 1.c4 e6 2.Nf3 d5 3.g3 Nf6 4.Bg2 Be7 5.O-O O-O 6.b3
  A14Neo-Catalan Declined — 1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 e6 4.O-O Be7 5.c4 O-O 6.b3 c5
  A14Neo-Catalan Declined — 1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 e6 4.O-O Be7 5.c4 O-O 6.b3 c5 7.e3
  A14Neo-Catalan Declined — 1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 e6 4.O-O Be7 5.c4 O-O 6.b3 c5 7.e3 d4
  A14Neo-Catalan Declined — 1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 e6 4.O-O Be7 5.c4 O-O 6.b3 c5 7.e3 Nc6
  - A14Early b3 — 1.c4 e6 2.Nf3 d5 3.g3 Nf6 4.Bg2 Be7 5.b3
    A14Early b3 — 1.c4 e6 2.Nf3 d5 3.g3 Nf6 4.Bg2 Be7 5.b3 b6
    A14Early b3 — 1.c4 e6 2.Nf3 d5 3.g3 Nf6 4.Bg2 Be7 5.b3 c5
A13Neo-Catalan — 1.c4 e6 2.Nf3 d5 3.g3 Nf6
A13Neo-Catalan Declined — 1.c4 e6 2.Nf3 d5 3.g3 Nf6 4.Bg2 Be7
A13Romanishin Gambit — 1.c4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.g3 a6 4.Bg2 b5
A15Anglo-Indian Defense — 1.c4 Nf6
A17Anglo-Indian Defense — 1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.cxd5 Nxd5 4.Nf3 c5 5.e3 e6
- A15Anti-Anti-Grünfeld — 1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 g6 3.Nf3 Bg7 4.e4
- A15Grünfeld Formation — 1.c4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.g3 d5
- A15King's Indian Formation — 1.c4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6
  - A15Double Fianchetto — 1.c4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.g3 b6 4.Bg2 Bb7
- A15King's Knight Variation — 1.c4 Nf6 2.Nf3
- A15Old Indian Formation — 1.c4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d6
- A15Queen's Indian Formation — 1.c4 Nf6 2.Nf3 b6
  A15Queen's Indian Formation — 1.c4 e6 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.g3 b6 4.Bg2 Bb7
  A17Queen's Indian Formation — 1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 b6
- A15Romanishin Variation — 1.c4 e6 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.g3 a6
- A15Scandinavian Defense — 1.c4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d5
  - A15Exchange Variation — 1.c4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d5 3.cxd5 Nxd5
- A15Slav Formation — 1.c4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.g3 c6
- A16Anglo-Grünfeld Variation — 1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.cxd5 Nxd5 4.Nf3
  A16Anglo-Grünfeld Variation — 1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.cxd5 Nxd5 4.Nf3 g6
  A16Anglo-Grünfeld Variation — 1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.cxd5 Nxd5 4.g3 g6 5.Bg2 Nb6
  A16Anglo-Grünfeld Variation — 1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.cxd5 Nxd5 4.g3 g6 5.Bg2 Nxc3
- A16Queen's Knight Variation — 1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3
- A17Hedgehog System — 1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e6
- A17Nimzo-English — 1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e6 3.Nf3 Bb4
- A17Queen's Indian Variation — 1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 b6 4.e4 Bb7 5.Bd3
- A17Zvjaginsev-Krasenkow Attack — 1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 Bb4 4.g4
- Flohr-Mikenas-Carls Variation
  - A19Nei Gambit — 1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.e4 c5 4.e5 Ng8
A16Anglo-Grünfeld Defense — 1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5
- A16Korchnoi Variation — 1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.cxd5 Nxd5 4.Nf3 g6 5.g3 Bg7 6.Bg2 e5
A18Mikenas-Carls Variation — 1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.e4
A18Mikenas-Carls Variation — 1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.e4 Nc6
A18Mikenas-Carls Variation — 1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.e4 d5 4.e5
Mikenas-Carls
- A19Sicilian — 1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.e4 c5
A20Drill Variation — 1.c4 e5 2.g3 h5
A22Carls-Bremen System — 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.g3
King's English
- A22Erbenheimer Gambit — 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 e4 4.Ng5 Ng4
- A22Mazedonisch — 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.f4
Closed
- A25Taimanov Variation — 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Rb1 Nh6 5.Bg2 Bg7
  A25Taimanov Variation — 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.e3 d6 6.Nge2 Nh6
Four Knights System
- A28Nimzowitsch Variation — 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.e4
A30Symmetrical Variation — 1.c4 c5
A30Symmetrical Variation — 1.c4 c5 2.Nf3
A34Symmetrical Variation — 1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.g3 d5 5.d4 cxd4
A35Symmetrical Variation — 1.c4 c5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 e5
- A30Hedgehog Defense — 1.c4 e6 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 c5 4.g3 b6 5.Bg2 Bb7 6.O-O Be7
- A30Napolitano Gambit — 1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.b4
- A31Anti-Benoni Variation — 1.c4 Nf6 2.d4 c5 3.Nf3
  - A32Spielmann Defense — 1.c4 e6 2.d4 c5 3.Nf3 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6
    A33Spielmann Defense — 1.c4 e6 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 c5 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 Nc6
  - A33Geller Variation — 1.c4 e6 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 c5 4.d4 Nc6 5.g3 cxd4 6.Nxd4 Qb6
- A34Fianchetto Variation — 1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 c5 3.g3
- A34Normal Variation — 1.c4 c5 2.Nc3
- A34Rubinstein Variation — 1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 c5 3.g3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.Bg2 Nc7
  A34Rubinstein Variation — 1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.g3 Nc6 6.Bg2 Nc7
- A34Three Knights Variation — 1.c4 c5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3
- A35Four Knights Variation — 1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 Nc6
  - A35Keres-Parma System — 1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.g3 e6
- A35Two Knights Variation — 1.c4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6
- A36Botvinnik System — 1.c4 c5 2.e4 Nc6 3.Nc3 g6 4.g3 Bg7 5.Bg2
- Botvinnik System Reversed
  - A36with e3 — 1.c4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.e3 e5
  - A37with Nf3 — 1.c4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.Nf3 e5
    A37with Nf3 — 1.c4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.Nf3 e5 6.O-O d6
    A37with Nf3 — 1.c4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.Nf3 e5 6.O-O Nge7
    A37with Nf3 — 1.c4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.Nf3 e5 6.O-O Nge7 7.a3
    A37with Nf3 — 1.c4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.Nf3 e5 6.O-O Nge7 7.d3
    A37with Nf3 — 1.c4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.Nf3 e5 6.O-O Nge7 7.d3 d6
- Two Knights
  - A36Fianchetto Variation — 1.c4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3
- A36Ultra-Symmetrical Variation — 1.c4 c5 2.g3 g6 3.Bg2 Bg7 4.Nc3 Nc6
- Three Knights
  - A37Fianchetto Variation — 1.c4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.Nf3
    A37Fianchetto Variation — 1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.O-O d6 6.Nc3
    A37Fianchetto Variation — 1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.O-O e6 6.Nc3
- A38Double Fianchetto — 1.c4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.Nf3 Nf6 6.O-O O-O 7.b3
- A38Duchamp Variation — 1.c4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 O-O 5.O-O c5 6.Nc3 Nc6 7.d3
- A38Full Symmetry Line — 1.c4 Nf6 2.Nf3 c5 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.g3 g6 5.Bg2 Bg7
- A39Mecking Variation — 1.c4 Nf6 2.Nf3 c5 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.g3 g6 5.Bg2 Bg7 6.O-O O-O 7.d4
Symmetrical
- Hedgehog
  - A30Flexible Formation — 1.c4 e6 2.Nf3 c5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.g3 b6 5.Bg2 Bb7 6.O-O Be7 7.d4 cxd4 8.Qxd4 d6 9.Rd1 a6 10.b3 Nbd7
A30Wing Gambit — 1.c4 c5 2.b4
C20The Whale — 1.e4 e5 2.c4