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 idea
White develops flexibly on the flank without committing the center pawns at all, able to transpose into a reversed Sicilian (with an extra tempo), a Catalan-style setup, or a fully symmetrical structure depending entirely on how Black replies. It’s less a single strategic plan than an umbrella covering several different hypermodern approaches that all happen to share one first move.
The main line
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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| Rating band | Games | White / draw / Black | Score for white |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1400-1600 | 3,891 | 51.3% / 3.2% / 45.4% | 53.0% |
| 1600-1800 | 5,286 | 50.7% / 4.4% / 44.9% | 52.9% |
| 1800-2000 | 5,999 | 50.9% / 4.9% / 44.2% | 53.3% |
| 2000+ | 6,011 | 48.8% / 6.7% / 44.5% | 52.1% |
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 Gambit1.c4 Nf6 2.e4
- A10Adorjan Defense1.c4 g6 2.e4 e5
- A10Anglo-Dutch Defense1.c4 f5
- A10Hickmann Gambit1.c4 f5 2.e4
Anglo-Dutch Variation
- A10Chabanon Gambit1.c4 f5 2.Nf3 d6 3.e4
- A10Ferenc Gambit1.c4 f5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.e4
- A10Anglo-Lithuanian Variation1.c4 Nc6
- A10Anglo-Scandinavian Defense1.c4 d5
- A10Löhn Gambit1.c4 d5 2.cxd5 e6
- A10Malvinas Variation1.c4 d5 2.cxd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5
- A10Schulz Gambit1.c4 d5 2.cxd5 Nf6
- A10Great Snake Variation1.c4 g6
- A10Jaenisch Gambit1.c4 b5
- A20King’s English Variation1.c4 e5A21King’s English Variation1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 d6 3.Nf3
- A26Botvinnik System1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.d3 d6 6.e4
- A10Prickly Pawn Pass System1.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 Gambit1.c4 e5 2.e3 Nf6 3.f4 exf4 4.Nf3
- A20Nimzowitsch Variation1.c4 e5 2.Nf3
- A20Nimzowitsch-Flohr Variation1.c4 e5 2.Nf3 e4
- A21Keres Defense1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 d6 3.g3 c6
- A21Kramnik-Shirov Counterattack1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Bb4
- A21Reversed Sicilian1.c4 e5 2.Nc3
- A21Smyslov Defense1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 d6 3.Nf3 Bg4
- A21Troger Defense1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 d6 4.Bg2 Be6
- A22Adhiban Gambit1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 e4 4.Ng5 c6
- A22Bellon Gambit1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 e4 4.Ng5 b5
- A22Two Knights Variation1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6
- A22Reversed Dragon1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.g3 d5
- A22Smyslov System1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.g3 Bb4
- A23Keres Variation1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.g3 c6A23Keres Variation1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.g3 Bc5 4.Bg2 c6
- A24Fianchetto Line1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.g3 g6
- A25Bremen-Hort Variation1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.e3 d6 6.Nge2 Be6
- A25Closed System1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.d3
- A26Full Symmetry1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.d3 d6
- A25Hungarian Attack1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.Rb1
- A25Reversed Closed Sicilian1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6A25Reversed Closed Sicilian1.c4 e5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 Nc6 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.Nd5A25Reversed Closed Sicilian1.c4 e5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 Nc6 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.e4 d6 6.Nge2A25Reversed Closed Sicilian1.c4 e5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 Nc6 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.e4 d6 6.Nge2 Bg4A25Reversed Closed Sicilian1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.g3 Bb4 4.e4 O-O 5.Nge2 Nc6 6.Bg2
- A25Taimanov Variation1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7
- A27Three Knights System1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.Nf3
- A28Four Knights Variation1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nc6A28Four Knights Variation1.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 Variation1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.d4 e4
- A28Flexible Line1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.d3
- A28Korchnoi Line1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.a3
- A28Quiet Line1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.e3A28Quiet Line1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.e3 Bb4 5.Qc2 Bxc3A28Quiet Line1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.e3 Bb4 5.Qc2 O-O 6.Nd5 Re8 7.Qf5
- A29Fianchetto Line1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.g3A29Fianchetto Line1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.g3 Bb4A29Fianchetto Line1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.g3 Bb4 5.Bg2 Bxc3 6.dxc3 d6 7.O-O O-OA29Fianchetto Line1.c4 e5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.Nf3 Nc6A29Fianchetto Line1.c4 e5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.Nf3 Nc6 6.d3A29Fianchetto Line1.c4 e5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.Nf3 Nc6 6.d3 Be7 7.O-O O-O
- A29Delayed .. Nc61.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.g3 Bb4 4.Bg2 O-O 5.Nf3 Re8 6.O-O e4 7.Nd4 Nc6
- A29with .. d61.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.g3 Bc5 5.d3 d6 6.Bg2A29with .. d61.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.g3 Bc5 5.d3 d6 6.Bg2 O-O 7.O-O
- A29Be71.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.g3 Nc6 4.Bg2 d6 5.d3 Be7 6.Nf3 O-O
- A29a61.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.g3 Bc5 5.d3 d6 6.Bg2 a6
- A29h61.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.g3 Bc5 5.d3 d6 6.Bg2 h6
- A29with Bc51.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.g3 d5 5.cxd5 Nxd5 6.Bg2 Bc5
- A29with Nb61.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.g3 d5 5.cxd5 Nxd5 6.Bg2 Nb6
- A10Myers Defense1.c4 g5
- A10Myers Gambit1.c4 g5 2.d4 Bg7
- A10Porcupine Variation1.c4 f5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.e4 fxe4 4.g4
- A10Wade Gambit1.c4 f5 2.g4
- A10Zilbermints Gambit1.c4 g5 2.d4 e5
- A11Caro-Kann Defensive System1.c4 c6
- A13Agincourt Defense1.c4 e6A13Agincourt Defense1.c4 e6 2.Nf3A13Agincourt Defense1.c4 e6 2.Nf3 d5A13Agincourt Defense1.c4 e6 2.Nf3 d5 3.b3 Nf6 4.Bb2 Be7 5.e3 O-OA13Agincourt Defense1.c4 e6 2.Nf3 d5 3.b3 Nf6 4.Bb2 Be7 5.e3 O-O 6.d4
- A13Bogoljubow Defense1.c4 e6 2.Nf3 d5 3.g3 Nf6 4.Bg2 Bd6
- A13Catalan Defense1.c4 e6 2.Nf3 d5 3.g3 b6 4.Bg2 Bb7 5.O-OA13Catalan Defense1.c4 e6 2.Nf3 d5 3.g3 c5
- A13Semi-Slav Defense1.c4 e6 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 c6
- A13Catalan Defense Accepted1.c4 e6 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 dxc4
- A13Kurajica Defense1.c4 e6 2.Nf3 d5 3.g3 c6
- A13Tarrasch Defense1.c4 e6 2.Nf3 d5 3.g3 Nf6 4.Bg2 c5 5.b3 Nc6 6.O-O Be7
- A13Wimpy System1.c4 e6 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.b3 d5 4.Bb2 c5 5.e3
- A14Keres Defense1.c4 e6 2.Nf3 d5 3.g3 Nf6 4.Bg2 Be7 5.O-O c5 6.cxd5 Nxd5 7.Nc3 Nc6
- A14Neo-Catalan Declined1.c4 e6 2.Nf3 d5 3.g3 Nf6 4.Bg2 Be7 5.O-OA14Neo-Catalan Declined1.c4 e6 2.Nf3 d5 3.g3 Nf6 4.Bg2 Be7 5.O-O O-O 6.b3A14Neo-Catalan Declined1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 e6 4.O-O Be7 5.c4 O-O 6.b3 c5A14Neo-Catalan Declined1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 e6 4.O-O Be7 5.c4 O-O 6.b3 c5 7.e3A14Neo-Catalan Declined1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 e6 4.O-O Be7 5.c4 O-O 6.b3 c5 7.e3 d4A14Neo-Catalan Declined1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 e6 4.O-O Be7 5.c4 O-O 6.b3 c5 7.e3 Nc6
- A14Early b31.c4 e6 2.Nf3 d5 3.g3 Nf6 4.Bg2 Be7 5.b3A14Early b31.c4 e6 2.Nf3 d5 3.g3 Nf6 4.Bg2 Be7 5.b3 b6A14Early b31.c4 e6 2.Nf3 d5 3.g3 Nf6 4.Bg2 Be7 5.b3 c5
- A13Neo-Catalan1.c4 e6 2.Nf3 d5 3.g3 Nf6
- A13Neo-Catalan Declined1.c4 e6 2.Nf3 d5 3.g3 Nf6 4.Bg2 Be7
- A13Romanishin Gambit1.c4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.g3 a6 4.Bg2 b5
- A15Anglo-Indian Defense1.c4 Nf6A17Anglo-Indian Defense1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.cxd5 Nxd5 4.Nf3 c5 5.e3 e6
- A15Anti-Anti-Grünfeld1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 g6 3.Nf3 Bg7 4.e4
- A15Grünfeld Formation1.c4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.g3 d5
- A15King’s Indian Formation1.c4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6
- A15Double Fianchetto1.c4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.g3 b6 4.Bg2 Bb7
- A15King’s Knight Variation1.c4 Nf6 2.Nf3
- A15Old Indian Formation1.c4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d6
- A15Queen’s Indian Formation1.c4 Nf6 2.Nf3 b6A15Queen’s Indian Formation1.c4 e6 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.g3 b6 4.Bg2 Bb7A17Queen’s Indian Formation1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 b6
- A15Romanishin Variation1.c4 e6 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.g3 a6
- A15Scandinavian Defense1.c4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d5
- A15Exchange Variation1.c4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d5 3.cxd5 Nxd5
- A15Slav Formation1.c4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.g3 c6
- A16Anglo-Grünfeld Variation1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.cxd5 Nxd5 4.Nf3A16Anglo-Grünfeld Variation1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.cxd5 Nxd5 4.Nf3 g6A16Anglo-Grünfeld Variation1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.cxd5 Nxd5 4.g3 g6 5.Bg2 Nb6A16Anglo-Grünfeld Variation1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.cxd5 Nxd5 4.g3 g6 5.Bg2 Nxc3
- A16Queen’s Knight Variation1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3
- A17Hedgehog System1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e6
- A17Nimzo-English1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e6 3.Nf3 Bb4
- A17Queen’s Indian Variation1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 b6 4.e4 Bb7 5.Bd3
- A17Zvjaginsev-Krasenkow Attack1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 Bb4 4.g4
Flohr-Mikenas-Carls Variation
- A19Nei Gambit1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.e4 c5 4.e5 Ng8
- A16Anglo-Grünfeld Defense1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5
- A16Korchnoi Variation1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.cxd5 Nxd5 4.Nf3 g6 5.g3 Bg7 6.Bg2 e5
- A18Mikenas-Carls Variation1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.e4A18Mikenas-Carls Variation1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.e4 Nc6A18Mikenas-Carls Variation1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.e4 d5 4.e5
Mikenas-Carls
- A19Sicilian1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.e4 c5
- A20Drill Variation1.c4 e5 2.g3 h5
- A22Carls-Bremen System1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.g3
King’s English
- A22Erbenheimer Gambit1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 e4 4.Ng5 Ng4
- A22Mazedonisch1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.f4
Closed
- A25Taimanov Variation1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Rb1 Nh6 5.Bg2 Bg7A25Taimanov Variation1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.e3 d6 6.Nge2 Nh6
Four Knights System
- A28Nimzowitsch Variation1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.e4
- A30Symmetrical Variation1.c4 c5A30Symmetrical Variation1.c4 c5 2.Nf3A34Symmetrical Variation1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.g3 d5 5.d4 cxd4A35Symmetrical Variation1.c4 c5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 e5
- A30Hedgehog Defense1.c4 e6 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 c5 4.g3 b6 5.Bg2 Bb7 6.O-O Be7
- A30Napolitano Gambit1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.b4
- A31Anti-Benoni Variation1.c4 Nf6 2.d4 c5 3.Nf3
- A32Spielmann Defense1.c4 e6 2.d4 c5 3.Nf3 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6A33Spielmann Defense1.c4 e6 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 c5 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 Nc6
- A33Geller Variation1.c4 e6 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 c5 4.d4 Nc6 5.g3 cxd4 6.Nxd4 Qb6
- A34Fianchetto Variation1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 c5 3.g3
- A34Normal Variation1.c4 c5 2.Nc3
- A34Rubinstein Variation1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 c5 3.g3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.Bg2 Nc7A34Rubinstein Variation1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.g3 Nc6 6.Bg2 Nc7
- A34Three Knights Variation1.c4 c5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3
- A35Four Knights Variation1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 Nc6
- A35Keres-Parma System1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.g3 e6
- A35Two Knights Variation1.c4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6
- A36Botvinnik System1.c4 c5 2.e4 Nc6 3.Nc3 g6 4.g3 Bg7 5.Bg2
Botvinnik System Reversed
- A36with e31.c4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.e3 e5
- A37with Nf31.c4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.Nf3 e5A37with Nf31.c4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.Nf3 e5 6.O-O d6A37with Nf31.c4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.Nf3 e5 6.O-O Nge7A37with Nf31.c4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.Nf3 e5 6.O-O Nge7 7.a3A37with Nf31.c4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.Nf3 e5 6.O-O Nge7 7.d3A37with Nf31.c4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.Nf3 e5 6.O-O Nge7 7.d3 d6
Two Knights
- A36Fianchetto Variation1.c4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3
- A36Ultra-Symmetrical Variation1.c4 c5 2.g3 g6 3.Bg2 Bg7 4.Nc3 Nc6
Three Knights
- A37Fianchetto Variation1.c4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.Nf3A37Fianchetto Variation1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.O-O d6 6.Nc3A37Fianchetto Variation1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.O-O e6 6.Nc3
- A38Double Fianchetto1.c4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.Nf3 Nf6 6.O-O O-O 7.b3
- A38Duchamp Variation1.c4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 O-O 5.O-O c5 6.Nc3 Nc6 7.d3
- A38Full Symmetry Line1.c4 Nf6 2.Nf3 c5 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.g3 g6 5.Bg2 Bg7
- A39Mecking Variation1.c4 Nf6 2.Nf3 c5 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.g3 g6 5.Bg2 Bg7 6.O-O O-O 7.d4
Symmetrical
Hedgehog
- A30Flexible Formation1.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 Gambit1.c4 c5 2.b4
- C20The Whale1.e4 e5 2.c4
Browse more
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