- ECO code
- A15
- Moves
- 1.c4 Nf6 2.Nf3
- Family
- English Opening
- To move
- Black
- Master games
- 591
- Average game length
- 42 moves
- Years covered
- 1925–2026
English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, King's Knight Variation is the opening filed under ECO code A15, reached after 1.c4 Nf6 2.Nf3. It belongs to the English Opening family and is known as the Anglo-Indian Defense, King's Knight Variation; in the resulting position it is Black to move.
Katuranga's collection of 138,070 master games contains 591 games on this line — the 187th most played opening in the collection. The oldest game on this line is from 1925 and the most recent from 2026. The busiest decade in this collection is the 2020s, with 216 games. An average game here lasts 42 moves.
White wins 33% of those games, 46% end in a draw, and Black wins 21%. Compared with the collection average (White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28%), Black scores worse here by 7 percentage points. Draws are more common here than usual, by 11 points.
From this position the most popular move is 2...e6, played in 303 games, followed by 2...g6 (134) and 2...c5 (57). After 2...e6 White scores 33% and Black 18%.
The name that appears most often on the White side of this line is Keymer,Vincent (43 games); on the Black side, Petrosian, Tigran V (23).
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Results in master games
- White 33% (197)
- Draws 46% (271)
- Black 21% (123)
Most played continuations
| Move | Games | White / draws / Black | Leads into |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2...e6 | 303 | 33/49/18 | — |
| 2...g6 | 134 | 40/32/28 | — |
| 2...c5 | 57 | 37/51/12 | — |
| 2...b6 | 48 | 17/56/27 | — |
| 2...c6 | 37 | 27/59/14 | — |
| 2...d6 | 7 | 29/29/42 | — |
| 2...Nc6 | 4 | 50/25/25 | — |
| 2...a6 | 1 | 0/0/100 | — |
How the position is reached
- English Opening · 1.c4 · 10,834 games
- English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense · 1.c4 Nf6 · 3,366 games
Played most often by
As White
- Keymer,Vincent 43
- Giri,A 29
- Smyslov, Vassily 27
As Black
- Petrosian, Tigran V 23
- Giri,A 21
- Aronian,L 19
Games per decade
- 1920s 8
- 1930s 3
- 1940s 10
- 1950s 39
- 1960s 45
- 1970s 72
- 1980s 41
- 1990s 19
- 2000s 38
- 2010s 100
- 2020s 216
Master games on this line
| White | Black | Result | Year | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Keymer,Vincent | Praggnanandhaa,R | 1-0 | 2026 | GCT Super Blitz Croatia |
| Keymer,Vincent | Murzin,Volodar | 0-1 | 2026 | Titled Tue 17th Feb 2026 |
| Vachier Lagrave,M | Sindarov,Javokhir | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | GCT Super Blitz Poland |
| Hnatyshyn,Anastasiia | Abdusattorov,Nodirbek | 1-0 | 2026 | Titled Tue 19th May 2026 |
| Keymer,Vincent | Samunenkov,Ihor | 1-0 | 2026 | Titled Tue 6th Jan 2026 |
| Keymer,Vincent | Lin,Bryan Enming | 1-0 | 2026 | Titled Tue 17th Feb 2026 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, King's Knight Variation?
It is the opening with ECO code A15, reached after 1.c4 Nf6 2.Nf3. It belongs to the English Opening family.
Is the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, King's Knight Variation good for White or for Black?
In 591 master games on this line White wins 33%, 46% are drawn and Black wins 21%. The collection average is White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28% — so this line is no worse than usual for White than the field as a whole.
What is the main continuation of the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, King's Knight Variation?
2...e6 — played in 303 of the master games on this line.
Which grandmasters play the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, King's Knight Variation?
On the White side Keymer,Vincent (43), Giri,A (29), Smyslov, Vassily (27); on the Black side Petrosian, Tigran V (23), Giri,A (21), Aronian,L (19).
Every number on this page is computed from Katuranga's master game collection; names and ECO codes follow the lichess opening book (CC0).
Try this line on the board
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