- ECO code
- A16
- Moves
- 1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3
- Family
- English Opening
- To move
- Black
- Master games
- 2,223
- Average game length
- 44 moves
- Years covered
- 1902–2026
English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Queen's Knight Variation is the opening filed under ECO code A16, reached after 1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3. It belongs to the English Opening family and is known as the Anglo-Indian Defense, Queen's Knight Variation; in the resulting position it is Black to move.
Katuranga's collection of 138,070 master games contains 2,223 games on this line — the 55th most played opening in the collection. The oldest game on this line is from 1902 and the most recent from 2026. The busiest decade in this collection is the 2020s, with 672 games. An average game here lasts 44 moves.
White wins 41% of those games, 38% 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.
From this position the most popular move is 2...e5, played in 790 games, followed by 2...e6 (584) and 2...g6 (399). After 2...e5 White scores 32% and Black 27%.
The name that appears most often on the White side of this line is Kortschnoj, Viktor (157 games); on the Black side, Aronian,L (100).
1 named variation branch off this position and have their own page here, among them English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Hedgehog System.
Reading about an opening is not the same as knowing it. Play this line against the Katuranga bot, then let the engine mark your brilliant moves, mistakes and blunders in Analysis — the fastest way to find out which of these moves you actually understand.
Results in master games
- White 41% (915)
- Draws 38% (841)
- Black 21% (467)
Most played continuations
| Move | Games | White / draws / Black | Leads into |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2...e5 | 790 | 32/41/27 | — |
| 2...e6 | 584 | 42/42/16 | English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Hedgehog System |
| 2...g6 | 399 | 49/28/23 | — |
| 2...c5 | 261 | 44/40/16 | — |
| 2...d5 | 112 | 50/38/12 | — |
| 2...c6 | 33 | 52/36/12 | — |
| 2...d6 | 30 | 57/30/13 | — |
| 2...b6 | 11 | 36/18/46 | — |
Variations from this position
- English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Hedgehog System · 2...e6 · 584 games
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
- Kortschnoj, Viktor 157
- Petrosian, Tigran V 89
- Caruana,F 83
As Black
- Aronian,L 100
- Nakamura,Hi 60
- Karjakin,Sergey 53
Games per decade
- 1900s 1
- 1910s 2
- 1920s 9
- 1930s 24
- 1940s 22
- 1950s 143
- 1960s 165
- 1970s 238
- 1980s 128
- 1990s 151
- 2000s 186
- 2010s 482
- 2020s 672
Master games on this line
| White | Black | Result | Year | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nakamura,Hi | Dau Khuong Duy | 0-1 | 2026 | Titled Tue 26th May 2026 |
| Nakamura,Hi | Nitish,Belurkar | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | 1st 3-0 Thu 19th Feb 2026 |
| Lazavik,Denis | Nakamura,Hi | 1-0 | 2026 | SpeedChess Final 2025 |
| Giri,A | Hong,Andrew | 0-1 | 2026 | FIDE World Rapid Team |
| Nakamura,Hi | Andreikin,D | 1-0 | 2026 | 1st 3-0 Thu 19th Feb 2026 |
| Caruana,F | Ibarra Jerez,JC | 1-0 | 2026 | Titled Tue 2nd Jun 2026 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Queen's Knight Variation?
It is the opening with ECO code A16, reached after 1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3. It belongs to the English Opening family.
Is the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Queen's Knight Variation good for White or for Black?
In 2,223 master games on this line White wins 41%, 38% 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, Queen's Knight Variation?
2...e5 — played in 790 of the master games on this line.
Which grandmasters play the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Queen's Knight Variation?
On the White side Kortschnoj, Viktor (157), Petrosian, Tigran V (89), Caruana,F (83); on the Black side Aronian,L (100), Nakamura,Hi (60), Karjakin,Sergey (53).
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
Play this opening against the Katuranga bot, then review the game — the engine marks every brilliant move, mistake and blunder.