- ECO code
- A22
- Moves
- 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6
- Family
- English Opening
- To move
- White
- Master games
- 852
- Average game length
- 45 moves
- Years covered
- 1901–2026
English Opening: King's English Variation, Two Knights Variation is the opening filed under ECO code A22, reached after 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6. It belongs to the English Opening family and is known as the King's English Variation, Two Knights Variation; in the resulting position it is White to move.
Katuranga's collection of 138,070 master games contains 852 games on this line — the 127th most played opening in the collection. The oldest game on this line is from 1901 and the most recent from 2026. The busiest decade in this collection is the 2020s, with 293 games. An average game here lasts 45 moves.
White wins 33% of those games, 39% end in a draw, and Black wins 28%. That is close to the collection average (White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28%).
From this position the most popular move is 3.Nf3, played in 639 games, followed by 3.g3 (156) and 3.e3 (45). After 3.Nf3 White scores 31% and Black 26%.
The name that appears most often on the White side of this line is Aronian,L (44 games); on the Black side, Nakamura,Hi (54).
1 named variation branch off this position and have their own page here, among them English Opening: King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation.
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Results in master games
- White 33% (282)
- Draws 39% (333)
- Black 28% (237)
Most played continuations
| Move | Games | White / draws / Black | Leads into |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.Nf3 | 639 | 31/43/26 | — |
| 3.g3 | 156 | 42/31/27 | — |
| 3.e3 | 45 | 31/16/53 | — |
| 3.e4 | 6 | 66/17/17 | — |
| 3.d3 | 5 | 20/0/80 | — |
| 3.f4 | 1 | 0/0/100 | — |
Variations from this position
- English Opening: King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation · 3.Nf3 Nc6 · 610 games
How the position is reached
- English Opening · 1.c4 · 10,834 games
- English Opening: King's English Variation · 1.c4 e5 · 2,529 games
- English Opening: King's English Variation, Reversed Sicilian · 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 · 1,509 games
Played most often by
As White
- Aronian,L 44
- Kortschnoj, Viktor 37
- Nepomniachtchi,I 35
As Black
- Nakamura,Hi 54
- Caruana,F 32
- Smyslov, Vassily 29
Games per decade
- 1900s 3
- 1910s 5
- 1920s 13
- 1930s 15
- 1940s 12
- 1950s 20
- 1960s 39
- 1970s 76
- 1980s 43
- 1990s 69
- 2000s 76
- 2010s 188
- 2020s 293
Master games on this line
| White | Black | Result | Year | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nakamura,Hi | Rohith,Krishna S | 1-0 | 2026 | Titled Tue 10th Feb 2026 |
| Lazavik,Denis | Carlsen,M | 0-1 | 2026 | 2nd 3-0 Thu 29th Jan 2026 |
| Lazavik,Denis | Carlsen,M | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | SpeedChess Final 2025 |
| Martinez Alcantara,Jose Eduardo | Nakamura,Hi | 0-1 | 2026 | Titled Tue 5th May 2026 |
| Vakhidov,J | Nepomniachtchi,I | 0-1 | 2026 | Titled Tue 21st Apr 2026 |
| Nepomniachtchi,I | Abdusattorov,Nodirbek | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | 3rd UzChess Cup Masters |
Frequently asked questions
What is the English Opening: King's English Variation, Two Knights Variation?
It is the opening with ECO code A22, reached after 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6. It belongs to the English Opening family.
Is the English Opening: King's English Variation, Two Knights Variation good for White or for Black?
In 852 master games on this line White wins 33%, 39% are drawn and Black wins 28%. 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: King's English Variation, Two Knights Variation?
3.Nf3 — played in 639 of the master games on this line.
Which grandmasters play the English Opening: King's English Variation, Two Knights Variation?
On the White side Aronian,L (44), Kortschnoj, Viktor (37), Nepomniachtchi,I (35); on the Black side Nakamura,Hi (54), Caruana,F (32), Smyslov, Vassily (29).
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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