- ECO code
- A20
- Moves
- 1.c4 e5
- Family
- English Opening
- To move
- White
- Master games
- 2,529
- Average game length
- 46 moves
- Years covered
- 1872–2026
English Opening: King's English Variation is the opening filed under ECO code A20, reached after 1.c4 e5. It belongs to the English Opening family and is known as the King's English Variation; in the resulting position it is White to move.
Katuranga's collection of 138,070 master games contains 2,529 games on this line — the 49th most played opening in the collection. The oldest game on this line is from 1872 and the most recent from 2026. The busiest decade in this collection is the 2020s, with 1,093 games. An average game here lasts 46 moves.
White wins 38% of those games, 33% end in a draw, and Black wins 29%. That is close to the collection average (White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28%).
From this position the most popular move is 2.Nc3, played in 1,509 games, followed by 2.g3 (712) and 2.d3 (176). 2.Nc3 leads into English Opening: King's English Variation, Reversed Sicilian. After 2.Nc3 White scores 36% and Black 28%.
The name that appears most often on the White side of this line is Caruana,F (104 games); on the Black side, Caruana,F (123).
3 named variations branch off this position and have their own page here, among them English Opening: King's English Variation, Reversed Sicilian; English Opening: King's English Variation, Two Knights Variation; English Opening: King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation.
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 38% (952)
- Draws 33% (842)
- Black 29% (735)
Most played continuations
| Move | Games | White / draws / Black | Leads into |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.Nc3 | 1,509 | 36/36/28 | English Opening: King's English Variation, Reversed Sicilian |
| 2.g3 | 712 | 37/32/31 | — |
| 2.d3 | 176 | 52/21/27 | — |
| 2.Nf3 | 59 | 40/29/31 | — |
| 2.e3 | 29 | 42/17/41 | — |
| 2.a3 | 23 | 74/9/17 | — |
| 2.b3 | 18 | 45/33/22 | — |
| 2.Qc2 | 2 | 50/0/50 | — |
Variations from this position
- Reversed Sicilian · 2.Nc3 · 1,509 games
- Two Knights Variation · 2.Nc3 Nf6 · 852 games
- Four Knights Variation · 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nc6 · 610 games
How the position is reached
- English Opening · 1.c4 · 10,834 games
Played most often by
As White
- Caruana,F 104
- Kortschnoj, Viktor 96
- Aronian,L 90
As Black
- Caruana,F 123
- Nakamura,Hi 104
- Vachier Lagrave,M 80
Games per decade
- 1870s 3
- 1880s 1
- 1900s 6
- 1910s 7
- 1920s 36
- 1930s 37
- 1940s 17
- 1950s 49
- 1960s 103
- 1970s 127
- 1980s 118
- 1990s 202
- 2000s 169
- 2010s 561
- 2020s 1,093
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 |
| Pena Gomez,M | Anand,V | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | FIDE World Bl Team Pool A |
| Martinez Alcantara,Jose Eduardo | Nakamura,Hi | 0-1 | 2026 | Titled Tue 5th May 2026 |
| Caruana,F | Terry,R | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | 3rd 3-0 Thu 12th Mar 2026 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the English Opening: King's English Variation?
It is the opening with ECO code A20, reached after 1.c4 e5. It belongs to the English Opening family.
Is the English Opening: King's English Variation good for White or for Black?
In 2,529 master games on this line White wins 38%, 33% are drawn and Black wins 29%. The collection average is White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28% — so this line is a slightly better bargain for Black than the field as a whole.
What is the main continuation of the English Opening: King's English Variation?
2.Nc3 — played in 1,509 of the master games on this line, which leads into English Opening: King's English Variation, Reversed Sicilian.
Which grandmasters play the English Opening: King's English Variation?
On the White side Caruana,F (104), Kortschnoj, Viktor (96), Aronian,L (90); on the Black side Caruana,F (123), Nakamura,Hi (104), Vachier Lagrave,M (80).
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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