English opening

The English Opening, usually just called the English, is a chess opening for White. It has become the third most popular opening move, after 1.e4 and 1.d4. The opening was developed by the English master Howard Staunton and played in his match against Saint-Amant.^[1]p124

Variation 1

	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h
8									8
7									7
6									6
5									5
4									4
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

• 1. c4

As a first move, this may transpose into a Queen's Pawn Game: 1.c4 Nf6 2.d4. That would not be the English opening. The English is a flexible system that includes some or all of these moves:

1. Nc3
2. Bishop fianchettoed on g2
3. Nf3 or Ne2
4. 0-0
5. d3
6. Rb1 followed by b2-b4-b5

Variation 2

	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h
8									8
7									7
6									6
5									5
4									4
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

Variation 3

	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h
8									8
7									7
6									6
5									5
4									4
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

• Variation 1.

1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 0-0 5.d3 d6 6.Nf3 e5 7.0-0 Nc6 8.Rb1 a5 9.a3 h6 10.b4 axb4 11.axb4 Be6 12.b5 This sequence shows the system fully in operation. White operates in the centre and Q-side; Black operates more on the K-side.

• Variation 2.

1.c4 e5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.Nf3 Nc6 6.d3 This has the character of a Sicilian defence reversed.

• Variation 3.

1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e6 3.e4 d5 4.cxd5 exd5 5.e5 Here 5...d4, 5...Ne4 and 5...Nfd7 are most often played. This is a quite different line, where the two sides clash early in the centre. Since White does not have to play 3.e4, he could avoid this line.

Each of these lines has its own distinct character, and needs to be learnt by the player.

The English Wikibook Chess Opening Theory has more information on:

English Opening