English Opening: Closed, Taimanov Variation 6. Nge2 Nh6
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Statistics from Lichess
990 games: White 43.1% / Draw 6.2% / Black 50.7%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 653653 | ||
| 151151 | ||
| 4646 | ||
| 4343 | ||
| 3838 | ||
| 1919 | ||
| 1919 | ||
| 55 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 31, 2026
Engine evaluation
+0.60 White is slightly better
Best play: 7. O-O O-O 8. b3 a5 9. h3 Re8 10. Rb1 f5 11. d4 e4
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
Overview
English Opening: Closed, Taimanov Variation (ECO A25, Flank Openings) is a variation of the English Opening: King's English Variation, Taimanov Variation, reached after 1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. e3 d6 6. Nge2 Nh6 (6 moves).
In 990 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 43.1%, Black 50.7% and 6.2% were drawn. White's most played move here is 7. O-O, in 66% of those games.
Written from the Lichess opening list and explorer. Know this line well? Write about it.
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How to answer 6…Nh6
7. d4 scores best for White: 46.7%, with White winning 43.7% and Black 50.3% of 151 games. The most played answer, 7. O-O, scores lowest: 46.6% in 653 games. Stockfish's first choice is 7. O-O.
Main answers: those played in at least 5% of these games. Score: White's wins plus half the draws, in rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500. How to play against other popular openings
Cite this page
Caissa Codex. “English Opening: Closed, Taimanov Variation (A25)”. Lichess data as of 31 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/english-opening-closed-taimanov-variation-2