English Opening: King's English Variation

The King's English Variation (1.c4 e5) is one of Black's main replies to the English Opening. It is also called the Reversed Sicilian: White has Black's position from the Sicilian Defense, with an extra tempo.

Origins

The English takes its name from Howard Staunton, who played 1.c4 in his 1843 match against Saint-Amant and at London 1851, the first international tournament. It caught on only in the 20th century, and is now recognised as a solid opening that can lead to both classical and hypermodern positions. Botvinnik, Petrosian, Karpov, Kasparov, Carlsen and Ding Liren all played the English in world championship matches, and Bobby Fischer caused a stir when he switched to it from 1.e4 in 1970.

The idea

White plays a Sicilian with colours reversed and a move up. Bruce Leverett, writing the English chapter of MCO-14, warned that the comparison has limits: main lines of the Sicilian correspond to obscure side lines of the English, and vice versa. In the ECO classification (A20–A29) the Reversed Sicilian also covers games where Black plays ...e5 later, for example 1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.Nf3 e5.

Main lines

• 2.Nc3, the Reversed Sicilian, by far the most common move:
  • 2...Nf6, the Two Knights Variation, with 3.Nf3 Nc6 the Four Knights Variation and 3.g3 d5 the Reversed Dragon;
  • 2...Nc6, the Reversed Closed Sicilian, and 3.Nf3, the Three Knights System;
  • 2...Bb4, the Kramnik-Shirov Counterattack.
• 2.Nf3, the Nimzowitsch Variation.

Strengths and weaknesses

Strengths

• White gets familiar Sicilian structures with an extra tempo.
• A solid opening with many possible set-ups, including the g3 fianchetto.

Weaknesses

• The extra tempo does not always help: lines that are critical in the Sicilian can be obscure side lines in the English, and vice versa.

Who should play it

The King's English suits White players who like Sicilian-type positions but prefer to have the extra tempo, and Black players who want a direct, classical answer to 1.c4.

The numbers

On Lichess White leads at every level: 50.3% against 45.9% under 1400, 51.7% against 44.4% at 1400–1799, 51.5% against 43.5% at 1800–2199 and 49.4% against 43.3% from 2200 up. In about 50,100 master games 47.8% were drawn; White won 29.1% and Black 23.1%.