Caissa Codex
A26

English Opening: King's English Variation, Botvinnik System

Chess diagram: English Opening: King's English Variation, Botvinnik System after 6. e4

Type a move and press Enter: e4, Nf3, O-O, or from and to squares like g1f3 (e7e8q to promote). The board is also played with the mouse.

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Statistics from Lichess

27,372 games: White 45.6% / Draw 7.3% / Black 47.0%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
9,7869,786
7,0857,085
4,4624,462
2,0102,010
1,0151,015
900900
819819
654654

Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 31, 2026

Engine evaluation

+0.24 The position is about equal

Best play: 6... Nh6 7. Rb1 O-O 8. Nf3 a5 9. O-O Kh8 10. a3 f5 11. Bg5

Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.

Overview

English Opening: King's English Variation, Botvinnik System (ECO A26, Flank Openings) is a variation of the English Opening: King's English Variation, Closed System, Full Symmetry, reached after 1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. d3 d6 6. e4 (6 moves).

In 27,372 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 45.6%, Black 47.0% and 7.3% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 6…Nge7, in 36% of those games.

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How to play against the English Opening: King's English Variation, Botvinnik System

6…Be6 scores best for Black: 53.4%, with Black winning 50.3% and White 43.4% of 4,462 games. The most played, 6…Nge7, scores 49.8% in 9,786 games, and 6…Nf6 scores lowest: 46.1%. Stockfish's first choice is 6…Nh6.

Main answers: those played in at least 5% of these games. Score: Black'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: King's English Variation, Botvinnik System (A26)”. Lichess data as of 31 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/english-opening-kings-english-variation-botvinnik-system

https://chesscodex.org/openings/english-opening-kings-english-variation-botvinnik-system