Caissa Codex
A29

English Opening: King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation, Fianchetto Line 5…Nc6 6. d3

Chess diagram: English Opening: King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation, Fianchetto Line after 6. d3

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Statistics from Lichess

33,071 games: White 50.6% / Draw 5.5% / Black 43.8%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
8,6728,672
6,3046,304
4,3784,378
3,9243,924
2,5992,599
2,5452,545
1,1601,160
948948

Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 26, 2026

Engine evaluation

−0.11 The position is about equal

Best play: 6... Be7 7. Nc3 Be6 8. O-O O-O 9. Bd2 a5 10. a3 Qd7 11. Nxd5

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, Four Knights Variation, Fianchetto Line (ECO A29, Flank Openings) is a variation of the English Opening: King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation, Fianchetto Line, reached after 1. c4 e5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. d3 (6 moves).

In 33,071 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 50.6%, Black 43.8% and 5.5% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 6…Be6, in 26% of those games.

It continues into one named variation.

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How to answer 6. d3

6…Be7 scores best for Black: 50.7%, with Black winning 47.6% and White 46.2% of 6,304 games. The most played, 6…Be6, scores 48.4% in 8,672 games, and 6…Bd6 scores lowest: 42.6%. Stockfish's first choice is also 6…Be7.

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

Variations (1)

Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “English Opening: King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation, Fianchetto Line (A29)”. Lichess data as of 26 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/english-opening-kings-english-variation-four-knights-variation-fianchetto-line-3

https://chesscodex.org/openings/english-opening-kings-english-variation-four-knights-variation-fianchetto-line-3