Caissa Codex
A29

English Opening: King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation, Fianchetto Line, with Bc5

Chess diagram: English Opening: King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation, Fianchetto Line, with Bc5 after 6…Bc5

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

18,994 games: White 52.3% / Draw 5.8% / Black 41.9%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
13,20013K
1,7741,774
1,7651,765
827827
460460
204204
172172
161161

Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Nov 2, 2026

Engine evaluation

+0.03 The position is about equal

Best play: 7. O-O O-O 8. d3 h6 9. Nxd5 Qxd5 10. Bd2 a5 11. a3 Qd6

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, with Bc5 (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. Nc3 Nf6 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. g3 d5 5. cxd5 Nxd5 6. Bg2 Bc5 (6 moves).

In 18,994 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 52.3%, Black 41.9% and 5.8% were drawn. White's most played move here is 7. O-O, in 69% of those games.

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How to play against the English Opening: King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation, Fianchetto Line, with Bc5

The most played answer, 7. O-O, also scores best for White: 56.4%, with White winning 53.3% and Black 40.5% of 13K games. Of the main answers, 7. Nxe5 scores lowest: 51.3%. Stockfish's first choice is also 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

Other lines from the same position

Instead of 4…d5 5. cxd5 Nxd5 6. Bg2 Bc5, the position after English Opening: King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation, Fianchetto Line also goes on to:

Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “English Opening: King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation, Fianchetto Line, with Bc5 (A29)”. Lichess data as of 2 Nov 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/english-opening-kings-english-variation-four-knights-variation-fianchetto-line-with-bc5

https://chesscodex.org/openings/english-opening-kings-english-variation-four-knights-variation-fianchetto-line-with-bc5