English Opening: King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation
English Opening: King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation is a chess opening with the ECO code A28, part of the English Opening family. It goes 1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. d4 exd4 5. Nxd4 Bb4 6. Bg5 h6 7. Bh4 Bxc3+ 8. bxc3 Ne5. White opens with 1. c4 (the English move) and Black answers 1... e5. After 16 moves it is White to move. The lesson on the board explains every move of the line and lets you play it yourself; it is free.
The moves
1. c4 – White plays the pawn to c4
1... e5 – Black plays the pawn to e5
2. Nc3 – White plays the knight to c3
2... Nf6 – Black plays the knight to f6
3. Nf3 – White plays the knight to f3
3... Nc6 – Black plays the knight to c6
4. d4 – White plays the pawn to d4
4... exd4 – Black captures on d4 with the e-pawn
5. Nxd4 – White takes on d4 with the knight
5... Bb4 – Black plays the bishop to b4
6. Bg5 – White plays the bishop to g5
6... h6 – Black plays the pawn to h6
The line goes on for 4 more moves; the lesson shows them all.
About the English Opening
White starts with 1.c4, controlling d5 from the side. It is flexible and often leads to slow, strategic games.
White often fianchettoes with g3 and Bg2 to aim the bishop down the long diagonal.
Against 1...e5 it is like a Sicilian with colours reversed and an extra tempo for White.
White fights on the queenside with b4-b5 and the open c-file.
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