English Opening: King's English Variation, Reversed Sicilian

English Opening: King's English Variation, Reversed Sicilian is a chess opening with the ECO code A21, part of the English Opening family. It goes 1. c4 e5 2. Nc3. White opens with 1. c4 (the English move) and Black answers 1... e5. After 3 moves it is Black 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

In chessGM's opening book this position continues with 2... Nf6, 2... Nc6.

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.

chessGM has a full course for this line: open the English Opening: King's English Variation, Reversed Sicilian course lesson.

Related openings

• It extends: English Opening: King's English Variation (1. c4 e5)
• Continues with: English Opening: King's English Variation – adds 2... d6 3. Nf3
• Continues with: English Opening: King's English Variation, Keres Defense – adds 2... d6 3. g3 c6
• Continues with: English Opening: King's English Variation, Kramnik-Shirov Counterattack – adds 2... Bb4
• Continues with: English Opening: King's English Variation, Two Knights Variation – adds 2... Nf6
• Continues with: English Opening: King's English Variation, Reversed Closed Sicilian – adds 2... Nc6
• Related line: English Opening: King's English Variation, Kramnik-Shirov Counterattack (1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Bb4)
• Related line: English Opening: King's English Variation, Smyslov Defense (1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 d6 3. Nf3 Bg4)
• Related line: English Opening: King's English Variation, Keres Defense (1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 d6 3. g3 c6)
• Related line: English Opening: King's English Variation, Troger Defense (1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 d6 4. Bg2 Be6)
• Related line: English Opening: King's English Variation (1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 d6 3. Nf3)
• Related line: English Opening: Carls-Bremen System (1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. g3)

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