The moves you’ll play
- 1.c4e5
- 2.Nc3Nf6
- 3.Nf3Nc6
- 4.g3Bb4
- 5.Bg2O-O
- 6.O-Oe4
- 7.Ng5Bxc3
- 8.bxc3Re8
The line continues — master it move by move in the app.
Your coach, move by move
- 1. c4We open with the English, staking a claim to the central d5 square from the flank and keeping a flexible, transpositional setup.
- 2. Nc3We develop the knight to its best square, reinforcing control of d5 and e4 before committing our central pawns.
- 3. Nf3We attack the e5-pawn and develop, daring Black to defend or push into the reversed Sicilian structures.
- +5 more coached moves waiting in the app
Key ideas behind this line
- Fianchetto the bishop to g2 and pressure the long diagonal, targeting Black's d5 and the queenside light squares.
- Combine the c4-pawn with Nc3 to clamp down on d5; meet ...d5 with cxd5 to open the bishop and play against the resulting structure.
- In the Symmetrical, break with d4 (or expand with b4) to create central tension while Black mirrors and aims for ...d5 or a Hedgehog with ...e6/...b6.
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More lines in this opening
Reversed Sicilian: 4.g3 d5 Dragon Reversed
Black strikes with ...d5 to reach a Reversed Dragon; White takes the c4-pawn off, fianchettoes and plays a slow d3/Be3/a3 plan, enjoying the extra tempo of the reversed Sicilian.
Reversed Sicilian: Keres-Parma 4.g3 g6
Both sides fianchetto into a double-Reversed-Dragon; White prepares the b4 break with Rb1/a3 to expand on the queenside where his initiative naturally lies.
Reversed Sicilian: 3...Bb4 Lines
Black pins early with ...Bb4; White meets it with Qc2 and a3 to win the bishop pair, then expands with b4 and a long-diagonal bishop in a comfortable strategic plus.
Symmetrical English: Pure Symmetry 3.g3
The symmetrical main line where White breaks the symmetry with d4; after the knight trade White gets a small but lasting space and development edge typical of the Symmetrical English.
Symmetrical English: Hedgehog Setup
Black chooses the flexible Hedgehog; White takes central space with d4 and the queen on d4, aiming to restrain Black's ...b5 and ...d5 breaks while enjoying a spatial bind.
Symmetrical English: Rubinstein / Four Knights
The Rubinstein Variation; after symmetric development White opens with d4 and Black tries the active ...Ng4 to challenge the center, leading to sharp but balanced play where White keeps the initiative.
Anti-Benoni: 3...d5 4.cxd5
Black tries an early ...d5; White grabs the center with e4 and even surrenders castling rights, because the knight's adventures cost time and White emerges with a powerful pawn center and lead in development.
English vs King's Indian Setup (Botvinnik)
Against a King's Indian setup White adopts the Botvinnik formation with pawns on c4 and e4; the rock-solid center restrains Black, and White prepares queenside expansion with a3, Rb1 and b4.
English vs Slav/QGD Setup: 2.Nc3 d5
Black heads for Queen's Gambit waters; White transposes with d4 into a classical QGD where the c4/d4 center and the Bg5 pin give the familiar comfortable space advantage.
Mikenas-Carls Attack: 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.e4
The aggressive Mikenas-Carls; White lunges with e4 and e5 to gain space and trade into a structure with a big pawn center and the bishop pair against Black's exposed queen.
Anglo-Indian: 1...Nf6 2.Nc3 g6 3.e4 (Botvinnik vs KID)
Black aims for a King's Indian; White accepts the transposition into a classical KID where the d5-clamp and queenside space give White a comfortable, well-charted edge.
English vs Dutch: 1...f5 2.g3
Black plays a Leningrad Dutch structure; White fianchettoes and grabs central space with d4-d5, gaining a comfortable space edge and clear queenside-play plan against the committal ...f5.
English vs ...c6/d5 (Caro-Slav Structure)
Black builds a Slav-like wall and grabs the c4-pawn; White fianchettoes, castles and regains the pawn with Qc2/Na3, emerging with smooth development and the long-diagonal bishop.
English Symmetrical: Maroczy / Reti Transposition
A double-fianchetto Hedgehog reached via Reti move-orders; White grabs the center with d4 and the centralized queen, restraining Black's freeing breaks and keeping a pleasant space bind.
Reversed Sicilian: 4.e3 / Bg2 Setup vs ...d6
Black sets up a solid King's-Indian-style wall with ...d6 and ...g6; White completes the double fianchetto-style structure and prepares the standard b4 queenside expansion where he holds the initiative.