A26 English Opening: King’s English Variation, Closed System, Full Symmetry
A26 holds two named lines, all under the name English Opening. It leaves A25 (English Opening: King’s English Variation, Closed System) with 5...d6. White, to move in that position, has 38 legal moves, level for the most of the 29 English Opening codes. White’s pieces and pawns attack five squares in Black’s half, the fifth-highest count of the 29 English Opening codes.
| # | White | Black |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | c4 | e5 |
| 2 | Nc3 | Nc6 |
| 3 | g3 | g6 |
| 4 | Bg2 | Bg7 |
| 5 | d3 | d6 |
Moves only A26 plays
Same as A25 up to 2...Nc6, then:
- 3.g3 The g-pawn advances to g3, covering f4 and h4, opening a line for the bishop on f1.
- 3...g6 The g-pawn advances to g6, covering f5 and h5, opening a line for the bishop on f8.
- 4.Bg2 The bishop leaves f1 for g2, guarding the rook on h1, attacking the knight on c6.
- 4...Bg7 The bishop leaves f8 for g7, guarding the rook on h8.
- 5.d3 The d-pawn advances to d3, covering c4 and e4, opening a line for the bishop on c1 and the queen on d1.
- 5...d6 The d-pawn advances to d6, covering c5 and e5, opening a line for the bishop on c8 and the queen on d8.
Lines filed under A26
Both share their first ten plies, the whole reference line.
| Name | After the shared start | Plies |
|---|---|---|
| English Opening: King’s English Variation, Closed System, Full Symmetry | (the shared start itself) | 10 |
| English Opening: King’s English Variation, Botvinnik System | 6.e4 | 11 |
English Opening: King’s English Variation, Botvinnik System
- 6.e4 The e-pawn advances two squares to e4, covering d5 and f5, opening a line for the queen on d1.
The road to A26
- 1.c4 … 4.Bg2four earlier stops: A10, A20, A21, A25
- 4...Bg7A25 Taimanov Variation
- 5.d3A25 Closed System
- 5...d6A26
The position after 5...d6
White has brought out the knight on c3 and bishop on g2; Black the knight on c6 and bishop on g7. White could capture with Bxc6+.
Closest boards in other codes
| Code | Line | Differs on |
|---|---|---|
| B25 | Sicilian Defense: Closed | eight squares: c2, e2, c4, e4, c5, e5, c7, e7 |
| A37 | English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Three Knights, Fianchetto Variation | ten squares: g1, d2, d3, f3, c5, e5, d6, c7 … |
| B26 | Sicilian Defense: Closed | ten squares: c1, c2, e2, e3, c4, e4, c5, e5 … |
| A42 | Modern Defense: Averbakh System | 11 squares: f1, e2, g2, d3, g3, d4, e4, e5 … |
| A21 | English Opening: King’s English Variation, Reversed Sicilian | 12 squares: f1, d2, g2, d3, g3, c6, d6, g6 … |
| A24 | English Opening: King’s English Variation, Two Knights Variation, Fianchetto Line | 12 squares: f1, d2, g2, d3, c6, d6, f6, d7 … |
| A27 | English Opening: King’s English Variation, Three Knights System | 12 squares: f1, g1, d2, g2, d3, f3, g3, d6 … |