English Opening: King's English Variation, Smyslov Defense

An entry in the Encyclopedia of Chess Openings (ECO A21), reached after 6 half-moves: 1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 d6 3. Nf3 Bg4.

Black rook — Use ← → arrows or click moves to step through.

Black knight — Use ← → arrows or click moves to step through.

End of this line

No further variations branch from this position in our database. To explore neighbouring ideas:

About this opening

English Opening: King's English Variation, Smyslov Defense is an opening in the Encyclopedia of Chess Openings, classified under code A21. ECO group A (A00–A99) covers flank and irregular openings, including the English, Bird, Réti and Dutch defences. This particular variation is reached after 6 half-moves from the starting position, with the move sequence 1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 d6 3. Nf3 Bg4.

It belongs to the English Opening family. Within that family this is a level-2 branch (the King's English Variation → Smyslov Defense line). The immediate parent line is English Opening: King's English Variation, transitioned via 3…Bg4.

The opening sequence in prose form: 1.c4 e5, 2.Nc3 d6, 3.Nf3 Bg4. From this position the encyclopaedia records no further canonical continuations — practical play branches into unnamed transpositions or returns to the parent line for alternative ideas.