English Opening: King's English Variation, Taimanov Variation

An entry in the Encyclopedia of Chess Openings (ECO A25), reached after 8 half-moves: 1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7.

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Black bishop — 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, Taimanov Variation is an opening in the Encyclopedia of Chess Openings, classified under code A25. ECO group A (A00–A99) covers flank and irregular openings, including the English, Bird, Réti and Dutch defences. This particular variation is reached after 8 half-moves from the starting position, with the move sequence 1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7.

It belongs to the English Opening family. Within that family this is a level-2 branch (the King's English Variation → Taimanov Variation line). The immediate parent line is English Opening: King's English Variation, transitioned via 4…Bg7.

The opening sequence in prose form: 1.c4 e5, 2.Nc3 Nc6, 3.g3 g6, 4.Bg2 Bg7. 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.