Chess Openings Lab
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English Opening: King's English Variation, Reversed Closed Sicilian

The Reversed Closed Sicilian is 2...Nc6 after 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3, a Closed Sicilian with colors switched. White fianchettoes with g3 and Bg2 and later pushes b4, while Black can trade on c3 with ...Bb4 or build ...d6 and ...f5 for kingside space.

Moves
1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6
ECO
A25
Engine
+0.20 · level (Stockfish 17.1, depth 20)
Played
3,172 games in our lichess sample
White scores
54.2%

Key ideas for both sides

White

  • 3.g3 is the engine's choice; after ...Bb4 and ...Bxc3, White recaptures with the b-pawn and plays d3 and Bg2.
  • Rb1, b4 and b5 drive the c6 knight away and open the queenside.
  • 3.a3 prevents ...Bb4 and prepares b4, with e4 to follow.
  • 3.Nf3 transposes to the Three Knights System.

Black

  • ...Bb4 and ...Bxc3 double White's pawns, then ...d6 and ...f5 take kingside space.
  • ...g6 and a bishop on g7 give a mirror image of the Closed Sicilian.
  • ...Nf6 keeps the game flexible and can reach Four Knights lines after Nf3.
  • Against 3.a3, the engine plays ...Nf6, ...Bc5 and ...Bd4, posting the bishop on the hole.

Plans and pawn structure

The game splits along the wings. White plays g3, Bg2, d3 and Rb1, then pushes b4 and b5 to drive away the c6 knight. Black plays ...d6 and ...f5 and builds kingside space with ...Nf6 and short castling. After ...Bxc3 bxc3, White's doubled pawns support d4, but Black's dark-square setup holds the center.

Where the engine's main line heads: White has doubled c-pawns. White's c-pawns are doubled, usually after ...Bxc3 bxc3. In return White keeps the bishop pair and a solid center.

What the engine plays from here

Stockfish 17.1 at depth 20 rates the position +0.20: level. Its three top choices for White:

  1. +0.20 3.g3 Bb4 4.Bg2 Bxc3 5.bxc3 d6
  2. +0.12 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.g3 Bb4 5.Bg2 O-O
  3. +0.02 3.a3 Nf6 4.e4 Bc5 5.b4 Bd4

Pawns, from White's side.

How it scores on lichess

3,172 rated lichess games reached this position; White scored 54.2%.

under 120056.3%
1200–159954.7%
1600–199952.5%
2000 and up55.9%

Light: White wins. Grey: draws. Dark: Black wins. About the sample.

Where it goes next

How to play against it

As Black, pick between the ...Bb4 lines and a ...g6 setup; both aim for ...f5. As White, play g3 and Bg2 and push the b-pawn before Black's kingside play arrives.

Other lines with this name

The lichess opening list also files these lines under the same name, though they reach a different position: 1.c4 e5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 Nc6 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.Nd5; 1.c4 e5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 Nc6 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.e4 d6 6.Nge2; 1.c4 e5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 Nc6 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.e4 d6 6.Nge2 Bg4.

Questions

What are the moves of the English Opening: King's English Variation, Reversed Closed Sicilian?

The English Opening: King's English Variation, Reversed Closed Sicilian starts 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6. Its ECO code is A25.

Is the English Opening: King's English Variation, Reversed Closed Sicilian good for Black?

Stockfish 17.1 rates the position +0.20 at depth 20, which is level. In 3,172 lichess games from our sample, White scored 54.2%. Suits players on both sides who enjoy slow, wing-based plans rather than early tactics.

What is the main idea of the English Opening: King's English Variation, Reversed Closed Sicilian?

Black plays a Closed Sicilian with colors reversed. White fianchettoes and pushes the b-pawn, while Black aims for kingside play with ...d6 and ...f5.

What should White play next?

The engine's first choice is g3, with Nf3 and a3 close behind. 3.g3 prepares Bg2 to control d5 and the long diagonal.

Updated October 2026. Sources and method.