Guide · Updated October 2026
The best chess openings against 1.c4
By Atulya GuptaAgainst the English Opening (1.c4), 1...c6 scores best for Black on Lichess (49.3%), followed by 1...g6 (48.4%). The popular 1...e5 scores 47.0% overall, but 51.5% under 1000. Avoid 1...d5 (46.3%), which hands White an extra tempo in a reversed Scandinavian.
How strong is 1.c4?
The English is a flexible first move that scores 52.8% for White across 96 million Lichess games, about the same as 1.e4 and 1.d4. Its score climbs with rating, from 49.9% under 1000 to 55.5% at 2500+, so it is mostly a weapon for stronger players.
Every main reply to 1.c4, ranked
These scores cover every rated Lichess game from September 2023 to August 2026, as compiled by TrueElo. "Score" counts a win as 1 point and a draw as half a point, from Black's side.
| Reply | Name | Black score | Games |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1...c6 | Caro-Kann Defensive System | 49.3% | 4.4M |
| 1...g6 | Great Snake Variation | 48.4% | 4.8M |
| 1...e6 | Agincourt Defence | 47.8% | 8.6M |
| 1...Nf6 | Anglo-Indian Defence | 47.7% | 3.4M |
| 1...c5 | Symmetrical Variation | 47.3% | 5.0M |
| 1...e5 | King's English (reversed Sicilian) | 47.0% | 9.1M |
| 1...d5 | Anglo-Scandinavian | 46.3% | 7.2M |
Assessments are based on publicly available information as of September 2026 and may change — verify current features with each provider.
The best reply for your rating
Under 1000, almost anything works, because White players at this level rarely know what to do with 1.c4. 1...g6 (52.7%), 1...Nf6 (52.3%) and 1...e5 (51.5%) all score over 51%.
From 1000 to 2199, 1...c6 is the clear best, at 49.2-49.9% in every band. It aims for ...d5 with a solid Slav or Caro-Kann structure that is hard for White to crack.
1...e5 drops faster than the others, from 51.5% under 1000 to 45-47% from 1400 up. You are playing a Sicilian with colours reversed, and White's extra move counts more as players get stronger.
Main lines to learn first
1...c6: Black aims for ...d5. If White plays d4 it becomes a Slav, and if White plays e4 it becomes Caro-Kann-like. Against a slow setup with Nf3, g3 and Bg2, develop with ...Nf6, ...Bf5 or ...Bg4, and ...e6.
1...g6: a King's Indian setup with ...Bg7, ...d6, ...Nf6, ...O-O and often ...e5. The same plan works against almost any White move order.
1...e5: after 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.g3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.Bg2 you are playing a Dragon Sicilian with colours reversed. It is sound, but you are a tempo down, so play solidly with ...Nb6, ...Be7 and ...O-O rather than going for a quick attack.
1...Nf6 and 1...e6 keep your options open. Many of these games turn into a Queen's Gambit Declined, Nimzo-Indian or King's Indian once White plays d4.
Keep it simple: reuse your other openings
Many 1.c4 games transpose into 1.d4 openings. If you play the Caro-Kann or Slav, 1...c6 fits your repertoire. If you play the King's Indian or Grünfeld, 1...g6 or 1...Nf6 lead to familiar setups. That way you only learn one set of plans.
See how you score against the English
The English is rare at club level, so it is easy to lose rating to it without noticing. AuditChess is the best free tool for this job: it finds every game you have played against 1.c4 on Chess.com or Lichess, shows your score with each reply, and flags the replies that are costing you points.
Keep reading
Sources
- TrueElo - English Opening statistics (Lichess database)
- TrueElo - English Opening: Caro-Kann Defensive System statistics (Lichess database)
- TrueElo - English Opening: Great Snake Variation statistics (Lichess database)
- TrueElo - English Opening: Agincourt Defense statistics (Lichess database)
- TrueElo - English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense statistics (Lichess database)
- TrueElo - English Opening: Symmetrical Variation statistics (Lichess database)
- TrueElo - English Opening: King's English Variation statistics (Lichess database)
- TrueElo - English Opening: Anglo-Scandinavian Defense statistics (Lichess database)
Frequently asked questions
What is the best response to 1.c4?+
By Lichess results, 1...c6 (49.3%), followed by 1...g6 (48.4%). Both lead to solid setups that also fit a 1.d4 repertoire.
Is 1...e5 good against the English?+
It is sound and very popular, and it scores 51.5% under 1000. Above 1400 it scores about 45-47% for Black, below 1...c6 and 1...g6.
Why is 1...d5 weak against 1.c4?+
After 1...d5 2.cxd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3, you are in a Scandinavian with White an extra move ahead. It scores only 46.3% for Black on Lichess.
Is the English Opening good for White?+
Yes. It scores 52.8% for White on Lichess, about the same as 1.e4 and 1.d4, and it reaches 55.5% at 2500+.
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