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English Opening · As White · updated October 2026

Play the English Opening like Fabiano Caruana

A repertoire in the English Opening built from 143 of Fabiano Caruana's public Chess.com blitz games. At every position you play the move Fabiano Caruana chose most often. Where Fabiano Caruana has fewer than 3 games, the course takes the other top-50 players' most played move, then Stockfish's. Learn a line on the board, then each position comes back in a short daily review until it sticks.

Not affiliated with or endorsed by Fabiano Caruana or Chess.com.

  • Fabiano Caruana was #14 in Chess.com blitz in October 2026 (3,271) and scored 75% against opponents averaging 2,990 in these games.
  • You play Fabiano Caruana's own move in 32 of 40 positions.
  • The whole course is free, and it is updated monthly.

Free · first 5 lines need no account

Blitz rank

#14

Chess.com

Rating

3,271

Games

143

in this opening

Score

75%

in these games

Opponents

2,990

average rating

More about Fabiano Caruana

Use arrow keys to navigate the board. Press Enter to select a piece, then use arrow keys and Enter to move. Press Escape to cancel a move.
Line 1 after 8 moves

Lines to learn

  1. Line 1 · 6% at top level

    1…Nf6 2.Nc3 e5 3.f4 exf4 4.d4 d5 5.Bxf4

  2. Line 2 · 6% at top level

    1…Nf6 2.Nc3 g6 3.e4 d6 4.d4 Bg7 5.h3 O-O 6.Be3

  3. Line 3 · 6% at top level

    1…e5 2.d3 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.a3 d5 5.cxd5 Nxd5 6.e3

  4. Line 4 · 5% at top level

    1…g6 2.Nc3 Bg7 3.d4

  5. Line 5 · 4% at top level

    1…e6 2.Nc3 d5 3.d4 Nf6 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Bg5 Be7 6.e3 O-O 7.Bd3 h6 8.Bf4

  6. Line 6 · 4% at top level

    1…e6 2.Nc3 d5 3.d4 Nf6 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Bg5 c6 6.e3

  7. Line 7 · 4% at top level

    1…e5 2.d3 Nc6 3.Nf3 g6 4.Nc3 Bg7 5.g3

  8. Line 8 · 4% at top level

    1…e5 2.d3 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.a3 a5 5.e3 d5 6.d4

  9. Line 9 · 4% at top level

    1…Nf6 2.Nc3 e6 3.d4 Bb4 4.Qc2

  10. Line 10 · 3% at top level

    1…c6 2.Nf3 d5 3.g3 Nf6 4.Bg2 Bf5 5.Qb3 Qb6 6.d3 e6 7.Be3

  11. Line 11 · 3% at top level

    1…c5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3

  12. Line 12 · 3% at top level

    1…Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.cxd5 Nxd5 4.g3

Ordered by how often they come up in top-level games. Learned lines join your daily review.

Fabiano Caruana's main line in the English Opening, move by move

The most common line at top level: 1…Nf6 2.Nc3 e5 3.f4 exf4 4.d4 d5 5.Bxf4.

  1. 1…Nf6 Reply · Fabiano Caruana's games A common reply here is 1…Nf6. At top level, this comes up about 27% of the time.
  2. 2.Nc3 Your move · Fabiano Caruana's games Fabiano Caruana played 2.Nc3 in 26 games, scoring 71%.
  3. 2…e5 Reply · Fabiano Caruana's games A common reply here is 2…e5. At top level, this comes up about 6% of the time.
  4. 3.f4 Your move · Fabiano Caruana's games Fabiano Caruana played 3.f4 in 3 games, scoring 67%.
  5. 3…exf4 Reply · Fabiano Caruana's games A common reply here is 3…exf4.
  6. 4.d4 Your move · Fabiano Caruana's games Fabiano Caruana played 4.d4 in 3 games, scoring 67%.
  7. 4…d5 Reply · Fabiano Caruana's games A common reply here is 4…d5.
  8. 5.Bxf4 Your move · Fabiano Caruana's games Fabiano Caruana played 5.Bxf4 in 3 games, scoring 67%.

Questions about this course

How does Fabiano Caruana play the English Opening?
After 1.c4, Fabiano Caruana's most common line is 1…Nf6 2.Nc3 e5 3.f4 exf4 4.d4 d5 5.Bxf4. At top level it comes up about 6% of the time.
Is this Fabiano Caruana's course?
No. ChessDrills builds it automatically from Fabiano Caruana's public Chess.com blitz games.
What is this English Opening course based on?
143 of Fabiano Caruana's Chess.com blitz games in the English Opening as White, against opponents with an average rating of 2,990. Fabiano Caruana scored 75% in them.
How many lines does the course have?
12 lines covering 40 positions, ordered by how often they come up in top-level games. The first 5 lines need no account; saving your progress with an email unlocks the rest, free.
Who is Fabiano Caruana?
GM Fabiano Caruana was ranked number 14 on the Chess.com blitz leaderboard with a rating of 3,271 when this course was built.