ECO A10 · English Opening

English Opening: Porcupine Variation

1. c4 f5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. e4 fxe4 4. g4

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Black to move. The arrow shows Stockfish’s best move.
Best move

4… g6−0.50

Black is slightly better. Stockfish 18, depth 18.

Analyze this position

In the English Opening: Porcupine Variation (A10), reached after 1. c4 f5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. e4 fxe4 4. g4, Stockfish 18 recommends 4… g6 for Black. Black is slightly better (−0.50).

Top engine moves

  1. −0.504… g6 5. g5 Nh5 6. Nxe4 d5 7. Ng3 Nxg3 8. hxg3 Nc6 9. d4
  2. −0.384… h6 5. d3 e5 6. g5 hxg5 7. Bxg5 Bc5 8. Bg2 Nc6 9. Bxe4
  3. 0.004… d6 5. g5 Nfd7 6. Nxe4 Nc5 7. Ng3 e5 8. d4 exd4 9. b4

Frequently asked questions

What is the best move in the English Opening: Porcupine Variation?
After 1. c4 f5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. e4 fxe4 4. g4, Stockfish 18 at depth 18 recommends 4… g6 for Black, continuing 5. g5 Nh5 6. Nxe4 d5 7. Ng3 Nxg3 8. hxg3 Nc6 9. d4. Black is slightly better (−0.50). The next best moves are 4… h6 (−0.38) and 4… d6 (0.00).
Is the English Opening: Porcupine Variation a good opening?
Stockfish rates the position at −0.50: black is slightly better. Evaluations this early in the game are small, so practical results depend far more on knowing the plans and typical structures than on the engine's number.
What is the ECO code of the English Opening: Porcupine Variation?
A10. ECO codes classify chess openings from A00 to E99; A is the volume for flank openings.

Opening names from the Lichess opening book (CC0). Pieces by Colin M.L. Burnett (GPLv2+).