King's English Variation, Reversed Sicilian

2. Nc3 is White's most frequent answer to 1...e5, and the name Reversed Sicilian applies specifically to this position, classified as A21. The knight adds a second piece to the c4-pawn's fight for d5. It also commits White to nothing on the kingside. Both e3 and g3 stay available for the king's bishop, and the g1-knight can go to f3 or e2 later.

One common treatment is 3. Nf3, which develops at once. Another is a fianchetto with 3. g3 and 4. Bg2, sometimes called the Bremen System, which tightens control of d5 along the long diagonal. In that scheme Ne2 is an option alongside Nf3. Ne2 leaves the bishop's diagonal unobstructed and helps against a pin on the c3-knight and its possible exchange.

Black's second move decides the character of the game, and later ECO codes A22 to A29 cover the main replies. 2...Nf6, the Two Knights Variation, is the most popular choice and is flexible: it contests d5 and leaves Black free to choose a kingside setup afterward. 2...Nc6, the Reversed Closed Sicilian, often leads to sharper positions on opposite wings. White expands on the queenside with moves such as e3, Nge2, d4, Rb1 and b4. Black looks for counterplay by advancing the kingside pawns toward White's king.

The bishop moves are less common. 2...Bc5 is the third most played reply, and White scores somewhat better against it than against the knight moves. 2...Bb4, the Kramnik-Shirov Counterattack, can be met by 3. Nd5, chasing the bishop at once, but the resulting play is unclear. White more often plays 3. e3 or 3. Nf3 and allows ...Bxc3. Black then tends to fix pawns on dark squares, producing an imbalanced, double-edged game. The engine's preferred replies are 2...Nf6, 2...Bb4 and 2...Nc6.

The position is one of the most frequently reached in the catalogue, and the engine considers it roughly balanced. In practice White wins slightly more often than Black, and draws are rare.