Although many lines of the English have a distinct character, the opening is often used as a transpositional device in much the same way as 1.Nf3 – to avoid such highly regarded responses to 1.d4 as the Nimzo-Indian and Grünfeld Defences – and is considered reliable and flexible.

Mikhail Botvinnik, Tigran Petrosian, Anatoly Karpov, Garry Kasparov, Magnus Carlsen, and Ding Liren have employed it during their world championship matches.

Bobby Fischer created a stir when he switched to it from his customary 1.e4 late in his career, employing it against Lev Polugaevsky and Oscar Panno at the Palma de Mallorca Interzonal in 1970, and in his world championship match against Boris Spassky.

The games can give a large variety of positional and tactical ideas, and can transpose into variants of the Open Sicilian involving the Maróczy Bind, such as the Accelerated Dragon, Taimanov, Kan, or Kalashnikov Variations, if White plays e4 in a later move.

When Black plays 2...Nf6, these lines are often called the Anti-Benoni, since these positions are often reached after the transposition 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.Nf3, where White avoided the Benoni Defense that would arise after 3.d5.

Black also cannot force a Grünfeld with 1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5, since White can deviate with 3.cxd5 Nxd5 4.g3, a line played several times by Mikhail Botvinnik in 1958, in his final match for the world championship with Vasily Smyslov.

1.c4 is also used in Pawn Sacrifice by Bobby Fischer in the climactic game six of the 1972 World Chess Championship versus Boris Spassky.

1.Na3: Durkin 1.a3: Anderssen 1.b3: Nimzowitsch-Larsen 1.Nc3: Dunst 1.c3: Saragossa 1.d3: Mieses 1.e3: Van 't Kruijs 1.Nf3: Zukertort 1.f3: Barnes 1.g3: Benko 1.Nh3: Amar 1.h3: Clemenz