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The English Opening is a flank opening where White advances their c-pawn two squares instead of the d- or e-pawns. The English is a highly transpositional opening, meaning that in many cases the game will reach the same position that arises from other openings and through different move orders.
- Why Play The Symmetrical Defense
- White's Moves
- Black's Moves
The Symmetrical Defense is a popular response to the English opening. This move fights for the d4-square and keeps the position balanced. Even though keeping the position symmetric in general leads to neutral positions: these positions can be transformed into tactical ones if one side advances their Queen’s pawn two squares. In general, however, mo...
Expand in the centre with d4
Playing d4 is usually a good idea in these positions. It can be done early in the game, usually in an attempt to transpose to openings starting with the move 1.d4 (like the Queen’s Gambit), or later in the game, only with the purpose of occupying the centre and challenging Blacks c5-pawn.
Support the centre with the move d3
True English players (that don’t want to make any transpositions to other Opening’s variations) will often avoid the early d4 and choose a more solid setup where the d-pawn will occupy the third rank and support the c4-pawn.
Fianchetto the light-squared Bishop
The light-squared Bishop going to the g2-square is a very common plan in many variations of the English Defense. Since the c4 and d3 pawns are controlling the central light squares it makes sense that this Bishop would be very useful pointing at them.
When playing the Symmetrical Defense, Black really has two options here. One is to fianchetto both of his bishops, which if White also Fianchettos his bishops, leads to very drawish positions (since most pieces can be exchanged off the board).
The English Opening is a chess opening that begins with the move: 1. c4. A flank opening, it is the fourth most popular [1] [2] and, according to various databases, one of the four most successful of White's twenty possible first moves. [1] [3] White begins the fight for the centre by staking a claim to the d5-square from the wing, in ...
Jun 2, 2018 · The English Opening is a strong way to start the game for both positional or tactical players. The opening also offers players a way to trick their opponents by transposing into other main-line openings.
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The English Opening is a chess opening beginning with 1. c4. Of all the openings that don’t begin by advancing the king’s pawn or the queen’s pawn, the English Opening is among the most popular. White immediately grabs some central space and takes the d5 square under control.
Feb 10, 2024 · Introduction. The English Opening is named after Howard Staunton who first played it in his match against De Saint Amant in 1843. 1.c4 did however not catch on with his contemporaries and it took until the 20th century, when players like Nimzovich, Reti, and Rubinstein drove forward its development.
