English symmetry variant

	a	b	c	d	e	f	G	H
8th									8th
7th									7th
6th									6th
5									5
4th									4th
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	G	H

1. c2-c4 c7-c5

The English symmetry variant is an opening in the game of chess . It develops from the English opening and is one of the closed games . In the ECO codes , the English symmetry variant is classified under the codes A30 – A39.

Each of its main variants begins with the following moves ( see also: chess notation ):

1. c2-c4 c7-c5

White now plays the open variant 2. Ng1 – f3, with the idea of ​​gaining space and playing in the center with d2 – d4, or the closed variant 2. Nb1 – c3, usually followed by a fianchetto structure with g2 – g3 and Bf1 – g2 and play on the wings. The immediate 2. g2 – g3 and 3. Bf1 – g2 are used to avoid the English hedgehog position .

variants

• The open variant 2. Ng1 – f3 Ng8 – f6 3. d2 – d4 (The delay of d2 – d4 leads to the English hedgehog after 3. g2 – g3 b7 – b6 .) C5xd4 4. Nf3xd4 Black can answer with different pawn lineups:
  • 4.… g7 – g6 5. Nb1 – c3 Nb8 – c6 6. e2 – e4 becomes the accelerated dragon variant .
  • 4.… Qd8 – c7 immediately goes for the c4 pawn.
  • the gambit 4.… e7 – e5 5. Nd4 – b5 d7 – d5 6. c4xd5 Bf8 – c5 became popular with a game of Kasparov .
• The Rubinstein variant 2. Nb1 – c3 Ng8 – f6 3. g2 – g3 d7 – d5 (3.… e7 – e6 4. Ng1 – f3 d7 – d5 5. c4xd5 e6xd5 6. d2 – d4 leads to the Tarrasch defense , or 4.… b7 – b6 and d2 – d4 for the English hedgehog ) 4. c4xd5 Nf6xd5 5. Bf1 – g2 Nd5 – c7 intended e7 – e5. This mirroring of the accelerated dragon variant was invented by Akiba Rubinstein and safely used by Botvinnik . 5.… e7 – e6 seems to be a weaker move. White can now increase the positional pressure as in a game Thomas Rüter-Rabbitt played in Cardiff on April 4, 1985: 6. Nf3 Be7 7. 0–0 a6 8. d4 cxd4 9. Nxd5 Qxd5 10. Nxd4 Qd8 11. Qc2 Nd7 12. Be3 0–0 13. Rfd1 e5 14. Nf5 Rb8 15. Rac1 Bg5 16. Bxg5 Qxg5 17 .h4 Qd8 18.Nd6 b5 19.Nxc8 Rxc8 1: 0. In the decisive 8th match game in 1994 in Sanghi Nagar, Boris Gelfand won a pawn against the eventual world champion Kramnik: 6.Nxd5 exd5 7.Qb3 Nc6 8.Qxd5 Qxd5 9.Bxd5 Nb4 10. Be4 f5 11. Bb1 1-0 in 63. Train.

• The closed variant 2. Nb1 – c3 Nb8 – c6 3. g2 – g3 g7 – g6 (3.… e7 – e6 4. Ng1 – f3 d7 – d5 5. c4xd5 e6xd5 6. d2 – d4 leads to the Tarrasch defense , resp 4.… b7 – b6 and d2 – d4 for the English hedgehog ) 4. Bf1 – g2 Bf8 – g7.

literature

• Vladimir Bagirow : English Opening, Volume 1 . Schachverlag Rudi Schmaus, Heidelberg 1984.
• Nigel Davies: The English Opening . chessbase-DVD, ISBN 978-3-86681-088-4 .
• Lorin D'Costa: ABC of the English Opening . chessbase-DVD, ISBN 978-3-86681-440-0 .
• Simon Williams : The English Opening Vol. 2 . chessbase-DVD, ISBN 978-3-86681-478-3 .
• Mihail Marin: English opening 3 - GM Rep. 5 . Quality Chess, 2011 ISBN 978-1-90655-295-4 .
• Hansen, Carsten: The Symmetrical English . Gambit, 2001, ISBN 978-1-901983-40-1 .

Individual evidence

1. ↑ BH Wood: HOW GOOD IS YOUR JUDGING? In: CHESS . tape 50 , no. 949-950 . Sutton Coldfield May 1985, p. 41 .