English Opening: Symmetrical Variation is a chess opening with the ECO code A34, part of the English Opening family. It goes 1. c4 c5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nc3 Nc6 4. g3 d5 5. d4 cxd4. White opens with 1. c4 (the English move) and Black answers 1... c5. After 10 moves it is White to move. After the last move Black is a pawn ahead in material. The lesson on the board explains every move of the line and lets you play it yourself; it is free.
The moves
1. c4 – White plays the pawn to c4
1... c5 – Black plays the pawn to c5
2. Nf3 – White plays the knight to f3
2... Nf6 – Black plays the knight to f6
3. Nc3 – White plays the knight to c3
3... Nc6 – Black plays the knight to c6
4. g3 – White plays the pawn to g3
4... d5 – Black plays the pawn to d5
5. d4 – White plays the pawn to d4
5... cxd4 – Black captures on d4 with the c-pawn
About the English Opening
White starts with 1.c4, controlling d5 from the side. It is flexible and often leads to slow, strategic games.
White often fianchettoes with g3 and Bg2 to aim the bishop down the long diagonal.
Against 1...e5 it is like a Sicilian with colours reversed and an extra tempo for White.
White fights on the queenside with b4-b5 and the open c-file.
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