English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Anti-Benoni Variation
English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Anti-Benoni Variation is a chess opening with the ECO code A31, part of the English Opening family. It goes 1. c4 Nf6 2. d4 c5 3. Nf3. White opens with 1. c4 (the English move) and Black answers 1... Nf6. After 5 moves it is Black to move. 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... Nf6 – Black plays the knight to f6
2. d4 – White plays the pawn to d4
2... c5 – Black plays the pawn to c5
3. Nf3 – White plays the knight to f3
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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