Category Archives: The Symmetrical English

1 Nf3 repertoire: The Hedgehog System

Posted on July 9, 2011 by James Mansson

While variations on the basic Hedgehog formation can arise from a range of different openings, here we are concerned with the position after 1 Nf3 Nf6 2 c4 b6 3 g3 Bb7 4 Bg2 c5 5 0-0 e6 6 Nc3, … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 Nf3 Repertoire, Games, Opening Analysis, The Symmetrical English | Leave a comment

1 Nf3 repertoire: The Symmetrical English with 2…Nc6

Posted on June 30, 2011 by James Mansson

One of Black’s trickier move orders in the Symmetrical English is 1 Nf3 c5 2 c4 Nc6. Here Black creates the possibility of …e5, hoping to establish a strong position in the centre. White needs to decide how to confront … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 Nf3 Repertoire, Opening Analysis, The Symmetrical English | Leave a comment

1 Nf3 repertoire: The Symmetrical English with 2…Nf6 and 3…d5

Posted on June 25, 2011 by James Mansson

After 1 Nf3 Nf6 2 c4 c5 3 Nc3, an important option for Black is 3…d5. This is different to 3…Nc6 4 g3 d5, discussed in the previous post, in a couple of important ways: After 3…d5, White cannot play … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 Nf3 Repertoire, Opening Analysis, The Symmetrical English | Leave a comment

1 Nf3 repertoire: The Symmetrical English with 2…Nf6 and 4…d5

Posted on June 24, 2011 by James Mansson

One of the features of symmetrical positions is that the same basic moves are possible for each side. However, because one side is a move ahead, the same move does not necessarily have the same value. For instance, in the … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 Nf3 Repertoire, Games, Opening Analysis, The Symmetrical English | 1 Comment

1 Nf3 repertoire: The Ultra Symmetrical English

Posted on June 12, 2011 by James Mansson

One question in a range of openings is what happens if Black simply copies White’s move? Sometimes, of course, this is not especially good, e.g. 1 d4 d5 2 c4 c5 3 cxd5, but sometimes it is (arguably) the strongest … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 Nf3 Repertoire, Opening Analysis, The Symmetrical English | Leave a comment

1 Nf3 repertoire: The Symmetrical English Overview

Posted on May 3, 2011 by James Mansson

For the purposes of our repertoire, the Symmetrical English encompasses those lines where Black plays …c5 before White has played d4, allowing him to answer that move with …cxd4. White will generally have played c4 already, or will play it … Continue reading →

Posted in 1 Nf3 Repertoire, Opening Analysis, The Symmetrical English | Leave a comment

4NCL Division 3 2010-11: e2e4.org.uk 2 – KJCA Kings

Posted on January 17, 2011 by James Mansson

I play for e2e4.org.uk in the 4NCL. This last 4NCL weekend I was playing for the second team in division 3. In round 3 we were paired against KJCA Kings, and the match was frankly something of a disaster, both … Continue reading →

Posted in 4NCL, Games, Opening Analysis, Reports, The Symmetrical English | 1 Comment

Horsham Club Championship 2010-11: Mansson – Roberts

Posted on January 5, 2011 by James Mansson

On Tuesday I played my first club championship game of the year against Dix Roberts. The result of the game was extremely frustrating. In the opening, my opponent made a known error, which allows White to win the exchange for … Continue reading →

Posted in Games, Opening Analysis, The Symmetrical English | 1 Comment