The Symmetrical English is an opening that does not have the most exciting of reputations. However, there are plenty of opportunities to break the symmetry and create an interesting position. The following game is a good example, as play becomes extremely sharp as the position opens up towards the end.
My penultimate game in the club championship, as Black against Ian Comley, featured this opening. The position out of the opening was about level, but White then made some weak moves, allowing me to win a pawn. He then attempted to complicate things with some success. However, I was just about able to navigate these complications to consolidate my position, when he promptly decided to resign.
Looking back over the game in more detail, there were a couple of points where I allowed my opponent a chance to get back in the game: firstly, when there was a promising opportunity to give up the exchange rather than the pawn; secondly, when my opponent could have restricted his losses to a single pawn and forced me to prove the win in a tricky queen ending.
I give the game below with some notes.