Category Archives: The Symmetrical English

McArthur Cup 2011-12: Horsham – Brighton

Posted on January 19, 2012 by James Mansson

Last Tuesday saw Horsham’s first match in the McArthur Cup for many years. We had something of a (re-)baptism of fire, being paired against Brighton, one of the strongest sides in Sussex. Unlike the Mid-Sussex League matches, there is a … Continue reading →

Posted in Games, McArthur Cup, Opening Analysis, Reports, The Symmetrical English | Leave a comment

Horsham Club Championship 2011-12: Mansson – Roberts

Posted on December 21, 2011 by James Mansson

Last night saw my final competitive game of 2011, as I took on Dix Roberts in the Rook. The game featured the main line of the Hedgehog System. Play followed the usual pattern, with White looking to expand and squeeze … Continue reading →

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Horsham Club Championship 2011-12: Mansson – Warren

Posted on October 12, 2011 by James Mansson

Last night I won my rook game against Nick Warren. I obtained an advantage out of the opening, but failed to push it home, allowing my opponent to reach a level endgame. However, he then allowed me to build up … Continue reading →

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Horsham Club Quickplay Knockout 2011-12: Mansson – Britton

Posted on September 21, 2011 by James Mansson

As mentioned in my previous post, last night featured the first two rounds of the Quickplay Knockout. There I wrote about my first round match with Julie Denning. Here I turn my attention to round two, where my match was … Continue reading →

Posted in Club Quickplay Knockout, Games, Opening Analysis, Reports, The Sicilian Defence, The Symmetrical English | Leave a comment

Blast from the Past: Portsmouth 1992

Posted on September 6, 2011 by James Mansson

One of my favourite events for many years was the tournament played at Portsmouth Grammar School every February. I first entered the event in 1992 in my last year at school, but I really made a habit of it from … Continue reading →

Posted in Blast from the Past, Games, Miscellaneous Queen's Gambit, Opening Analysis, The French Defence, The Gruenfeld Defence, The King's Indian Defence, The Ruy Lopez, The Symmetrical English | Leave a comment

1 Nf3 repertoire: The Maroczy Bind

Posted on July 16, 2011 by James Mansson

The basic position of the Maroczy Bind arises after 1 Nf3 c5 2 c4 g6 3 e4 Nc6 4 d4 cxd4 5 Nxd4, although there are other move orders that reach both this and later positions within the system. In … Continue reading →

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

1 Nf3 repertoire: The Double Fianchetto System

Posted on July 9, 2011 by James Mansson

The Double Fianchetto System is similar to the Hedgehog System in its basic philosophy of establishing a solid set-up, with the potential to counter-attack should White over-extend. The basic position arises after 1 Nf3 Nf6 2 c4 b6 3 g3 … Continue reading →

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

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 →

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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 Caro-Kann Defence, The Symmetrical English | 1 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 →

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