English Opening
One setup for White: c4, knight c3, g3 and bishop g2 — then gain queenside space with b4 and b5.
Basics: the English Opening setup
Control d5 with c4 and the knight on c3, then open the long diagonal with g3 and the bishop on g2. These four moves appear in almost every English game.
- The four-move setup: c4, knight c3, g3, bishop g24 neue Züge🔒 Beende zuerst die vorige Lektion
If Black sets up with e5, knight c6 and bishop g7 (Closed English)
The center is closed, so the game is on the queenside. After d3: rook to b1, then b4 and b5 — your pawns march and chase the knight on c6.
- Rook to b1, then b4 and b54 neue Züge🔒 Beende zuerst die vorige Lektion
- If Black tries to stop b4 with a54 neue Züge🔒 Beende zuerst die vorige Lektion
If Black plays knight f6 and pushes d5 (Reversed Sicilian)
Trade on d5 and bring the bishop to g2 to press the d5 knight. Then knight f3, castle, d3 — and the plan is again a3 and b4–b5 on the queenside.
- Trade on d5, bishop to g23 neue Züge🔒 Beende zuerst die vorige Lektion
- Knight f3, castle and d33 neue Züge🔒 Beende zuerst die vorige Lektion
- The queenside plan: a3, b4, b53 neue Züge🔒 Beende zuerst die vorige Lektion
- Trap: if Black leaves the knight hanging, take on d51 neuer Zug🔒 Beende zuerst die vorige Lektion
- If Black trades knights on c33 neue Züge🔒 Beende zuerst die vorige Lektion
If Black follows knight f6 with bishop b4 or c6
Against bishop b4, hold d5 firmly with e4 and develop the knight via e2. Against c6, hit e5 with the knight; if e4 comes, go to d4, then question e4 with d3.
- Bishop to b4: e4 and knight to e24 neue Züge🔒 Beende zuerst die vorige Lektion
- If Black plays c6: knight to d4, then d34 neue Züge🔒 Beende zuerst die vorige Lektion
If Black answers with c5 (Symmetrical Variation)
The same fianchetto setup, but the knight goes to e2: e3, knight e2, castle and d3. If Black plays e5, d5 gets weak; prepare b4 with a3.
- The symmetrical setup: prepare with e34 neue Züge🔒 Beende zuerst die vorige Lektion
- If Black plays e5: knight e2, castle, d3 and a34 neue Züge🔒 Beende zuerst die vorige Lektion
- If Black plays the knight to f63 neue Züge🔒 Beende zuerst die vorige Lektion
If Black starts with knight f6, g6 or f5
Same setup: knight c3, g3, bishop g2. If Black plays e5 you're back in familiar positions; if Black pushes d5, trade on d5 and press the knight with your g2 bishop.
- Knight f6, then e5: back to the Reversed Sicilian1 neuer Zug🔒 Beende zuerst die vorige Lektion
- Knight f6, then c5: trade on d53 neue Züge🔒 Beende zuerst die vorige Lektion
- Knight f6, then g6: bishop to g22 neue Züge🔒 Beende zuerst die vorige Lektion
- Knight f6, then e6: knight f3 first, then the fianchetto3 neue Züge🔒 Beende zuerst die vorige Lektion
- If Black starts with g6: back to the Closed position3 neue Züge🔒 Beende zuerst die vorige Lektion
- If Black starts with f53 neue Züge🔒 Beende zuerst die vorige Lektion