Chess: Understanding the English Opening (Symmetrical Variation) Part II

1 c4 c5 2 Nf3 Nf6 3 Nc3 d5 4 cxd5 Nxd5 5 e4 Nxc3
6 dxc3 Qxd1+ 7 Kxd1 Nc6 Line



What's the game plan for Black?



(i) Answer e2-e4 with ... Nxc3.
(ii) Vie for the open d-file by enabling Ra8-d8
(... Nc6/... Bb7).

What's the game plan for White?



(i) Eliminate the d5 knight from the center by
pushing e2-e4.
(ii) Respond to ... Nxc3 with dxc3. The idea is to
open up and control the d-file (Ke1-d1-c2/Rd1).

Sample Variation Below

Also available:
Understanding the English Opening
(1 c4 e5 Line)
http://chesscoach1950.blogspot.com/2006/01/chess-understanding-english-opening.html
Chess: Understanding the English Opening
(Symmetrical Variation) Part I
http://chesscoach1950.blogspot.com/2006/07/chess-understanding-english-opening.html
Chess: Understanding the English Opening
(Symmetrical Variation) Part III
http://chesscoach1950.blogspot.com/2006/07/chess-understanding-english-opening_22.html
Chess: Understanding the English Opening
(Symmetrical Variation) Part IV
http://chesscoach1950.blogspot.com/2006/07/chess-understanding-englis_115362587088403691.html


Sample Variation

For explanations of moves 1 through 4
please refer to: Chess: Understanding
the English Opening (Symmetrical
Variation) Part I

1 c4 c5



2 Nf3 Nf6



3 Nc3 d5



4 cxd5 Nxd5



5 e4 Nxc3



6 dxc3 Qxd1+



Depriving White of the right to castle. Nonetheless,
after the next move, his King will be centralized
for subsequent action.

7 Kxd1 Nc6



(i) Initiates queenside mobilization.
(ii) Counterattacks e5.

Or,
7 ... Bg4 8 Kc2 Nc6 9 Be3 e6 10 Bb5 f6 11 Nd2 Rc8
12 f3 Bh5 13 Rhd1 a6 14 Bc4 Bf7 15 Bf1.
7 ... f6 8 Be3 e5 9 Nd2 Be6 10 Bc4 Bxc4 11 Nxc4 Nc6
12 a4 Kf7 13 Ke2 Be7 14 Rhd1 Rhd8 15 Rd5 Ke6 16 Rad1.
7 ... a6 8 Be3 e6 9 Kc1 b5 10 a4 b4
7 ... a6 8 Bg5 b5 9 Kc1 Bb7 10 Bd3 c4
7 ... a6 8 Bg5 Nd7 9 e5 Nb6 10 Bd3 Bg4
7 ... a6 8 Bf4 Nc6 9 Be3 e6 10 Kc2 b5
7 ... a6 8 Bf4 b6 9 Kc1 Bb7 10 Bd3 Nd7

8 Be3 b6



Protecting c5 from 9 Bxc5 and facilitating the
c8 bishop's development to b7.

9 Kc2 Bb7



10 Rd1



And it's anyone's game.

By ChessCoach@care2.com

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