[Event ""]
[White "Introduction"]
[Black ""]
[Site ""]
[Round ""]
[Annotator "S. Williams & R. Palliser"]
[Result "*"]
[Date ""]
[PlyCount "11"]
1. c4 {Welcome to the world of the English Opening! It's an opening which can
be traced right back to that great English player of the Victorian era, Howard
Staunton. Wherever possible we'll also be looking to put to good use a set-up
within the English favoured by the legendary fifth world champion, 'the
Patriarch', Mikhail Botvinnik. --- The world hasn't been an amazing place of
late, but lockdown allowed time for plenty of filming, streaming...and
internet blitz. Simon even did a spot of a chess work for himself, realising
that while some of his old favourites were in need of an overhaul, they were
very much still as dangerous as back when he first started playing them many
years ago. --- In recent years Simon has played a lot of 1 d4, but he will
most certainly once again be employing his old love, the English, a fair bit
more from now on. Let's see why!} e5 {Black's main move.} ({Play transposes
after} 1... Nf6 2. Nc3 {if Black now pushes his e-pawn two squares, but a very
popular alternative is} g6 {, going for a King's Indian-style set-up. We too
have our own favourite set-up and the Botvinnik is very handy for countering
the King's Indian, which remains an extremely popular choice at club level:} 3. g3 Bg7 (3... d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 {would be Grünfeldy, but} 5. Bg2 {is quite
dangerous; White can even deploy one of our favourite early advances, pushing
Harry!} )4. Bg2 O-O $1 5. e4 d6 6. Nge2 e5 7. d3 {. This is the Botvinnik
set-up, giving White a firm central grip and control over d5. White will
castle next and may then aim to cramp Black with a quick f4-f5.} )({An
important and super-solid alternative for Black is} 1... c5 {, the Symmetrical
English. Here too we can aim for our favourite set-up:} 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. e4 Nf6 6. Nge2 O-O 7. O-O d6 8. d3 {. This position can come about
via a great many move orders, including a King's Indian one, but once again
White's central grip is obvious to the eye. Key pawn levers to bear in mind
are f4-f5, b4 and d4.} )({After} 1... Nf6 2. Nc3 {Black can be a little
annoying with} c5 (2... e6 {is another important line, beloved of Nimzo-Indian
players, but we don't have to allow their fun and can go} 3. e4 {, the
dangerous Mikenas Attack} )3. g3 d5 {, which denies us a Botvinnik set-up, but
after} 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. Bg2 {it's hard to complain about White's lovely bishop.
Just look at that bishop on g2 swooping down the long light-square diagonal!} )({We'll also look at a few tricky initial moves, including Simon's old
favourite,} 1... f5 {, as well as 1...b6, 1...c6 and especially 1...e6, all of
which aim to deny us our Botvinnik formation, but do little to prevent a quick
e4 from White.} )2. Nc3 Nf6 (2... Bb4 {is a creative line and can lead to some
very fun positions after} 3. Nd5 {.} ({It's also possible to go} 3. g3 Bxc3 4. bxc3 d6 5. Bg2 {when, yes, you guessed it, a Botvinnik formation is on the
cards, but our recommendation is actually 3 e4!?, mirroring our main line
below.} ))({Instead,} 2... Nc6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. e4 {sees our ideal
set-up once again in action. Black doesn't have to go King's Indian style with} d6 6. Nge2 Nf6 {here, but in any case White has his central grip and may break
with f4.} )3. g3 Bb4 ({A big alternative is} 3... d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. Bg2 Nb6 {
when we're suggesting that White avoids the main lines of the reversed Dragon
with} 6. e3 {, again bringing the king's knight to its favourite English
square, e2. The resulting positions are relatively unexplored, but certainly
dynamic – and fun! Not only may White break with d4, but also f4.} )4. e4 $5 {
This idea championed by the champ himself, Magnus Carlsen, is likely to
surprise your opponent and is actually a pretty decent choice. Once again, a
Botvinnik set-up is White's plan and} Bxc3 5. dxc3 Nxe4 6. Qg4 {doesn't win a
pawn due to 6 Qg4, hitting the knight and g7. --- Before we get to tackle this
line and all Black's possibilities in detail, it's time to learn some of
White's key ideas. Read on!} (6. -- {Richard Palliser, York, October 2020} )*