Originally posted by c guy1Do you really think GM Mikhail Zlotnikov "missed" that line?
looks like a decent enough game...white happened to miss the thematic g3 Bg2 and also an early Nc3 could have done him well. But to avoid problems in general with this line, a good english player should transpose to a Catalan or Semi-Slav (I know I prefer the Catalan)
http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessplayer?pid=46726
In the English the main opening struggle revolves around the d4 and d5 squares, 1. c4 is played to stop black playing 1. ... d5. So 1. ... c6 preparing 2. ... d5 is completely logical, but really all black has to do is play whatever their favorite defence to 1. d4 is (unless it's 1. ... d5 which probably won't work well), keeping in mind the possibility that white won't play d4. I normally respond 1. ... f5 to 1. d4 and play the Dutch defence after 1. c4 as well; but I also like the symmetrical lines in the English so I've an alternative in 1. ... c5.
In the game Arrakis posted I feel that 16. Nb1 is a mistake, I don't really think that the trap works as open files are generated in the centre and the white king ends up homeless, having given up a rook black is forced into a more or less winning attack, after which the game turns into a demonstration of grandmaster attacking technique. 24. Bf8 is a nice move - many of us lesser mortals would have played 24. Be7 which misses the check when the queen is taken.
Originally posted by DeepThoughtVery good!
In the English the main opening struggle revolves around the d4 and d5 squares, 1. c4 is played to stop black playing 1. ... d5. So 1. ... c6 preparing 2. ... d5 is completely logical, but really all black has to do is play whatever their favorite defence to 1. d4 is (unless it's 1. ... d5 which probably won't work well), keeping in mind the possibility ...[text shortened]... us lesser mortals would have played 24. Be7 which misses the check when the queen is taken.