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Recently returned to chess after not playing for over 20 years. I`ve never been much of a student of theory and consequently never been very good at the game. I`m trying out the c4 opening [is this called the English Opening?] as I remeber many years ago playing a guy who never opened with anything else as white. I never really found a way to refute it. But on the face of it, it doesn`t seem to offer many possibilities. Could someone with a bit of theoretical knowledge please explain the pros and cons of the P - QB4 opening line to a complete tiro. Many thanks. Hope you don`t mind me picking other players` brains but I am keen to play better at the game.
Originally posted by Millwall BillThe point of 1.c4 is to leave your center flexible while fighting for control of d5. It also offers many advantageous transpositions into 1. d4 openings. In some lines it's like playing a sicillian defense with an extra move. In many instances white can play 1. c4 2. Nc3 3. g3 4. Bg2 regardless of what black does. He can also opt to forgo the fianchetto instead playing 3. d4 to take a crack at the center.
Recently returned to chess after not playing for over 20 years. I`ve never been much of a student of theory and consequently never been very good at the game. I`m trying out the c4 opening [is this called the English Opening?] as I remeber many years ago playing a guy who never opened with anything else as white. I never really found a way to refute it ...[text shortened]... . Hope you don`t mind me picking other players` brains but I am keen to play better at the game.
i like c4 rather than d4 or e5. c4 is flexable so you dont get bored with the same games although the knowlidge has to be more though. a lot of higher rated players say not to try it until your at least 1600 because the openings have to be sharp and if you miss a move your center could be doomed. you strive for a bottvinnik positions in many variations. a good book on the english opening is the dynamic english by tony kosten. views pretty much every way black can go about the opening with it. if your not an agressive player then i'd stick with e4.
i find e4 to have boring games. symmetrical games have less explosions. c4 games do transpose to d4 openings but either your good at the openings you transpose to or you transpose to good positions for white. with a more mobile center you have a more dynamic way of attacking. unless black takes on full defense and just gets hammered into a bad position. i've had more finishing attacks from c4 openings than e4.
1.c4 fights for the control of the center from move 1. black can play passively against it and let white control the middle or they can fight for control with either c5 or e5. Against e4, there is alot of variety in the moves but one passive move won't necessarily kill you.(French Defense, Caro-Kann) I think you need to be alot sharper in the English because if your caught off guard, black may find itself in a very difficult position.
Originally posted by kmac27e4 e5 boring? 2. f4 and there goes your problem.
i find e4 to have boring games. symmetrical games have less explosions. c4 games do transpose to d4 openings but either your good at the openings you transpose to or you transpose to good positions for white. with a more mobile center you have a more dynamic way of attacking. unless black takes on full defense and just gets hammered into a bad position. i've had more finishing attacks from c4 openings than e4.
and when you consider that the most popular response to e4 is the asymmetrical c5...
i like to force a cymmetrical game. if c5 is played thats fine by me i just like openings with c4 better it feels its more daynamic. e4 is boring to me i dont feel i can really get a good attack going. ever since i've started c4 i've had a much larger ratio to attacking wins than e4. i hate playing against the french and against the karo kann defense it avoids them both. ;-)
Originally posted by Millwall BillYep, it's called the English Opening. I play it a lot. Then again, I play lots of stuff. EX: 1.f4 (Bird's Opening) 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f5 (Latvian Gambit), 1.d4, 1.e4, 1.b4 (Polish Opening).
Recently returned to chess after not playing for over 20 years. I`ve never been much of a student of theory and consequently never been very good at the game. I`m trying out the c4 opening [is this called the English Opening?] as I remeber many years ago playing a guy who never opened with anything else as white. I never really found a way to refute it ...[text shortened]... . Hope you don`t mind me picking other players` brains but I am keen to play better at the game.