Anybody play this opening and/or have experience with it? I just purchased Tony Kosten's "Dynamic English" and have been playing around with the opening. I like the ideas behind it and flexibility, but I'm new to it and still making quite a few mistakes. Just looking for comments on players who implement this system. Also for any pitfalls to avoid.
A couple things if you could touch on...1)still a little confused when to occupy d5 in some positions, though Kosten helps a bit with this, It hasn't sunk in yet. 2) I get a little hung up on when to play e3 or e4 at times when my opponent is out of book. Sometimes when a direct e4 makes sense to me it seems to be the wrong choice. I don't have any specific examples; if I find a game of mine where this happens I'll post it.
I have played it enough. I play e4 almost always. Unless black doesn't play e5 directly. Use his move order choice as c4 g3 then Bg2 unless d5. I would look at that line first because there is a queen trap when black plays Qc6 to stop g3. learn bottvinniks position and the rules that apply to f4. If you delay d3 if you are given the option then you will be able to play d4 instead of d3 and your backward pawn positions are solved!