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How do you answer 1.c4 as black?

How do you answer 1.c4 as black?

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j
John W. Tabler

Austin, Texas

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Chess friends,

I am unsure as to how to ansewr 1.c4 which is English opening.
I like a tactical open game, but when I try to transpose to kings indian or nim-zo, i always come out of the opening with an inferior posistion. What do you look for when playing the opening as black in response to white's 1. c4?
Any suggestions. thanks in advance...

g

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Try 1. .... c5 e5 or Nf6.

w

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I like playing b6 myself if I want something offbeat, or sometimes the symmetrical, but I usually aim for a hedgehog position, which wont be of much use to you if you like open positions. e5 or Nf6 would be the place to look i reckon.

V
Caro-Kann Lover

Rishon-le-Zion

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If you answer 1. ... c5 - u usually can go for symmetrical positions - that is repeat the moves of White for up to 18 moves in some variations...
You mostly get close and boring positions - but it could be a good strategy when playing with stronger opponents.

If you play 1. ... e5 - u sometimes can let White playing Sicilian "in first hand" - that is they play Sicilian as if they would be Black, but with tempo up. That is for sure open and tactical...

If you play 1. ... Nf6 game can transpose into Nimzo or King's Indian, but often White would spoil your plans, and witholding from an early d4 - they can play so-called Anti-Nimcovitz, Ant-Grunfeld or Anti-Benoni ( that is done by players who playing White avoid these openings from Black ) - all of them are not bad for Black, but they are specific and you should know how to play them...

s

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try 1. ...e6 and after 2. Nc3 directly Bb4.

D
Losing the Thread

Quarantined World

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I open 1.c4 sometimes and tryed it against IronMan31 who played the Dutch: Game 1050452

PD

Arizona, USA

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Originally posted by DeepThought
I open 1.c4 sometimes and tryed it against IronMan31 who played the Dutch: Game 1050452
I played through that, and wondered why he used a tempo at 13 to move his king to the rook file. Could it be he was looking all the way out to his move 21, and didn't want your queen to be able to give check at g5?

AThousandYoung
1st Dan TKD Kukkiwon

tinyurl.com/2te6yzdu

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Originally posted by Paul Dirac
I played through that, and wondered why he used a tempo at 13 to move his king to the rook file. Could it be he was looking all the way out to his move 21, and didn't want your queen to be able to give check at g5?
The most obvious possibility is that he needed to free up the square for his Rook, so it could fire down the open file at the enemy King's position.

I play the King's Indian Defense against c5. I am not sure why you think you get an inferior position out of it.

N
The eyes of truth

elsewhere

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Nf6, King's indian defense. I've had good games with this reply lately.

PD

Arizona, USA

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Originally posted by AThousandYoung
The most obvious possibility is that he needed to free up the square for his Rook, so it could fire down the open file at the enemy King's position...
I bet you're right, given that the g file was half open from move 8 on. I guess the flow of the game was such that Black just didn't get around to implementing the rook attack on the g file.

C

East London

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take centre and hold it..
english opening is a flank opening..
white is saying.. you can take centre but you better look after it..

D
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Quarantined World

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Originally posted by Paul Dirac
I played through that, and wondered why he used a tempo at 13 to move his king to the rook file. Could it be he was looking all the way out to his move 21, and didn't want your queen to be able to give check at g5?
I doubt he was calculating to that depth at that stage, he'll just have checked that the move didn't allow me to do anything. It is something that you are going to want to do if the g -pawn has gone. It is not clear what is going to happen in the centre at this stage so he uses a move to keep his king safe.

B

ROMANIA

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What you say about 1...d5
Then 2. e3 cf6...
or 2. c:d5 e6
and 3. e4 e:d5
4.e:d5...

b

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I would give 1. c4 f5?! (halfway between that and a ?). I don't think I'll ever play the English opening. It doesn't suite my taste (neither does 1. d4). But if I knew my opponent was going to play f5 I'd play c4 as often as 1. e4. Not to say I wouldn't play f5. It's not losing or anything (as far as I know) and it's double-edged, so I might try it some day. And I think it's worse for black than 1. d4 f5. Just my opinion. But I'm bobbo so what do I know?

buffalobill
Major Bone

On yer tail ...

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Originally posted by jtab
Chess friends,

I am unsure as to how to ansewr 1.c4 which is English opening.
I like a tactical open game, but when I try to transpose to kings indian or nim-zo, i always come out of the opening with an inferior posistion. What do you look for when playing the opening as black in response to white's 1. c4?
Any suggestions. thanks in advance...
Decline his offer to take the centre and go completely weird. Try a Basman special and 1. ...g5, followed by 2. ... h6 followed by Bg7 and d6 - in whatever order you decide. This position will likely transpire and you've tranposed into a Borg.
Note: I haven't tried this out against c5 but it certainly should be interesting and open. The usual disclaimers and parental controls apply.

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