understanding the english

Originally posted by !~TONY~!
I can never tell if those endings are drawn, so I almost always just keep playing. Silman better frickin speed it up.

Hahaha, I think you and I could both REALLY benefit from an endgame book. 🙂

Originally posted by cmsMaster
Hahaha, I think you and I could both REALLY benefit from an endgame book. 🙂

and I as well (though my endgame IS better than cms)

...sorta

Originally posted by !~TONY~!
Not to mention when you play 1. c4 people are normally just boggled. , and normally they just play some horsecrap that isn't good at all.

sounds like me!!!!

When I run into 1. c4 i'm totally lost. Though now I pretty much just use a KID setup.

Then again, I use a King's Indian setup against most things...especially as white. Hence, my KIA obsession.

That's what I am saying. Even I don't like to see 1. c4. Haha...😀

1. e4 Nf6 2. Nc3 g6 and pray for 3. d4

I was wondering if someone who is experienced in using the English, can go over some of my games and point out crucial blunders and missed opportunities. As soon as some free money comes available, I plan on joining. and keeping my game load low to learn as much as possible. I am probably a 1300 player at best and using the english I hope to really learn it and bump up to 1400-1500. I just want to learn how to play it consistently.

Originally posted by DestinyRestored
I was wondering if someone who is experienced in using the English, can go over some of my games and point out crucial blunders and missed opportunities. As soon as some free money comes available, I plan on joining. and keeping my game load low to learn as much as possible. I am probably a 1300 player at best and using the english I hope to really learn it and bump up to 1400-1500. I just want to learn how to play it consistently.

I haven't used the English in a long time, and I'm not even close to an expert on it, but I'd be happy to look at your games and see where I can find improvements.

I really appreciate that. Since the only game I have completed, was played as black, I will have to wait until some of my other games are finished, just for the interest of fairness. How do I post a game or a link to a game for move by move analysis.

Originally posted by DestinyRestored
I really appreciate that. Since the only game I have completed, was played as black, I will have to wait until some of my other games are finished, just for the interest of fairness. How do I post a game or a link to a game for move by move analysis.

[*gid]Copy and paste the game number at the end of the URL[/gid*]

And delete the asteriks.

Originally posted by cmsMaster
I don't know if I can ever talk to you again. You must be very confused. 😛

Because you played the English. 🙁

I`m using English too 🙂


Game 2903410 - One of my best English games in this site.

Korch or Tony... (and since you will answer anyway, cms, you're welcome to respond...)
Just kidding, I just wanted to antagonize cms. Any response is welcome.

I recently ran into this variation in a corr game (not on this site) which is a variation of the Keres setup...

1. c4 Nf6
2. g3 e5
3. Bg2 c6 {the Keres setup}
4. d4! {more or less forcing black into having an IQP} exd4
5. Qxd4 Na6?!

the point being to play Bc5 with tempo and then swing the knight back to c7 where it supports d5.

My database only has 12 games from this position with 2 moves. Qd1 which seems a bigger waste of time than the usual 5... d5, 6. cxd5, cxd5 7. Nf3 Nc6 8. Qa4 Bd2 when the queen will retreat back to d1 but with clear play against an IQP as compensation for lost time. The other move is Qe5 which seems to lead to a queen trade and I can't see any way to get an edge in the resulting position.

Any advice?

Ok I just finished my first game using the English. I know i make a ton of mistakes here, as you can see, I go 2 or 3 pieces down at one point. I thought I was beat in fact but some how the other player fell apart toward the end game and I was able to capitalize. But I want to analyze this game and see where i went wrong move for move if someone does not mind so I can better my game.Game 3043639

Originally posted by DestinyRestored
Ok I just finished my first game using the English. I know i make a ton of mistakes here, as you can see, I go 2 or 3 pieces down at one point. I thought I was beat in fact but some how the other player fell apart toward the end game and I was able to capitalize. But I want to analyze this game and see where i went wrong move for move if someone does not mind so I can better my game.Game 3043639

hmmm, first things first it's not the english that needs work, it's your basic tactical skills.

After every opponents move, I want you to ask yourself, "why did he do that?" or "What does that threaten?"

For instance, consider blacks third move. Nd4. He potentially threatens NxN+ and Nc7+. Nc7+ doesn't matter because your queen can take it, can he quickly support c7 before you can defend it again? even giving black 2 moves, he cant: d6, Bf5, and you just play d3.

So the second move NxN+ this is no big deal because you can recapture by exN and the knight is not guarding anything right now taht would need to be reinforced.

Therefor, your opponent has made no significant threats...

At this point, there are two steps left.
1. Are there any tactics on the board?
2. What is my plan?

#1 - Pieces are always doing something and when you move them, they do something else. So you can ask what was the Knight doing on c6? Why it was guarding the e4 square, now it is not. So Nxe4 is a candidate move.

Other options include NxN but why would we do that?

#2. Your plan in the english at this point is to control d5. So now you decide, is it worth delaying my plan to take the e5 pawn? Personally I say there isn't because after Nxe5 black may gain a tempo d6 booting the knight but you have enough time to meet any threats he makes (calculate this yourself). If you really want to stick to your plan, play bg2 or Nc3 but you need to be flexible when your opponent creates weaknesses in order to capitalize.

Therefor I would grab the undefended pawn and be happy.



The most important part of this is the question "What does that threaten?" answering this question would have avoided dropping pieces and made it a battle of strategy rather than a battle of fewest blunders.

Good luck, I hope this helps

so its about slow play and controling the d5 square and forcing your opponent to make mistakes and waste a tempo?

Originally posted by zebano
Korch or Tony... (and since you will answer anyway, cms, you're welcome to respond...)
Just kidding, I just wanted to antagonize cms. Any response is welcome.

I recently ran into this variation in a corr game (not on this site) which is a variation of the Keres setup...

1. c4 Nf6
2. g3 e5
3. Bg2 c6 {the Keres setup}
4. d4! {more or less forcing blac ...[text shortened]... queen trade and I can't see any way to get an edge in the resulting position.

Any advice?

I don't have any advice. 😛