understanding the english

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

The English in general is based entirely around controlling the d5 square, think about it - why would you play 1.c4? The most obvious answer to that question is "to control d4." The English is often considered a slow play opening (though Tony seems to have some examples to counter that) but you don't want to wait for your opponent to make mistakes - you want to force them to make mistakes. Put them into a position that they can't handle.

Zebano's right though, you need to practice tactics. So...

chess.emrald.net/

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?

Zeb (Is it alright if I call you Zeb? 😀)

I gave this line some thought and I decided that I would probably just develop with 6. Nf3 and get ready to castle. Then when he plays 6..Bc5, you play 7. Qe5+, and either force 7..Qe7 or 7..Be7. This line doesn't seem all that special, since 6..Bc5 doesn't really gain a tempo in my eyes, since his bishop will have to go back to e7 at some point, and then the knight just looks like it should be on c6 after an eventual d5. White can just castle and play some chess. Maybe look to try to stop ..d5 by Bg5, Rd1, etc...or at least try to force him to play it when he has to take back with the c-pawn and accept the isolani. Hope this helps. 🙂

Originally posted by !~TONY~!
Zeb (Is it alright if I call you Zeb? 😀)

I gave this line some thought and I decided that I would probably just develop with 6. Nf3 and get ready to castle. Then when he plays 6..Bc5, you play 7. Qe5+, and either force 7..Qe7 or 7..Be7. This line doesn't seem all that special, since 6..Bc5 doesn't really gain a tempo in my eyes, since his bishop will ha ...[text shortened]... o play it when he has to take back with the c-pawn and accept the isolani. Hope this helps. 🙂

Thats how I handled it (as well as Kosten and Pia Cramling), My problem is probably more basic. I'm fine in the opening, however I'm simply not comfortable in a queenless middlegame.

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 must confess that I almost have no experience in this line - only few blitz games in playchess and at the moment I`m playing one game in RHP against Gatecrusher (I have started to play English only a little bit more than 2 months ago), but it looks like reversed Sicilian with 2.c3 (1.e4 c5 2.c3 d5 3.exd5 Qxd5) - where white have one tempo more. But ideas is similar.

Originally posted by DestinyRestored
I havent played in over two years. I have been reading neil macdonalds book on the english and have decided that this is the opening I want to learn about. he doesnt really explain it in terms I can understand. What is the best most powerful way to play using the english or 1. c4

McDonald's is not the best place to learn English, padawan!

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

Congratulations on the win, Robert 🙂

To answer your question: "what went wrong move by move?"
This is just my opinion, though; i'm definitely no expert.
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on move 3 when black moved his knight to d4 you could have taken his e5 pawn which he had left unprotected.

on move 6 when black moved his pawn to g5 you could have captured it with your knight. Since his pawn was being double attacked with white's knight and bishop, his queen could not capture you without putting itself in danger. Don't capture black's pawn with your bishop though because black could then have taken your knight with his knight giving check. And when you took black's knight with your white bishop he would then capture your g5 bishop with his queen.

on move 7 when black lowered his g4 pawn threatening to take white's knight. You should have either captured black's knight with your knight or moved your knight to prevent it from being captured.

on move 9 white should have moved it's knight out of harms way; instead of moving it's bishop.

on move 20 maybe it would have been better to move your knight to g3 instead. Not allowing the queen the double attack; both your knight and pawn.
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We all make mistakes when we're first starting out so don't let this discourage you, please. Just keep practicing and learning from your mistakes and you'll keep getting better and better; making fewer and fewer mistakes, as time goes on.

I hope this helped. Best wishes! 🙂

-- Paul

Black should have traded queens with you on move 23 instead of getting greedy and snatching a pawn that was doomed soon enough anyway.

He was well ahead. Thats where he fell apart, and the fact he wasted a ton of time doing complete retreats back to their starting squares at least 3 times in the middle game with his bishop and queen.


Yo simon! Next time you are so far ahead trade off queens and dont get greedy!