Symmetrical English
You play Black · 18 variations
Mixed practice
The machine picks a different variation every time.
Take a quiz
10 positions: find the next theory move in each. No take-backs, no hints.
Main variations · 13
- Symmetrical VariationA341. c4 c5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nc3 Nc6 4. g3 d5 5. d4 cxd45 moves
- Symmetrical Variation, Mecking VariationA391. c4 Nf6 2. Nf3 c5 3. Nc3 Nc6 4. g3 g6 5. Bg2 Bg7 6. O-O O-O 7. d47 moves
- Symmetrical Variation, Three Knights, Fianchetto VariationA371. c4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. O-O d6 6. Nc36 moves
- Symmetrical Variation, Three Knights, Fianchetto VariationA371. c4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. O-O e6 6. Nc36 moves
- Symmetrical Variation, Botvinnik System Reversed, with Nf3A371. c4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. Nf3 e5 6. O-O Nge7 7. d3 d67 moves
- Symmetrical Variation, Botvinnik System Reversed, with Nf3A371. c4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. Nf3 e5 6. O-O Nge7 7. a37 moves
- Symmetrical Variation, Botvinnik System Reversed, with Nf3A371. c4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. Nf3 e5 6. O-O d66 moves
- Symmetrical Variation, Botvinnik System Reversed, with e3A361. c4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. e3 e55 moves
- Symmetrical Variation, Rubinstein VariationA341. c4 c5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. g3 Nc6 6. Bg2 Nc76 moves
- Symmetrical Variation, Rubinstein VariationA341. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 c5 3. g3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. Bg2 Nc75 moves
- Symmetrical Variation, Anti-Benoni Variation, Geller VariationA331. c4 e6 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nc3 c5 4. d4 Nc6 5. g3 cxd4 6. Nxd4 Qb66 moves
- Symmetrical Variation, Anti-Benoni Variation, Spielmann DefenseA331. c4 e6 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nc3 c5 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 Nc65 moves
- Symmetrical Variation, Hedgehog DefenseA301. c4 e6 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nc3 c5 4. g3 b6 5. Bg2 Bb7 6. O-O Be76 moves
Other variations · 5
- Symmetrical VariationA351. c4 c5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Nf3 e53 moves
- Symmetrical Variation, Double FianchettoA381. c4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. Nf3 Nf6 6. O-O O-O 7. b37 moves
- Symmetrical Variation, Duchamp VariationA381. c4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. g3 Bg7 4. Bg2 O-O 5. O-O c5 6. Nc3 Nc6 7. d37 moves
- Symmetrical Variation, Botvinnik SystemA361. c4 c5 2. e4 Nc6 3. Nc3 g6 4. g3 Bg7 5. Bg25 moves
- Symmetrical Variation, Napolitano GambitA301. c4 c5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. b43 moves
What is the Symmetrical English?
The Symmetrical English arises after 1.c4 c5: you mirror White's first move and fight for the d4 square with your own c-pawn. It is a flexible, positional opening in which both sides often fianchetto, manoeuvre and wait for the right moment to break the symmetry. The position is usually closed or semi-open at first, and the play is strategic rather than tactical. It is one of the most solid and respected answers to the English Opening at every level.
Main ideas and plans
Many games follow the fully symmetrical pattern 1.c4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7, and the question is how you break the symmetry. One plan is ...e5 with ...Nge7 and ...d6, the Botvinnik System Reversed set-up, which clamps d4; another is ...e6 and ...Nge7, keeping ...d5 in reserve; on the queenside you can play ...a6, ...Rb8 and ...b5. When White plays Nf3 and an early d4, as in the Mecking Variation and the Anti-Benoni lines, you usually take on d4 and develop with ...d6, or hit the d4 knight with ...Qb6 as in the Geller Variation. In the Rubinstein Variation you play ...d5, recapture with the knight and later drop it back to c7 beside a knight on c6, aiming for ...e5 and a solid central clamp.
The Hedgehog is a flexible alternative: after 1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 e6 4.g3 b6 5.Bg2 Bb7 6.O-O Be7 you place your pawns on a6, b6, d6 and e6, let White take space and wait for the ...b5 or ...d5 break. The Double Fianchetto, where White adds b3 and Bb2, and the Four Knights, Three Knights and Two Knights lines revolve around the same questions: who controls d4 and d5, and who breaks first. White's sharper tries include the Napolitano Gambit, 1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.b4, and the Botvinnik System with e4, gripping d5. Remember that White moves first, so pure copying is risky: when White breaks with d4 or b4, react rather than imitate.
Who is it for?
The Symmetrical English suits patient, positional players who enjoy manoeuvring and understanding structures more than memorising forcing lines. Theory is moderate, but move orders and transpositions to the Hedgehog, Maroczy-type positions and some Sicilian or Grünfeld structures matter. The main risk is drifting into a passive copy of White's set-up and suffering a long, slightly worse game a tempo behind. Learn first one clear set-up against g3 and Bg2, for example ...g6 and ...Bg7 with ...e5 or ...e6, and know how you will answer an early d4.