The English Opening

GM Damian Lemos

Lemos Deep Dive #10

Looking for a strong opening as White that doesn’t require memorizing endless amounts of
theory to get an advantage?

The English Opening (1.c4) is an excellent choice to get an edge in the opening by learning
recurring themes instead of navigating a jungle of variations. With the world’s best players like
Aronian, Kramnik and Karpov adopting this opening, you’re in excellent company and can enjoy
being a master of one of the most exciting options available to White.

In this comprehensive 8-hour Deep Dive course, GM Damian Lemos builds up your knowledge of
this powerful opening weapon, demonstrating how to combat each of Black’s main variations in
turn.

On top of a huge theory section which covers all reasonable setups for Black, GM Lemos shows
how these ideas play out in practice through the analysis of instructive games, making sure
you’re always ready with the strongest reply!

This is an excellent way to frustrate your rivals who have trusted responses to 1.d4 and 1.e4 but
will soon find themselves clueless in the positions you will have mastered.

The English Opening gives you excellent winning chances due to its complexities. It is a highly
flexible, tricky, and strategic opening with which White can outplay opponents before they even
realize what’s happening, confidently going on to win the full point.

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Summary:

Introduction: About this course

Chapter 1: The Symmetrical English

Part 1: 1.c4 c5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 d5

Part 2: 1.c4 c5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 e6
Part 3: 1.c4 c5 2.g3 g6 3.Bg2 Bg7 4.Nc3 Nc6 5.e4 e6 (5…Nf6; 5…d6; 5…e5) (1)
Part 4: 1.c4 c5 2.g3 g6 3.Bg2 Bg7 4.Nc3 Nc6 5.e4 e6 (5…Nf6; 5…d6; 5…e5) (2)

Chapter 2: The Classical Setup With ...e6:

Part 1: 1.c4 e6 2.Nf3 d5 3.b3 Nf6 (1)

Part 2: 1.c4 e6 2.Nf3 d5 3.b3 Nf6 (2)

Chapter 3: The Reversed Sicilian

Part 1: 1.c4 e5 2.d3 g6

Part 2: 1.c4 e5 2.d3 Nf6 3.Nf3 Bb4+
Part 3: 1.c4 e5 2.d3 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.a3 d5
Part 4: 1.c4 e5 2.d3 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.a3 a5

Chapter 4: The Slav Setup

The Slav Setup: 1.c4 c6 2.Nf3 d5 3.b3

The Slav Setup: 1.c4 c6 2.Nf3 d5 3.b3

Chapter 5: Black Plays a King’s Indian Setup

Chapter 6: Model Games

Part 1: Kramnik – Ribli

Part 2: Karpov – Gheorghiu
Part 3: Karpov – Ljubojevic
Part 4: Kasparov – Ivanchuk
Part 5: Kasparov – Karpov (1)
Part 6: Kasparov – Karpov (2)
Part 7: Kasparov-Korchnoi

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 Introduction to the English Opening

1. The English Opening is a chess opening for White which occurs after the move 1.c4.
You can see the diagram below.

The opening is called the English Opening because was introduced and regularly
played by the English unofficial World Chess Champion Howard Staunton in the
1840s and 1850s.

2. Playing the English Opening can be a vital alternative for all 1.e4- and 1.d4-players
who are tired of repeatedly entering the highly theoretical terrain of all the main lines
Black can choose from. The English Opening allows the White player to immediately
take the opponent out of his comfort zone by playing a move which is not as
frequently played as 1.e4 or 1.d4.

3. In contrast to White’s two main moves 1.e4 and 1.d4, White takes control over the
center (especially the d5-square) by moving a flank pawn. The fight for the d5-square
is paramount in the English Opening. White not only eyes this square with his first
move (1.c4), but also continues with g3 and Bg2 as well as Nc3, further strengthening
the control over d5 (see the diagram below).

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 That said, it is key to understand that – even with a long history - the English Opening
is a hypermodern opening. White does not try to control the center early on with his
pawns but spends some time fianchettoing his light-squared bishop. In many lines,
White aims to control the center with his pieces, rather than his pawns.

4. The English Opening has the reputation of being flexible.

First of all, the English opening leads to plenty of unforced variations. In contrast to
1.e4 and 1.d4, White does not move his central pawns that early. Therefore, White
can avoid premature simplifications, keep many pieces on the board and go for the
full point. This makes the English Opening a perfect weapon for players who seek
a complex strategic fight with the White pieces. White relies on slow maneuvering
rather than on a direct attack against Black’s army.

Thus, it is even more important to be familiar with the most important strategical
and tactical motifs. At the same time, this does not mean that you don’t have to be
familiar with any theory at all. Of course, there is also plenty of theory in the
English Opening, but, in general, the character of the opening is a lot less forced.

Secondly, the English Opening enables you to become a very versatile player. For
example, in many lines White has the opportunity to play an early d2-d4, transposing
to one of the 1.d4 main lines. These early d2-d4 ideas allow you to avoid certain
variations Black could play against 1.d4 and to transpose to the variations after 1.d4
that you are comfortable playing against. That said, you can start building your White
repertoire by playing the English Opening exclusively and adding more and more
variations step-by-step, such as those which can occur from 1.d4 or 1.Nf3 (the Reti
Opening).

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5. In some lines, it’s important to pay attention to exact move orders in the early stage of
the opening. Don’t play on autopilot but take note of little subtleties and move order
tricks. If you play the English Opening regularly, opponents may recognize if you play
an inaccurate move-order and catch you out.

6. Black, however, also has to be careful when facing the English Opening. Thanks to
the theoretical developments over the last few years, the English Opening definitely
carries some theoretical bite. It is a common occurrence that club players try to
develop naturally against the English Opening and soon find themselves in a
strategically lost position. They lose the game without even understanding why.

7. Moreover, you often get positions from the English Opening which might be
objectively equal, but a lot easier to play for White from a practical point of view.
According to GM Lemos, this is a factor which must not be underestimated. Today,
many club players don’t take the time to closely evaluate positions and variations on
their own, but only take a brief look at the engine’s evaluation. This is a huge
misconception as even when the computer says the position is equal you always have
to prove that you can hold the balance at the board. However, this is what many club
players aren’t capable of.

8. Apart from this general knowledge on the English Opening, GM Damian Lemos
suggests you constantly follow the games of strong players in the openings you
want to play. Regularly check the games of the world’s leading experts or your
favorite players in this opening. You can watch their approaches against different
opening setups and become familiar with the key concepts, latest trends or opening
novelties. It is also key to know the classics in the opening you play.

Many great players of the past and present have used the English Opening with
success. Bobby Fischer, for example, used it in the famous game six of the 1972
World Chess Championship against Boris Spassky. Garry Kasparov played it in a
must-win situation in his World Championship Match against Anatoly Karpov in
1987 – and won. Finally, Carlsen used the English Opening to win the World
Championship match against Anand in 2013.

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Example:

The position above occurred after the moves 1.c4 e6 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.g3 d5 4.b3 Be7 5.Bg2
0-0 6.0-0 b6 7.Bb2 Bb7 8.e3 Nbd7 8.Nc3 in the game Kasparov – Karpov, Seville 1987.

In his book “How Life Imitates Chess”, Garry Kasparov calls the 24 th and last game from
his World Championship Match against Anatoly Karpov “the most important game of my
life.”

Kasparov was in a must-win situation to keep the chess crown. He thought about the
strategy he should employ in this game and finally decided on the English Opening. He
won the game and retained the title. However, this was not the first time in this match
where Kasparov used the English Opening with great success. In round 4, Kasparov had
also played the English Opening and defeated Karpov. GM Damian Lemos presents the
game in the course.

9. If you choose to play the English Opening today, you in the comfortable position of
having several strong players you can follow.

Nowadays, the biggest expert in the English Opening is most probably Levon Aronian,
who frequently plays it against the best players in the world. Other strong players to
follow are Magnus Carlsen, Hikaru Nakamura, Alexander Grischuk and Vassily
Ivanchuk.

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 Apart from these world class players, GM Mihail Marin is an expert – in fact, he wrote
three excellent highly-praised repertoire books on the English Opening. Finally,
Karpov and Kasparov frequently used the English Opening in the 80s and 90s. It’s
instructive to study their games.

10. Generally speaking, Black has three main ways to play against the English Opening.
He can go for a symmetrical setup with 1…c5, for a reversed Sicilian with 1…e5 or for
other setups like a Slav-like setup with …c6 and …d5, a Queen’s Gambit-like setup
with …Nf6, …e6 and …d5, or a King Indian Defense setup with …Nf6, …g6, …Bg7,
…0-0 and …d6.

In the following chapters, GM Damian Lemos investigates them all step-by-step.

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 Chapter 1: The Symmetrical English

1. Statistically speaking, the move 1...c5 is one of the moves most frequently played
against the English Opening. After 2.g3, Black has various setups at his disposal.

2. In general, GM Damian Lemos aims to play the Botvinnik System with White against
the Symmetrical English. The Botvinnik System is characterized by the moves c4, g3,
Bg2, Nc3, e4, d3, Nge2 and 0-0 (see the position below).

Note that the knight from g1 goes to e2 rather than f3 for two reasons. First of all, with
a knight on e2, the f-pawn is free to advance. Secondly, the knight on e2 is better
placed for the fight to control the d4-square. If the knight was on f3, Black would often
have the chance to pin it with ...Bg4.

The dark-squared bishop usually goes to e3 (or g5) and the queen goes to d2. The
rooks are placed according to one of White’s main plans, mentioned below.

According to the opponent’s setup, White has three main plans at hand and can
basically play on all parts of the board:

- White can keep the center closed and play on the kingside with f2-f4-f5, creating
an attack against the opponent’s king.
- White can play in the center by preparing the move d2-d4, aiming for a space
advantage.
- White can keep the center closed and expand on the queenside with b2-b4-b5.

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3. First of all, however, GM Lemos analyzes systems where Black prevents White from
reaching the Botvinnik System. These setups usually involve an early ...d5 by Black.

4. The most direct attempt by Black to go for the move ...d5 on move 2 is not a good
idea. After the moves 1.c4 c5 2.g3 d5?!, White simply plays 3.cxd5 (see the diagram
below).

Black is forced to recapture the pawn with his queen immediately (3...Qxd5).
However, the queen is misplaced on d5 and White later wins another tempo by
playing Nc3. An attempt the recapture the pawn on d5 with the knight fails due to
tactical reasons.

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 After 3...Nf6? 4.e4! Nxe4? 5.Qa4+! (see the diagram below), White wins a piece.

5. If Black plays 1.c4 c5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 d5, White should reply with 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.Nc3
(see the diagram below).

Now, Black is already forced to make a decision. He can either play 5...Nxc3 or
5...Nc7.

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The move 5...Nxc3 gives White an easy game after 6.bxc3 as he has an extra central
pawn, the half-open b-file for his rook and decent pressure on the queenside. The
queenside pressure is especially difficult for Black to handle. White can continue with
Ra-b1, d2-d3, Bc1-f4, Ng1-f3-d2-c4, Qd1-a4.

With 5...Nc7, Black aims to play ...e7-e5, creating a Maroczy Bind with colors
reversed. The knight is well-placed on c7, from where it can go to d4 via e6. If Black
succeeds in creating this setup, he’ll have more space and a better position. The
downside of Black’s maneuver, however, is that it takes a lot of time. GM Damian
Lemos suggests a strong little-known variation for White, with an excellent score in the
database, to prevent Black from reaching his favorite position. After 6.Qa4+! (see the
position below), Black has to make a decision.

- 6...Nc6 7.Bxc6+ bxc6 8.Qxc6+ simply wins a pawn for White.

- 6...Nd7 7.Nf3 e6 8.0-0 Be7 9.d4! gives White a very pleasant position.

- 6...Bd7 7.Qb3 and Black’s pieces on the queenside are uncoordinated. The only
key line for White to remember is the pawn sacrifice 7...Nc6 8.Qxb7! (White grabs
a pawn and Black does not get sufficient counterplay) 8...Nd4 9.Qe4 (9.Kf1 also
leads to a clear advantage for White) 9...Bf5? 10.Qxf5! Nxf5 11.Bc6+ and White
wins back the queen.

- 6...Qd7 is the main move. White should reply with 7.Nc3. If Black exchanges
queens with 7...Qxa4 (7...Nc6 8.0-0 and the Black queen is badly place on d7),
White has the better endgame due to the pressure on the queenside.

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6. Another try for Black is to aim for a Tarrasch Setup after 1.c4 c5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 e6.
Here, White should be careful with the move order. Black aims to play ...d7-d5,
occupying the center. The correct move for White is 4.Nf3, preparing to answer 4...d5
with 5.cxd5 exd5 6.d4! (see the diagram below).

White has a clear plan against the Tarrasch Defense. Black will soon get an isolated
pawn on d5 (IQP) after either ...cxd4 by Black or dxc5 by White. The IQP will be a
constant target in Black’s camp and White has good squares for all his pieces.

7. If Black does not intend to play an early ...d7-d5, White reaches the aforementioned
Botvinnik System. After 1.c4 c5 2.g3 g6 3.Bg2 Bg7 4.Nc3 Nc6, White plays the move
5.e4 (see the positon below).

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Here, Black has several moves at his disposal. He can play 5...e5 (Black aims for a
Botvinnik System, too), 5...Nf6 (and ...d7-d6 on the next move) and 5...e6.

- If Black copies White’s System with 5...e5 6.Nge2 Nge7, White can prepare to
play on the queenside with a2-a3, Ra-b1 and b2-b4 or on the kingside with f2-f4.
Due to the fact that White is a tempo up, Black can only react to White’s plans and
White can steer the game in his favored direction.

- If Black plays 5...Nf6, followed by 6...d6 (or 5...d6, followed by 6...Nf6), White can
go for his usual moves Nge2 and 0-0 and then aim for pushing d3-d4, gaining
space in the center. If Black prevents this plan by bringing one of his knights to d4,
White can easily switch plans and prepare a thematic queenside expansion with
Rab1 and b2-b4.

- If Black plays 5...e6, he stops White from bringing his knight to d5, while he still
has the chance of bringing his own knight to d4. However, the downside of this
move is that White gets a space advantage. GM Damian Lemos recommends the
move order 6.Nge2 Nge7 7.d3 d6 8.Rb1 (Bachmann – Darcyl, Buenos Aires
2017). White aims for early expansion on the queenside and also has good
prospects to play a quick Bc1-e3, followed by d3-d4. If White manages to play d3-
d4, he gets rid of his only weakness in the position – the square on d4.

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 Chapter 2: The Classical Setup With ...e6:

1. Against the Classical Setup with an early e6, GM Damian Lemos recommends playing
a double fianchetto. After the moves, 1.c4 e6 2.Nf3 d5 3.b3 (preventing the variations
with an early ...dxc4, sacrificing a pawn for active piece play) 3...Nf6 4.g3 Be7 5.Bg2
0-0 6.0-0 (see the diagram below), Black has two main moves at hand.

He can either play 6...d4 or 6...c5.

2. After 6...d4, White gets a Benoni setup with colors reversed. However, White’s extra
tempo and the fact that Black has played an early ...e6 stops Black from playing any
of the promising main lines in a normal Benoni.

After the moves 7.e3 (White challenges the pawn on d4 and stops Black from
establishing a strong center with ...c5 and ...e5.) 7...c5 8.exd4 cxd4 9.Re1! (see the
diagram below), White has the e5-square firmly under control and stops Black from
playing ...e6-e5 himself, strengethening the pawn on d4.

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 Without a Black pawn on e5, the d4-pawn can easily become a target. White can
continue with Bc1-b2 (or a3), Nb1-a3-b5. White’s knight on b1 is better placed on a3
(from where it can go to b5 or c2) than on d2, from where it can’t reach any promising
squares.

3. After 6...c5, White plays 7.Bb2 Nc6 8.e3 (see the diagram below).

The move 8.e3 is a clever multi-purpose move.

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 First of all, it gives the White queen a safe square on e2 and allows the rooks to come
to c1 and d1 if the center opens up. Black’s queen does not have a safe square as the
e7-bishop is in the way. On the c- and d-files, the Black queen will always be at risk
once the position opens.

Secondly, the move 8.e3 prepares d2-d4, occupying the center and aiming to open
the position. White always has a slight plus in this position due to the superior
placement of his dark-squared bishop. While White’s bishop on b2 is well-placed on
the a1-h8 diagonal, Black’s counterpart is passive on e7.

It’s also important to be familiar with another plan that Kramnik played against
Friedman in their game in Dortmund in 2013. The plan involves White playing Nf3-e1
and pushing his kingside pawns (f2-f4 and g3-g4). With this apparently slow plan,
White can easily create a strong initiative on the queenside.

Example:

In the game Kramnik – Friedman, Dortmund 2013, White got a strong attack after 8...b6
9.Nc3 dxc4 10.bxc4 Qd3 11.Ne1 Qd7 12.Qe2 Bb7 13.f4 Rfd8 14.Rd1 Nb4 15.d3 Bxg2
16.Nxg2 a6 17.a3 Nc6 18.g4 (see the diagram above). White has strong prospects for a
kingside attack. He can play f4-f5-f6 or g4-g5. The bishop on b2 eyes the Black kingside from
afar and once Black’s knight on f6 has to move, the White knight from c3 can come to e4,
joining the attack.

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 Chapter 3: The Reversed Sicilian

1. If Black plays ...e5 on move 1, we reach a Sicilian Defense with colors reversed and
an extra tempo for White.

2. After 1.c4 e5, GM Damian Lemos suggests a move which will surprise your
opponents and take them out of their theoretical knowledge. The main moves in this
position are 2.g3 and 2.Nc3. Both moves lead to interesting positions and a lot of
theory exists in these variations. However, GM Lemos recommends the rare and
flexible 2.d3 (see the diagram below).

GM Lemos argues that this move is logical in the Sicilian Defense with Black (1.e4 c5
2.Nf3 d6 – introducing respectable Sicilian main lines like the Najdorf or the Dragon).
Why shouldn’t you play it with an extra tempo with White, too? The move 2.d3 has
already been played by chess giants like Kramnik and Grischuk.

One key idea of the move 2.d3 is that it prevents Black from playing certain variations
he would be ablet o play after 2.g3 or 2.Nc3.

The move 2.g3 allows Black to play 2...c6, preparing to play ...d7-d5 on the next
move. Against 2.d3, 2...c6 is not that effective as White can simply play 3.Nf3,
attacking the pawn on e5 where Black can’t push his e-pawn to e4, attacking White’s
knight, as the pawn on d3 controls the e4-square.

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 The move 2.Nc3 allows Black to play a line with an early ...Bb4, leading to a reversed
Rossolimo. Of course, this is a playable line for Black, but there is a lot of theory to
know.

After 2.d3, 2...Bb4+ is pointless as White has the comfortable choice between 3.Nd2
and 3.Bd2, blocking the check. In both cases, White plays a Sicilian with an extra
tempo.

3. Black can play several moves after 2.d3. However, many moves lead to the same
positions by transposition. By far the main move for Black is 2...Nf6.

4. If Black plays 2...g6, White has the chance to build up a Botvinnik System. After the
moves 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.g3 d6 5.Bg2 Nf6 6.e4 (see the diagram below), White has
created the familiar Botvinnik System. The only difference is that Black does not have
a pawn on c5 here. A good plan for White is to expand on the kingside with f2-f4-f5.

5. After 2...Nf6 3.Nf3 Bb4+, White can block the check with 4.Nbd2. Now, it makes little
sense for Black to capture the knight as the knight is not on c3 and White does not get
a damaged pawn structure in return for the bishop pair.

The bishop is also badly placed on b4. If Black is careless, it can easily be trapped
with moves like a3, b4 and c5 (the Noah’s Ark Trap). Black has to spend another
tempo retreating his bishop and White gets a very advantageous version of a Sicilian.

6. After 2...Nf6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.a3 (a clever and useful waiting move) 4...d5 5.cxd5 Nxd5
(see the diagram below), White obtains a position you get in the Najdorf Variation with
Black. However, White is again a tempo up here.

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After 6.e3 Be6, GM Damian Lemos suggests continuing with 7.b4! (see the diagram
below), gaining space on the queenside and playing an improved version of a Paulsen
Sicilian.

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7. According to GM Lemos, Black's best setup is 2...Nf6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.a3 a5. Black
prevents White from playing b2-b4 before opening the position with ...d5. However,
White can follow up with logical moves in order to get a position with easier play and
better coordinated pieces. The game could continue 5.Nc3 g6 6.g3 Bg7 7.Bg2 d5
8.cxd5 Nxd5 9.0-0 (see the diagram below).

We’ve reached a typical Sicilian position where White has easy development. He can
continue by developing his dark-squared bishop, bringing his rook to c1, transferring
his knight from c3 via e4 to c5 and creating threats on the queenside.

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 Chapter 4: The Slav Setup

1. Players who use the Slav Defense against 1.d4 will likely play a Slav Setup againt
the English Opening, too.

The main difference, however, is that White has not moved his d-pawn to d4 yet.
This makes a huge difference. If Black places his light-squared bishop (Black’s
problem piece in the Slav Defense) outside the pawn chain, White can simply
bring his pawn to d3 and restrict its active options. If Black plays ...e6 before
bringing the bishop into play, White can still change plans and play d2-d4 later on.
In this case, Black’s light-squared bishop inside the pawn chain will be a
permanent weakness.

2. After the moves 1.c4 c6 2.Nf3 d5, White can play 3.b3, protecting the pawn on c4
and avoiding variations where Black grabs a pawn on c4 and White gets some
initiative in return. Now, Black has a choice between 3...Bf5 and 3...Bg4 (see the
diagram below). Of course, Black can also start with 3...Nf6 and bring the light-
squared bishop out on the next move. In any event, he has to decide on one of the
two moves.

- Against 3...Bf5, White can opt for a double fianchetto. In the game Akopian –
Gemy, Istanbul 2012, the game continued 4.Bb2 e6 5.g3 Nf6 6.Bg2 Nbd7 7.0-0
h6 8.d3 Be7 9.Nbd2 0-0 10.Rc1 (see the position below).

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 White’s plan is to play Rc1-c2, followed by Qd1-a1. The rook is well-placed on the
c-file and the queen, together with the bishop on b2, creates a strong battery on
the a1-h8 diagonal. What’s more, White has good prospects to expand on the
queenside with a2-a3, b3-b4-b5, starting a minority attack and creating
weaknesses in Black’s position.

- Against 3...Bg4, White should continue with 4.e3. Black was threatening to
damage White’s pawn structure with ...Bxf3 but White prevents it. Afterwards,
White can go for a harmonious setup with moves like Bb2, Be2, Nbd2, 0-0, d3, a3,
h3, Re1 Qc2 and so on.

On top of that, White has an additional super-aggressive option in leaving the king
on e1 and continuing with an early h2-h3, Rh1-g1, g2-g4-g5. In order to check this
line in detail, you can take a look at the recent game Hou – Muzychuk, Gibraltar
2017 which GM Lemos has included in the PGN database.

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 Chapter 5: Black Plays a King’s Indian Setup

1. If Black chooses to go for a King’s Indian Defense setup, GM Lemos suggests sticking
to your guns and playing the Botvinnik System.

2. After the moves 1.c4 Nf6 2.g3 g6 3.Bg2 Bg7 4.Nc3 0-0 5.e4 d6 6.Nge2 e5 7.0-0 (see
the diagram below), we reach the position in question.

Here, Black has a choice. He can play 7…c6, 7…Nc6, 7…Be6 or 7…Nbd7.

3. Against all of Black’s moves, White has similar plans. He plays d2-d2, h2-h3 (an
important move to prepare Bc1-e3 and stop Black from playing …Nf6-g4), Bc1-e3,
Qd1-d2 and then starts to expand on the kingside with f2-f4-f5. Sometimes, White can
play f4-f5 smoothly; sometimes, he can even sacrifice the f-pawn in order to open files
on the kingside.

Example:
After the moves 1.c4 Nf6 2.g3 g6 3.Bg2 Bg7 4.Nc3 0-0 5.e4 d6 6.Nge2 e5 7.0-0 Be6 8.d3
Qd7 9.f4 c6 (see the position below), for example, White can sacrifice a pawn.

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 In the game, White played 10.f5! Objectively speaking, Black can defend against White’s
kingside initiative. In a practical game, however, it’s extremely tough for Black to find the best
moves. After 10…gxf5 11.Bg5 Na6, for example, Black already loses a piece due to 12.Bxf6
Bxf6 13.exf5 Bxf5 14.g4! (see the position below). Black loses one of his bishops.

4. Apart from the kingside expansion, in some cases White can also bring his last piece
– the rook on a1 – into the game by bringing it to d1 and preparing d3-d4. White
enjoys a space advantage and thus more potential to regroup his pieces to better
squares.

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 Chapter 6: Model Games

1. In order to properly learn a new opening, it is not enough to take a close look at
theoretical lines, you also need to study some classical model games which were
played in the opening.

2. Checking complete games has various advantages. First of all, you get a better
overall understanding of the positions arising from your opening. The focus is less on
theory and more on general understanding of the resulting middlegame and endgame
positions.

As the famous Grandmaster Yasser Seirawan once put it: “Study entire games. Your
study can become disjointed if you just learn an opening set-up. Don’t just study the
opening and early middlegame but instead play the entire game. Don’t just stop when
your side has a good position.”

3. For example, one key aspect about the English Opening is that it’s an opening where
you accumulate small advantages step-by-step instead of going for a quick all-out-
attack. It’s key to be precise at every stage of the game. Even if you already have a
better position, you can’t afford to make casual moves. Let’s take a look at an
example:

In the game Kramnik – Ribli, Groningen 1993, the following position was reached after
Black’s 17th move:

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Kramnik outplayed his strong opponent with the English Opening and has a close-to-winning
advantage. The bishop on h3 pins the rook on e6. Kramnik could already have collected
material with 18.Bxe6.

However, this might have given Black some hopes for counterplay with …d4 and the
unopposed light-squared bishop on the a8-h1-diagonal. Kramnik understood that he was in
no hurry whatsoever and improved his position even more with precise play. 18.Qc1! Kramnik
attacks the pawn on c5. The rook on e6 can never move due to the pin. 18…c4 19.Be5!

Another brilliant move by Kramnik. Instead of grabbing material, he improves the position of
his bishop (one idea is to create a blockade on the dark-squares in order to make it harder for
Black to play …d4) and allows his queen to come to the kingside. Black is completely
dominated and deprived of any counterplay.

4. Keep in mind that instead of playing different openings with White to surprise your
opponents, you can also vary within your opening system. This allows you to become
an opening expert in the one opening you play and at the same time, it’s still tough for
your opponents to prepare against you as they don’t know which line you’ll play in the
next game. You can see the lines GM Damian Lemos presents as a starting point to
play the English Opening and then you can add more and more variations to your
repertoire over time. Remember that the English Opening is a highly flexible opening.

In the model games section, GM Lemos presents certain alternatives to his repertoire
suggestions:

- Against the Classical Setup with an early e6, GM Lemos introduces you to the
Mikenas Attack which occurs after the moves 1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.e4 d5 (see the
diagram below).

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- Against the Symmetrical English, White can play with an early Ng2-f3 instead of
playing the Botvinnik System. GM Lemos analyzes two games against one of
Black’s most famous systems – the Hedgehog. This setup occurs after the moves
1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 e6 4.g3 b6 5.Bg2 Bb7 6.0-0 Be7 (see the diagram
below).

Here, GM Lemos shows two moves for White – 7.Re1 (Kramnik – Ribli) and the
main move 7.d4 (Karpov – Gheorghiu). The games can also be found in the
accompanying database.

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 - Against the Reversed Sicilian, GM Lemos shows an alternative to the Botvinnik
System which Karpov successfully used to beat Grandmaster Ljubojevic. The
system involves a quick Rab1, e2-e3 and Nge2. Karpov’s game started with the
moves 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.Rb1 Nf6 6.e3 0-0 7.Nge2 d6
8.b4 (see the diagram below).

5. Don’t forget to check games that strong players have lost in your opening! You can
learn from their mistakes and see how the world’s best players play against your
opening.

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