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English, Symmetrical (A38)
1 c4 c5 2 Nc3 Nc6 3 g3 g6 4 Bg2 Bg7 5 Nf3 Nf6

Number of games in database: 1300
Years covered: 1912 to 2025
Overall record:
   White wins 35.3%
   Black wins 21.6%
   Draws 43.1%

Popularity graph, by decade

Explore this opening  |  Search for sacrifices in this opening.
PRACTITIONERS
With the White Pieces With the Black Pieces
Colin McNab  12 games
Valery Loginov  8 games
Istvan Bilek  7 games
Keith Arkell  14 games
Bartlomiej Macieja  9 games
Krunoslav Hulak  7 games
NOTABLE GAMES [what is this?]
White Wins Black Wins
B Larsen vs Ivkov, 1967
Smyslov vs Tal, 1969
Reti vs A Becker, 1923
S Giardelli vs Andersson, 2001
P Blechschmidt vs Flohr, 1930
B Larsen vs Unzicker, 1966
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 page 1 of 52; games 1-25 of 1,300  PGN Download
Game  ResultMoves YearEvent/LocaleOpening
1. Rubinstein vs Duras 1-0571912Bad PistyanA38 English, Symmetrical
2. C Carls vs E Post 1-034191419th DSB Congress, MannheimA38 English, Symmetrical
3. Reti vs Gruenfeld ½-½311923Maehrisch-OstrauA38 English, Symmetrical
4. Reti vs A Becker 1-0301923ViennaA38 English, Symmetrical
5. Reti vs A Guerra Boneo 0-15519243rd Argentine National TournamentA38 English, Symmetrical
6. E Lancel vs A Dunkelblum  ½-½2019242nd La Nation Belge CupA38 English, Symmetrical
7. Duchamp vs V Kahn 0-1431924Paris Unofficial OlympiadA38 English, Symmetrical
8. Maroczy vs G Exner  1-0521924GyorA38 English, Symmetrical
9. P Romanovsky vs P Ostrovsky  1-0301926Ch Trade UnionA38 English, Symmetrical
10. B Thelen vs E Richter  ½-½741926Prague ChampionshipA38 English, Symmetrical
11. Kmoch vs A Vajda ½-½311926SemmeringA38 English, Symmetrical
12. P D Bolland vs M E Goldstein  1-0411926Weston-super-MareA38 English, Symmetrical
13. A Sokolsky vs Remin  1-0201927Ch LokomotivA38 English, Symmetrical
14. P Krueger vs W Hilse  0-1311927BremenA38 English, Symmetrical
15. Lisitsin vs P Ostrovsky  0-1231928Ch Trade UnionA38 English, Symmetrical
16. J Giersing vs J Gemzoe  0-1421928DEN-chA38 English, Symmetrical
17. C Carls vs A Tschepurnoff  ½-½461928World Amateur ChampionshipA38 English, Symmetrical
18. J Araiza Munoz vs Maroczy  0-1371930NiceA38 English, Symmetrical
19. P Blechschmidt vs Flohr 0-1311930ZwickauA38 English, Symmetrical
20. M Romi vs A Rastrelli  1-0461931Italian ChampionshipA38 English, Symmetrical
21. S Khan vs V Mikenas 0-1511933Folkestone OlympiadA38 English, Symmetrical
22. V Filipovic vs J Feuer  ½-½601934Belgrade ChampionshipA38 English, Symmetrical
23. O Nedeljkovic vs V Filipovic  1-0511934Belgrade ChampionshipA38 English, Symmetrical
24. K Opocensky vs D Enoch  0-1271935Warsaw OlympiadA38 English, Symmetrical
25. T Melngailis vs H Kalnins  0-1331936Olympic SelectionA38 English, Symmetrical
 page 1 of 52; games 1-25 of 1,300  PGN Download
  REFINE SEARCH:   White wins (1-0) | Black wins (0-1) | Draws (1/2-1/2)  

Kibitzer's Corner
Aug-30-09  norcist: Hello all. I have played this variation many many times as white, however, after lines like 6. 0-0 d6 7.a3 0-0 8. Rb1 (recommended by Donaldson and Hansen) Bf5 9.d3 Qd7 10.Re1 b6 I feel like white is going nowhere fast. His queenside initiative is microscopic and black has the option of either a.) playing moves like Rd8 in preparation of an eventual kingside advance which will be far more potent than anything white has on the opposite wing or b.) perhaps strinking in the center at some point with Nd4 establishing a pawn wedge and furthing draining whites position of any vitality. The two of course aren't mutally exclusive. Does anyone have any experience with these types of positions? Of course you can't expect TOO much, but I can't help but feel the b4 advance is easily neutralized. I was also thinking of picking up either the "symmetrical english" by everyman chess or Hansen's book by the same name....anyone read either??

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