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English, Symmetrical Variation (A32)
1 c4 c5 2 Nf3 Nf6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 e6

Number of games in database: 357
Years covered: 1904 to 2009
Overall record:
   White wins 31.7%
   Black wins 30.8%
   Draws 37.5%

Popularity graph, by decade

Explore this opening  |  Search for sacrifices in this opening.
PRACTITIONERS
With the White Pieces With the Black Pieces
Nukhim Rashkovsky  8 games
Boris Gelfand  6 games
Levon Aronian  6 games
Jan Timman  7 games
Paul Keres  7 games
Lev Alburt  7 games
NOTABLE GAMES [what is this?]
White Wins Black Wins
Karpov vs Topalov, 1994
C Jauregui vs J Souza-Mendes, 1959
Kasparov vs Anand, 1999
Aronian vs Carlsen, 2008
Vaganian vs A Planinc, 1974
Reshevsky vs Fischer, 1970
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 page 1 of 15; games 1-25 of 357  PGN Download
Game  ResultMoves Year Event/LocaleOpening
1. S Johnston vs H Voigt  0-144 1904 Chicago CC-Franklin CCA32 English, Symmetrical Variation
2. Colle vs Yates  0-127 1927 fin-BA32 English, Symmetrical Variation
3. Reti vs G Norman  ½-½31 1927 Hastings 2627A32 English, Symmetrical Variation
4. Capablanca vs Spielmann ½-½30 1928 5, BudapestA32 English, Symmetrical Variation
5. G A Thomas vs Marshall  0-125 1929 KarlsbadA32 English, Symmetrical Variation
6. Nimzowitsch vs Rubinstein 0-130 1930 San RemoA32 English, Symmetrical Variation
7. Alekhine vs E Steiner 1-036 1931 Praha ol (17)A32 English, Symmetrical Variation
8. W Winter vs Menchik 1-027 1936 HastingsA32 English, Symmetrical Variation
9. I Raud vs Keres  ½-½42 1938 Tallinn ,Est team ch (25.02.38)A32 English, Symmetrical Variation
10. R Navarro vs Keres  0-122 1943 Madrid (20.10.43)A32 English, Symmetrical Variation
11. C Kottnauer vs F Vasicek  1-027 1943 ZlinA32 English, Symmetrical Variation
12. M Beilin vs Keres  0-137 1945 Tallinn ,Kalev-Daugava team m (02.09.45)A32 English, Symmetrical Variation
13. Nerzesov vs Keres 0-119 1946 Tbilisi (26.03.46)A32 English, Symmetrical Variation
14. Kholmov vs Keres 0-140 1947 MoscowA32 English, Symmetrical Variation
15. Taimanov vs Pachman  ½-½33 1952 13 SaltsjobadenA32 English, Symmetrical Variation
16. Petrosian vs Keres ½-½41 1953 ZurichA32 English, Symmetrical Variation
17. R Bobecov vs Keres  0-139 1954 Amsterdam ol final (17.09.54)A32 English, Symmetrical Variation
18. Filip vs Stahlberg  ½-½11 1954 BucharestA32 English, Symmetrical Variation
19. Filip vs Pachman  ½-½39 1954 CSR-ch mA32 English, Symmetrical Variation
20. G Lorson vs A Nielsen  ½-½21 1954 Amsterdam ol (Men)A32 English, Symmetrical Variation
21. G Kluger vs J Hajtun  ½-½18 1954 HUN-ch 10thA32 English, Symmetrical Variation
22. E Dodero vs Najdorf  0-161 1955 Buenos Aires ARG chA32 English, Symmetrical Variation
23. Kurkletis vs Vasiukov 0-111 1957 USSRA32 English, Symmetrical Variation
24. Bannik vs Bastrikov  1-035 1957 URS-ch sfA32 English, Symmetrical Variation
25. I Asmundsson vs Feuerstein  0-141 1957 WchT U26 04thA32 English, Symmetrical Variation
 page 1 of 15; games 1-25 of 357  PGN Download
  REFINE SEARCH:   White wins (1-0) | Black wins (0-1) | Draws (1/2-1/2)  
 

Kibitzer's Corner
Jan-12-02
Premium Chessgames Member
  Sneaky: Black wins more than White in this variation!!
Feb-13-04   marcus13: Because to be in this opening whit cannot continues by Nf3 because it would be an atoher opening. This is the reason why Black win all thoses games.
Jun-19-07   nummerzwei: I have to admit that I do not understand your comment. You perhaps only typed to fast, but I donīt think it is not desirable for white to move his knight back to f3 in this line. I suppose you meant Nc3, butif black continues differently than 5...Nc6 (A33), for example with 5...Bb4, itīs still A32.(There are in fact some Nimzo-Indian games starting with 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Nf3 c5 5.g3 cxd4 listed under A32.) Iīm looking forward to your answer.
Sep-06-07   simsim: We have the following definitions:
A33: 1. c4 c5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. d4 cd4 4. Nd4 e6 5. Nc3 Nc6 and
A32: 1. c4 c5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. d4 cd4 4. Nd4 e6

The Nimzo-lines that occur after 5. Nc3 Lb4 are not the mainlines, but rather non-critical sidelines. Together with all other white's 5. move deviations, A32 contains a lot of second rate moves. Only 5.g3 seems like a first rate move, but its performance is not overwhelming. I think this explains the bad statistic for white in this variation.

Sep-06-07
Premium Chessgames Member
  Domdaniel: <simsim> -- <I think this explains the bad statistic for white in this variation.> This is true, up to a point. But Black has consistently scored well in both the A32 and A33 lines, especially in the last ten or twenty years. I used to play the English most of the time as White, but I gave it up, largely because of the Symmetrical Variation. I recall Ray Keene saying some years ago that he'd come to the conclusion that 3.d4 was a mistake (eg, 1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.d4).

I think the Closed Symmetrical, where White avoids playing d4, is still OK, but can lead to very dull drawish positions.

May-04-08
Premium Chessgames Member
  Phony Benoni: Modern Benoni players who are frustrated by 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.Nf3 should take heart from this variation. You might not get to play your pride and joy, but you can get a good position as compensation.
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