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English, Symmetrical (A30)
1 c4 c5

Number of games in database: 6954
Years covered: 1845 to 2023
Overall record:
   White wins 36.5%
   Black wins 21.0%
   Draws 42.6%

Popularity graph, by decade

Explore this opening  |  Search for sacrifices in this opening.
PRACTITIONERS
With the White Pieces With the Black Pieces
Wolfgang Uhlmann  76 games
Viktor Korchnoi  55 games
Jan Smejkal  42 games
Lubomir Ftacnik  77 games
Walter Browne  55 games
Mikhail Ulybin  54 games
NOTABLE GAMES [what is this?]
White Wins Black Wins
Karpov vs Ribli, 1986
Tal vs Velimirovic, 1979
Carlsen vs Aronian, 2007
Kramnik vs Carlsen, 2008
Polugaevsky vs Ftacnik, 1982
Larsen vs Fischer, 1971
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 page 1 of 279; games 1-25 of 6,954 
Game  ResultMoves YearEvent/LocaleOpening
1. J Schulten vs C Stanley 0-1501845Stanley - Schulten m(3)A30 English, Symmetrical
2. F Deacon vs E Lowe  1-0311851Deacon - LoweA30 English, Symmetrical
3. A Brodie vs Staunton 0-1521851LondonA30 English, Symmetrical
4. S Angas vs S Boden  0-1231851Provincial tA30 English, Symmetrical
5. Somacarana vs Cochrane  0-1451855CalcuttaA30 English, Symmetrical
6. N Marache vs F Perrin  1-0251856New York Chess Club ChampionshipA30 English, Symmetrical
7. S Solomons vs V Green  1-0231862B.C.A. Handicap tA30 English, Symmetrical
8. S Solomons vs J W Rimington-Wilson 1-0331862B.C.A. Handicap tA30 English, Symmetrical
9. H Harding vs F H Elder 0-13518712nd American Chess Congress, ClevelandA30 English, Symmetrical
10. Burn vs J Owen 0-1231873Casual gameA30 English, Symmetrical
11. W Potter vs G MacDonnell 0-1591876Simpson's Divan, LondonA30 English, Symmetrical
12. Paulsen vs C T Goering  0-1741876MSB-02.KongressA30 English, Symmetrical
13. A Schwarz vs C F Schmid 1-0611880Wiesbaden CongressA30 English, Symmetrical
14. F Zannoni vs A D'Aumiller  0-15518813rd Italian Championship, MilanA30 English, Symmetrical
15. F Zannoni vs G Maluta  0-11418813rd Italian Championship, MilanA30 English, Symmetrical
16. Mackenzie vs J Noa  1-0381883LondonA30 English, Symmetrical
17. A Skipworth vs J Noa  1-0401883LondonA30 English, Symmetrical
18. C Messemaker vs W Siebenhaar  1-0181884DCA Congress 12thA30 English, Symmetrical
19. J Mason vs F J Lee  0-1401890Simpson's Divan Handicap tA30 English, Symmetrical
20. C Smyth vs A Vorrath 1-0241892Team Match JuniorA30 English, Symmetrical
21. W J Miles vs J L Jacobsen 0-1331901New South Wales ChampionshipA30 English, Symmetrical
22. H F Lee vs C Medinus  0-12219034th Western ChampionshipA30 English, Symmetrical
23. H F Lee vs S P Johnston  ½-½4419034th Western ChampionshipA30 English, Symmetrical
24. B Gregory vs Nimzowitsch 1-036190414th DSB Congress - Hauptturnier AA30 English, Symmetrical
25. Tartakower vs J Mieses ½-½471908ViennaA30 English, Symmetrical
 page 1 of 279; games 1-25 of 6,954 
  REFINE SEARCH:   White wins (1-0) | Black wins (0-1) | Draws (1/2-1/2)  

Kibitzer's Corner
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 2 OF 2 ·  Later Kibitzing>
Feb-03-04  blunder maker: 1. c4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 e6 5. e3 Ne4!? anyone here move 5. ... Ne4 ?i have beat my strong opponent by using this move!
Feb-13-04  marcus13: Bunti. I dont think at my strengh there is really drawish opening. Drawish opening are only good for titled player. I am sure i can win (and also lose) game on this variation.
Feb-17-04  Aliasad: blunder maker, 5... Ne4 seems like a straightforward blunder to me, what am I missing? Hey Bunti, from my (very little) experience of this opening, I would say that the symmetrical english is a solid line for black and leads to games that are quite tactically interesting with a lot of jockeying for position. IMO it usually leads to closed positions but watch out for an early d4 or a later central pawn attack by white to open things up.
Feb-24-04  blunder maker: Aliasad,ya,u are right,that's why my name is blunder maker,=)
Mar-25-04  PaulKeres: IMHO, perhaps the best reply for Black is 1...c5, but I think 1. c4 is a tricky opening to tackle, and a strong opening by a white player who knows what he's doing.
Jun-21-04  Klashnikov168: I play a cure-all variation as black. 1.c4 c5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.g3 d5 4.cxd5 nxd5 5.Bg2 this is a common line but the rest is secret. Only people who play white in the sicilian would know what I'm talking about but if anyone wants to know the line I'll post the rest as black.
Jun-21-04  Helloween: <Klashnikov168> That is a common "internetish" line, but not really correct as far as move orders go. 2.Nf3 is almost universal in the Symmetrical English, and now if Black plays in a similar fashion as he does in the line you give, 2...Nf6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.d4! e6 and now both 6.e3 and 6.e4 keep an advantage for White.
Jun-22-04  Klashnikov168: I better not give the line. I don't think my coach would like that. But I will tell you its a maroczy bind.
Jun-22-04  Dick Brain: I've played it many times over about 20+ years (always Black). As a matter of fact I was inspired to play the symmetrical english from Ulf Andersson's games which makes sense from the above table.
Jun-29-04  get Reti: I like to play 1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4.g3 b6 5. Bg2 Bb7 6. O-O Be7 7. d4 cxd4 8. Qxd4 as white. This usually turns into a hedgehog. This position can be reached without playing these moves in this exact order, usually it is.
Jul-08-04  Klashnikov168: Ok here is the line. 1.c4 c5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.g3 d5 4.cxd5 nxd5 5.Bg2 Nb4(The secret) and blacks plan is to play Nc6, e5, Be6, f6, Be7 and white has to push d3 or e3. If d3 the e2 is a problem and if e3 then d2 is a problem in the endgame as well. If you play it right white has no threats. Like qa4 or a3 nb6 b4 so this is very solid.
Aug-12-04  tomh72000: Anymore "secrets" for us? ;)
Aug-12-05  who: <Klashnikov168> What do you mean about Nb6. That's an illegal move.
Aug-12-05  sitzkrieg: Queen!?
Dec-22-07  angelwings4i: FISH!! "Fischer Ending"
Feb-13-08  Method B: 1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 c5 4.Nc3 b6 5.Bg2 Bb7 6.O-O a6 7.Re1 Be7 8.e4 d6 9.d4 cxd4 10.Nxd4 Qc7 11.Be3


click for larger view

what is white's answer to 11...Qxc4? 12.Qa4+ is the move? I suppose it is blunder (queen trap maybe) because no games in the database with this move but I can not see the solution.

Feb-13-08  nescio: <Method B> There is no particular solution with forced moves. It's just that after 11...Qxc4 12.Rc1 the black queen is in a very uncomfortable spot. If it stays on the c-file, then 13.Nd5 and Nc7+ will be decisive. If it goes out still further (12...Qb4), then 13.Nb3 and something has to be done about 14.a3, forcing it back to the c-file. But after for example 11...Qxc4 12.Rc1 Qb4 13.Nb3 d5 14.ezd5 exd5 I would consider the position absolutely hopeless, with threats to d5 and c7 (by Bf4 also) and the position of the black king in the centre. But White has so many attractive possibilities that he might get an attack of "embarras du choix". :)
Feb-13-08  Method B: <nescio> okay. thanks a lot. it was very helpful.
Mar-15-09  WhiteRook48: I thought the English always continued 1...e5
Apr-17-09  Bob726: Typically in the hedgehog type formations, why does black most times play his rooks to c8 and e8 instead of c8 and d8? Doesn't the rook on d8 protect the pawn on d6 and keep on the e8 square for the knight to defend d6. What is the rook doing on e8?
Apr-17-09  blacksburg: <Bob> a common manouvre in the hedgehog is Be7-d8-c7 after Qc7-b8, so black would like to have d8 open for regroupings. also, the queen's rook doesn't always go to c8, it can go to d8 as well. in general, black isn't so much concerned about defending the d6 pawn, and is more concerned about positioning his pieces to benefit from from a central break. black should not be trying to just hold the d6 pawn for a long time, he should be trying for a central break. the e8 rook can become very active after the d5 break.

here are a couple of games illustrating the central breaks, and the resulting activity of the black pieces.

Karpov vs Ulf Andersson, 1975

K Grigorian vs G Agzamov, 1981

in general, black's manouevering in the hedgehog tends to be rather subtle and difficult to understand, IMHO.

Apr-17-09  SniperOnG7: <Bob726> In some hedgehog positions, you do indeed see the rook on d8 too. This is in preparation for an eventual ...d6-d5 (one of black's two liberating breaks; the other being ...b6-b5).

However, more often than not - especially in the English Hedgehog - the d5 break is difficult to achieve. In this case, a rook on d8 is rather useless.

Before continuing, it is useful to know that white's most common plan is a kingside attack of one sort or another. This may take the form of f2-f4-f5 and/or f2-f4, g2-g4-g5

These plans are rather dangerous. Once the pawn reaches f5, black is often forced to let white exchange on e6 (or play ...e6-e5 which results in a backward exposed d-pawn down the semi-open file). After the exchange (fxe6 fxe6), black is left with a backward, weak Pe6 that can be easily targetted via Bg2-h3 or Nd4.

It then becomes clear that the rook on e8 is very beneficial as a prophylactic move: a dropback of Be7 to f8 allows black to protect Pe6, and thus neutralizing some of the poison in white's plan.

Hope that helps ^^

Apr-17-09  SniperOnG7: <blacksburg> Haha you bet me to it. Good thing our posts contain different aspects about the position.
Jul-18-12  JustWoodshifting: [Event "Engine Match Games 360m/40+180m/20+120"]
[Site "North America"]
[Date "2012.07.18"]
[Round "1.2"]
[White "Deep Fritz 13"]
[Black "Deep Rybka 4.1"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "A30"]
[PlyCount "71"]
[EventDate "2012.07.16"]

A30: English Opening: Symmetrical Variation: Hedgehog Defence" 1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. Nc3 e6 4. g3 b6 5. Bg2 Bb7 6. O-O Be7 7. d4 cxd4 8. Qxd4 d6 9. Bg5 a6 10. Bxf6 Bxf6 11. Qf4 Nd7 12. Qxd6 Nc5 13. Qf4 Bxc3 14. bxc3 Qb8 15. Qe3 O-O 16. a4 Qc7 17. Qe5 Qb8 18. Rfd1 Rd8 19. Qh5 Rxd1+ 20. Rxd1 Qc7 21. a5 Bxf3 22. Bxf3 Rc8 23. axb6 Qxb6 24. Qe5 a5 25. Rd6 Qb1+ 26. Kg2 h6 27. Bc6 Qb6 28. Bb5 Qa7 29. f3 a4 30. Rd2 a3 31. Ra2 Qe7 32. Qf4 Ra8 33. Bc6 Rc8 34. Bb5 Ra8 35. Bc6 Rc8 36. Bb5 1/2-1/2

[Event "Engine Match Game 360m/40+180m/20+120m"]
[Site "North America"]
[Date "2012.07.18"]
[Round "1.1"]
[White "Deep Rybka 4.1"]
[Black "Deep Fritz 13"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "A30"]
[PlyCount "166"]
[EventDate "2012.??.??"]

"A30: English Opening: Symmetrical Variation: Hedgehog Defence" 1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. Nc3 e6 4. g3 b6 5. Bg2 Bb7 6. O-O Be7 7. d4 cxd4 8. Qxd4 d6 9. Bg5 a6 10. Bxf6 Bxf6 11. Qf4 Be7 12. Rfd1 Nd7 13. Ne4 Bxe4 14. Qxe4 Rc8 15. Rac1 O-O 16. Nd4 Bf6 17. e3 Re8 18. Qd3 Ne5 19. Qb3 Rc5 20. f4 Nd7 21. Nc6 Qc7 22. Nb4 Ra5 23. Qc3 Nb8 24. Qd2 Rd8 25. b3 Qd7 26. Nd3 Nc6 27. a4 Qe8 28. Rc2 h5 29. Ra2 Be7 30. b4 Rf5 31. Rc1 Rc8 32. Bh3 Rf6 33. a5 bxa5 34. b5 Nb8 35. Qxa5 axb5 36. Qxb5 Nd7 37. Ra7 Nc5 38. Nxc5 dxc5 39. Bg2 Bf8 40. Qxe8 Rxe8 41. Rb1 Rd8 42. Bf3 g6 43. Kf2 e5 44. Rbb7 Bd6 45. Bd5 Rf8 46. Kg2 Kg7 47. Rd7 Bb8 48. Rab7 exf4 49. exf4 Bd6 50. Kg1 Kg8 51. Kh1 Kg7 52. Kg2 h4 53. Kh3 hxg3 54. hxg3 Rh8+ 55. Kg2 Rf8 56. Kh2 Kg8 57. Kh3 Kg7 58. Kg4 Kg8 59. Ra7 Kg7 60. Ra2 Bb8 61. Ra1 Re8 62. Ra5 Rc8 63. Rb5 Rc7 64. Rxf7+ Rcxf7 65. Bxf7 Bxf4 66. gxf4 Rxf7 67. Rxc5 Ra7 68. Kg5 Rf7 69. Re5 Rc7 70. c5 Rc6 71. f5 Kf7 72. Kf4 Rf6 73. Ke4 Rxf5 74. Rxf5+ gxf5+ 75. Kxf5 Ke7 76. Ke5 Kd7 77. Kd5 Kc7 78. Kd4 Kb7 79. Ke3 Ka6 80. Ke4 Kb7 81. Kd3 Ka6 82. Kc4 Kb7 83. Kc3 Ka6 1/2-1/2

Jul-28-17  bla bla: Speelman vs Kasparov, 1981
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