HoemberChess wrote on 10/22/09 at 18:56:57:


Well well well

http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1007101
http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1032362

I don't know where the idea would come from that the 4. e3 Four Knights English is "not that good" for Black (meaning he shouldn't be able to equalize?), or that 4. e3 is better than 4. g3.

I wonder if the founders of the Informant in some sense agreed with Markovich, since they put 1. c4 c5 after 1. c4 e5 in their code system (it's a principle of the system that main lines come last).

Quote:

It depends, I don't think the reversed sicilian is that good if white does not play g3 - e.g. an e3 4 knights.

I have noticed OTB people play differently against the English, than in correspondence. In correspondence many players will play e5, but OTB, I find a lot of players try to get into their d4 defence (makes sense, for memory reasons). In this respect, I think moves like c6, e6, and g6 are all very good reponses to c4, and for many players who want to be able to transpose if they can, will be the best.

HoemberChess wrote on 10/06/09 at 06:52:45:


These things can be debated ad infinitum. It really comes down to personal preference more than anything else.

I also hate to face 1. c4, so an intresting thing to do is to watch the "specialists" play against the system they like. This is how I found my answer to 1.c4. I took up what Davies is playing against the english 

I think the DVD chess fritz trainer titled The secrets of champions by Adrian Mi... err i forgot the exact spelling of his surname.  Anyway, i think it would immensely benefit all English Openings enthusiast, i think with Flank Opening subscribe from chesspublishing.com and this DVD any one will soon become an English Opening experts.

A stronger player than all of us - GM Mednis - agrees completely. Equalizing after 1.c4 is no less an achievement than after 1.d4 and 1.e4. Creating winning chances is also equally problematic.