Nernstian59 wrote on 12/19/25 at 21:01:29:

The Wayback Machine has it.
https://web.archive.org/web/20240715123721/https://www.qualitychess.co.uk/ebooks/PlayingtheEnglish-Appendix.pdf

Confused_by_Theory wrote on 12/19/25 at 08:48:18:

I didn't mention it in my last post, but I tried without success to find that free pdf. According to Reply #1, it was located in the Quality Chess blog, but that part of the QC site doesn't seem to have survived the transition to being part of the New in Chess website. For this reason, it's even more important for the second edition to include the missing QID chapter.

Speaking of QID, it's odd what happened to that acronym when quoted. I don't recall that happening before, but I see that my quote generated an even longer string of gibberish.

I see that the "Coming Soon" page on the New in Chess site shows a second edition of Playing the English is on its way under the new title Win with the English!. An excerpt doesn't appear to be available yet, but the new book's description states it builds on Playing the English "by tweaking move orders, plugging gaps and steering the play in even more practically potent directions than before." I hope that the omission of the QID will be among the gaps that are plugged.

Hi.

I looked a bit at how to avoid:
1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.d4 d5 6.0-0 cxd4 7.Nxd4 0-0 8.cxd5 Nxd5 (D)
I don't know if this has been discussed before in other threads. In this book see page 115.
Will share some thoughts. The book does give a ninth move for white, not a continuation but a move, which one can play from here so that is something to begin with. I'm still not sold though.


In the book the alternative continuation 6.Nc3!? is given as well, but also with limited continuations.

I actually wonder if not
1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.d4 d5 6.Nc3 O-O 7.cxd5 Nxd5 8.Nxd5 Qxd5 9.O-O Rd8!?
With the idea:
10.Be3 Qf5!?
Maybe a novelty. Only checked Megabase though.
11.Qa4 cxd4 12.Nxd4 Bxd4 13.Bxd4 Bd7 14.Qb3 Bc6
Is not just solid enough for black.

Some continuations not in the book I would consider:
1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.d4 d5 6.Nc3 cxd4 7.Nxd4 e5!? And after 8.Qa4+ Bd7 9.Ndb5! With hopefully some chances to press for white seems best.
1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.d4 d5 6.Nc3 Nc6 White should probably play for dxc5 at some point.

Also it seems black can move move order in to:
1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.d4 0-0!? 6.Nc3
6.0-0 cxd4 7.Nxd4 d5 8.cxd5 Nxd5 transposes to the diagram line.
6...cxd4 7.Nxd4 Qc7!?
Which looks a bit annoying.

Have a nice day.
/ CbT

Hi.

Speaking of missing lines. This is a minor one but I would have been interested to see something on:
1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.Nc3 d6 6.O-O Be6!?
Have played it a couple of times and it has some clear points compared to 6...Bf5. Mainly it's harder to prevent Qc8 (or even Qd7) plus later Bh3, since white should probably spend one move on defending the c4 pawn.

Regards CbT.

Johannes Brahms wrote on 11/05/23 at 12:03:00:

Jones gives two lines for Black after 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 OO 6.Be2, namely 6...Nbd7 7.OO e5 and 6...e5 7.OO Nc6. Ntirlis offers lines for White against both of these, and explicitly references Jones' recommendations in his text, so he passes this test pretty clearly.

Johannes Brahms wrote on 11/05/23 at 12:03:00:

As TD has already noted, Ntirlis's move order rules out the Keres system. Against this move order, Delchev and Semkov recommend 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.g3 Bb4 5.Nd5 e4. Ntirlis does not reference D&S explicitly as far as I can see, but he gives replies for White to all of D&S's suggestions, and analyses much further than they do in his recommended lines. (This is a very complicated line, not to be entered without a lot of preparation.) So, another passed test in my view.

The omission of the QID transposition was an epic fail, and accepted as such by the author and the publisher. Perhaps the publication of the pdf supplement means they have passed the resit?

I just took a look at the variation index available at ForwardChess. Chapter 9 covers the King's Indian Defense (KID). The move order that Ntirlis chose avoids the Gruenfeld.

I'm surprised and impressed to have a chapter on the KID in a book on the English opening. Chapter 9 recommends the bayonnet attack and covers 6 alternatives to the standard 7...Nc6. I consider this to be broad coverage.

I suppose that authors must develop some strategy with regard to existing litterature. At one extreme, one can ignore the literature, and write one's own book, uninfluenced by other authors. Towards the opposing extreme, one can try to rebut claims made by proponents for Black (in this case).

This looks to be a good book for those who want to play the English opening as White. As a consumer of chess litterature, I don't think the problem is that some lines have not been covered. I think the problem is that there is not enough time to cover, and personally evaluate, the lines presented.

Maybe the Keres System isn't mentioned because of 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 ?