mrbenoni wrote on 05/29/26 at 07:11:47:

Is the English boring? Anyway, 1800-ish is high time to be getting a decent defense to the English. My solution when I was having trouble against it was to start playing it for white. Stronger opponents quickly showed me several good responses for black, and then I knew what to do.

Nothing wrong with the suggestions already given, but maybe look at Burgess (2020) Idiot-Proof Chess Opening Repertoire
http://www.gambitbooks.com/books/An_Idiot-Proof_Chess_Opening_Repertoire.html

His repertoire is: for white English (!), for black Scandinavian and Slav-type QGA move order (that last one might interest you). But I really like his ideas against the Flank openings.

Against 1.c4 it's 1...c5 and he wants to play a Reversed Botvinnik, but only if white allows a decent version. If you peek at his white repertoire you will know better than most what white wants and thus how black can best counter it. I think 1...c5 fits very well with Accelerated Dragon, and if you can get it the Botvinnik system is not boring. Otherwise there's something to be said for black allowing symmetry and simply trying to outplay white. Certainly QGA players who see d4xc5 from white know a thing or two about ultra-symmetrical play.

Against 1.Nf3 Burgess gives 1...d5 and if 2.c4 d4. That's a very good answer. But since you play the Accelerated Dragon, you might like better MNb's suggested 1.Nf3 c5. What can white do to bother you? 2.e4 you know what to do. Any d2-d4 at worst reaches a Maroczy Bind which you are prepared for. 2.c4 you can go for a Symmetrical English where the Botvinnik setup gives you the play you desire, since white has committed to Ng1-f3. If 2.e3 then you can steer for the Normal Variation in the Queen's Gambit Declined, which is both non-critical and has a very QGA feel.

mrbenoni wrote on 05/31/26 at 19:42:47:


BTW, another idea in the above is that on an accelerated d4 by White, even by move 4 (but only after Black's ...f5, otherwise e.g. 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 d6 3.d4?! just chop with 3...exd4), ...Be7 is often the best response.  This however quickly devolves into a queenless middlegame.  I actually enjoy such positions but even if they're not to your taste, perhaps consider it the price for being able to get into other sharper lines.

on 1.Nf3 d5 2.c4 since you like the QGA 2...dxc4!? which so many White players are not sufficiently prepared for.  On 2.d4 or Keymer's 2.e3 I prefer 2...Nd7!?  This might not look like much but against a White d4 setup, Black's modest knight move was utilized of yore by such attackers as Marshall and Spielmann

Also check out my topic about a possible TN for Black against the Reti, pretty much adjacent to this topic.  I think you will be intersted in 4...h5 instead of what Carlsen's opponent played

Also sometimes an eventual ...Bf5 is viable.  This fits in with my repertoire of QGA, ...Nd7, and ...Bf5 against other second move options by White e.g. 2.e3

MNb wrote on 05/29/26 at 16:39:12:


The first is a transposition to a Vienna which is too much theory, the second  can lead to the kind of slow play I suffer if white plays g3 and refrains to immediately push d4

mrbenoni wrote on 05/29/26 at 07:11:47:

Both lines involve taking off a pair of pawns, creating opportunities for pieces. So you might want to consider

1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. g3 d5 5. cd5 Nd5 6. Bg2 Nb6 7. O-O Be7
You'd also have to look into 4e4.

Hi all,
I am a 1800ish player and while I don't have issues when playing stronger opponents against 1.e4 and 1.d4 I am struggling to play against the flank opening, particularly the English. While I do not play aggressive openings as Black ( my repertoire is the accellerated dragon and the QGA ) I suffer the lack  of free piece play that I usually get against  other major opening. What do you suggest to avoid playing a boring game against the English?