The English Opening
1.c4: flexible, positional, and hard to prepare against. Fight for d5 from the wing, fianchetto, and choose your battleground. A favourite of Botvinnik, Kramnik and Carlsen.
Step through the main line
The lines
The Symmetrical
1. c4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. Nf3 Nf6 6. O-O O-O 7. d4 cxd4 8. Nxd4
The Reversed Sicilian
1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. g3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. Bg2 Nb6 6. Nf3 Nc6 7. O-O Be7
vs a King's Indian Set-up
1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 g6 3. g3 Bg7 4. Bg2 O-O 5. Nf3 d6 6. O-O e5 7. d3 Nc6 8. Rb1
The Anglo-Indian
1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. e3 Be7 5. b3 O-O 6. Bb2 c5 7. cxd5 exd5
How this guide is made: the lines and explanations come from the authored Strong Squares repertoire curriculum. Automated checks verify legal move sequences and required teaching fields. Independent chess-editor approval remains a private-preview release gate. Read the teaching method.