Default to 1...Nf6
Head for the 75% Anglo-Grünfeld setup instead of 1...d5 lines that invite the 0/3 Malvinas.
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English Opening
Your worst Black opening: 32.6%, mostly from hung pieces rather than bad theory.
Score33%−17% vs your average
Win chance after move 1249%−3% vs your average
Blunders per game1.43+0.21 vs your average
Clock left at move 102:34−5s vs your average
1
23
4
5
6
7
h8
g
f
e
dcba1. c4 d5 2. cxd5
What it says about you
1.c4 opponents catch you off your main 1.e4 and 1.d4 preparation. You answer with a Scandinavian-style 1...d5, which shows you like to hit the centre straight away and get your pieces out. The problem isn't that urge. It's that you stop checking what's loose once the position gets tactical.
How you play it
The opening is fine: move-12 win chance 48.7 and move-20 win chance 51.7 are close to equal, and early errors are low at 0.52 per game. Then things collapse. Your 1.43 blunders per game are above your 1.22 baseline, 6 of 15 losses came from hanging a piece, and 7 ended on time. You score 32.6% (7-15-1), and recent games are no better at 25% from 4. The Malvinas line (1.c4 d5 2.cxd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5) went 0 from 3, while the Anglo-Grünfeld did well at 75%.
Last 90 days: 4 games, 25% score.
What you're missing
- 01
Bxf3 was the best move three times in one game (moves 11, 16 and 17), and you played around it each time. You went from 92% to 46%, then 89% to 46%, then hung a knight to fall from 91% to 8%. You pinned the knight but never cashed in the pin.
- 02
4...Bb4, when exd5 was best, walked into a fork and dropped you from 50% to 8% on move 4. Early bishop sorties need a fork check.
- 03
You convert only 6 of 15 winning positions, well below even your 59% leak.
- 04
Seven timeouts in 15 losses: the English leads to slower positions, and you're getting lost in them on the clock.
How to improve it
- 01
The 0/3 Malvinas with an early queen on a5 is a warning. After 2.cxd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3, retreat 3...Qd8 or play 3...Qd6, or simply avoid the queen trip with 2...Nf6.
- 02
Your Anglo-Grünfeld (1...Nf6 then ...d5) scores 75%. Consider 1...Nf6 as a default so you reach that more often.
- 03
When you pin a knight to the queen with ...Bg4, reassess every move whether ...Bxf3 wins material or wrecks the structure. The pin is only worth something if you cash it in.
- 04
A solid alternative is 1...e5 (a reversed Sicilian): develop with ...Nf6, ...Nc6, ...d5 and ...Be7 for simple, central play.
Where it goes wrong
Your losses in this opening, by where and how the decisive mistake happened.
Phase of the decisive mistake
What the mistake was
Variations you reach
| Agincourt Defense | 5 | 60% |
| Anglo Indian Anglo Grunfeld Defense | 4 | 75% |
| Anglo Scandinavian Malvinas Variation | 3 | 0% |
Winning positions converted here: 40% (6 of 15).
Recent mistakes in this opening
Your move in red, Stockfish's in black.
1
23
4
56
7h8g
fe
dcb
a
vs katindigz (1527) · 03-09-26 →
1
23
4
56
7h8
gf
e
dc
ba
vs katindigz (1527) · 03-09-26 →
1
23
4
56
7h8
gf
e
dc
ba
vs katindigz (1527) · 03-09-26 →
123
4
5
6
7h8g
fedcbavs darkodanicic (1545) · 25-08-26 →
Next steps
Cash your pins
Every move a ...Bg4 pin is on, ask whether ...Bxf3 wins something. You missed it three times in one game.
Blunder-check before moving
Six losses were hung pieces, so do a one-second check of what each piece is defended by before releasing the mouse.
Drill it
Puzzles built from your own mistakes in the English Opening, and every game you've played in it.