Park 1.c4 for now
At 34.4% it costs you points. Use 1.Nf3 followed by d4 if you want to avoid 1.d4 sidelines.
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English Opening
Your 1.c4 experiment is scoring 34%, well below your London at home.
Score34%−15% vs your average
Win chance after move 1253%+1% vs your average
Blunders per game1.19−0.04 vs your average
Clock left at move 102:31−8s vs your average
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efgh1. c4
What it says about you
You pick 1.c4 now and then, probably to escape the Englund Gambit and the other annoying 1.d4 replies, or just for variety. It's a sign you enjoy exploring. But your English has no fixed shape: there is no repeated main line, so every game becomes improvisation.
How you play it
You start reasonably (move-12 win chance 53.5) and then fall back (move-20 win chance 48.8). The position deteriorates from move 12 to 20, and you score 34.4% (5-10-1). Six of your 8 decided losses came in the middlegame, and games run 40.9 moves. You convert only 4 of 9 winning positions. The endgame slips (45.Rf5+, 46.d5, 48.Kd5) all came with 12 to 10 seconds left.
What you're missing
- 01
21.Kc2 walked into mate (46% to 0%) when Ke2 was safe. You made a king move without checking the opponent's checking lines.
- 02
Your late endgame collapsed: 45.Rf5+ (82% to 53%), 46.d5 (52% to 14%) and 48.Kd5, which hung a rook (82% to 49%), all under 13 seconds.
- 03
There's no variation data or recurring main line, which means you have no English repertoire and are reinventing the opening every game.
- 04
move-20 win chance at 48.8 drops below move-12 win chance at 53.5, the clearest sign your middlegame plans in English structures aren't working.
How to improve it
- 01
If you keep it, commit to one system, such as 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.g3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.Bg2 followed by Nf3, O-O, d3, Rb1 and b4. The queenside minority push is the whole plan.
- 02
Against ...d5 setups, fianchetto and pressure d5 with Bg2, Nc3 and cxd5, then attack on the queenside rather than the kingside.
- 03
For rook endgames under 15 seconds, keep the rook active behind passed pawns and avoid king walks near the enemy rook.
- 04
Honestly, the best plan might be 1.Nf3 with 2.d4 into your London. It sidesteps the Englund and keeps your good structure.
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
No sub-variation with 3+ games.
Winning positions converted here: 44% (4 of 9).
Recent mistakes in this opening
Your move in red, Stockfish's in black.
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hvs Fercholenzo (1424) · 28-06-26 →
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vs Fercholenzo (1424) · 28-06-26 →
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vs Fercholenzo (1424) · 28-06-26 →
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vs Fercholenzo (1424) · 28-06-26 →
Next steps
If you keep it, pick one system
Commit to the g3, Bg2, Rb1 and b4 plan in every English game so you stop improvising.
Check king moves for checks
Before any king move, list all of the opponent's checks. 21.Kc2 allowed mate.
Drill it
Puzzles built from your own mistakes in the English Opening, and every game you've played in it.