Learn Anti-Benoni plans
44.4% over 9 games in your main line. Study the Maroczy and Hedgehog structures that come out of ...cxd4 Nxd4.
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English Opening
Even score, fast opening moves, slipping recently.
Score50%+2% vs your average
Win chance after move 1249%+2% vs your average
Blunders per game0.67−0.24 vs your average
Clock left at move 109:52+14s vs your average
8
76
5
4
3
2
a1b
c
d
efg
h1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 c5 3. c4
What it says about you
Your English games mostly come from 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 c5 3.c4, where you meet ...c5 with c4 rather than d5 or dxc5. It is a sensible, positional choice that avoids Benoni theory and suits a player who likes structure. Your opponents here are rated about 40 points higher than you (2130 v 2091), so an even score is quite good.
How you play it
You score 50.0% (12-12-0), and 25% over the last 4 games. The opening comes out about even (49.1 at move 12, 49.0 at move 20, both above your baseline). You play the opening faster than anywhere else, with 592s left at move 10. You blunder less than usual (0.67 per game) and games are short (36.3 moves). The Symmetrical Anti-Benoni is your main line and your weakest at 44.4% over 9 games.
Last 90 days: 4 games, 25% score.
What you're missing
- 01
Tactics while you have time. 11.Rc1 missed 11.Qxe4, a 92% position down to 48%, with 559 seconds on the clock. Playing fast in the opening only works if you still catch the tactics.
- 02
Opponent combinations. 23.f3 dropped you from 49% to 4% because you missed a combination (23.Nf5 was best), and 2 losses came from mating attacks.
- 03
Loose pieces. Hung a piece is the top loss cause here (3), including 38.Qc6, which lost a rook (38% down to 4%).
- 04
Structural decisions. 25.cxb6 took you from 75% to 49% when 25.Qa6 kept the pressure, a recapture that changed the pawn structure the wrong way.
How to improve it
- 01
Learn the Symmetrical Anti-Benoni structures: after ...cxd4 Nxd4 you often get a Maroczy or Hedgehog. Aim for e4 with Nc3, Be2 and a quick O-O, and meet ...d5 or ...b5 breaks with direct piece play.
- 02
If you want sharper play, 3.d5 instead of 3.c4 heads for a Benoni where you have the space. Your better results in the Anglo-Dutch (75%) and Anglo-Indian Queen's Knight (60%) lines suggest you do fine when structures are clearer.
- 03
Against the Hedgehog in particular, do not rush. Keep pieces on and restrain ...d5 and ...b5, since the typical way to lose is overextending and then having ...d5 hit you.
- 04
Use some of the 590 seconds you have at move 10. Slow down in the first 15 moves when the centre is still fluid; that is when the Qxe4 kind of tactic appears.
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
| Symmetrical Anti Benoni Variation | 9 | 44% |
| Anglo Indian Queen's Knight Variation | 5 | 60% |
| Anglo Dutch | 4 | 75% |
| Symmetrical Three Knights System | 3 | 67% |
Winning positions converted here: 73% (11 of 15).
Recent mistakes in this opening
Your move in red, Stockfish's in black.
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
a1
bc
d
e
f
gh
vs Abdulahi58 (2245) · 23-09-26 →
876
5
4
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2a1b
c
d
efg
hvs edelix (2153) · 17-07-26 →
876
5
4
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2a1
b
cde
f
gh
vs B-rainLess (2231) · 07-05-26 →
8
76
5
4
3
2a1
b
c
de
f
gh
vs xequito57 (2270) · 07-04-26 →
Next steps
Spend time on moves 10-15
You have almost 10 minutes at move 10. Spend 60 seconds per move on candidate captures until move 15.
Blunder-check before quiet moves
Before a quiet move like Rc1 or f3, check the opponent's captures and checks. Three recent mistakes came from skipping this.
Drill it
Puzzles built from your own mistakes in the English Opening, and every game you've played in it.