For a long time the variation 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 e4 was considered dubious, as the pawn on e4 was doomed to fall after 4.Ng5. However, in 2021 Indian GM Baskaran Adhiban revived the line, introducing new resources for Black after 4…c6!? and soon other top players like Giri, Aronian and Praggnanandhaa joined the black side of this peculiar line against the English. By sacrificing the e-pawn, Black gains a lot of time harassing the white knight and seizes the initiative in the centre. In this 60-minutes video course you will become acquainted with Black’s ideas to prove the compensation for the pawn. Whether it’s short or long-term depends on White’s setup, but one thing is certain: White has serious practical problems deciding on how to rearrange their forces and find a hide-out for their king.
In 1843 in a match, which was unofficially considered a world championship, the English master Howard Staunton (1810–1874) played 1.c4 against French player Pierre Saint-Amant (1800–1872). Since then this move has been known as the English Opening. But it was not accorded full recognition until the 1920s, and later it was then successfully adopted by modern world champions such as Botvinnik, Petrosian, Karpov and Kasparov.
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