By learning some new and rarely played lines, we also carry an element of surprise. Of course, it is not possible to find new lines everywhere, but whenever possible, GM Dhopade made sure he included some fresh suggestions and recommendations. This Repertoire on the Symmetrical English from the Black side is divided into three main directions.
English Opening (1.c4) is very popular nowadays and is nearly as common as 1.e4 or 1.d4.
If you want to have a shot at winning with Black …you must know how to play against it.
Many players assume that if they are prepared against 1.d4 or 1.Nf3 they’ll automatically be able to play against 1.c4.
Big mistake.
The tricky thing about English is that it can transpose to many different openings including the Catalan. This makes it VERY difficult and time-consuming for Black to prepare.
The good news is, GM Swapnil Dhopade is here to simplify your preparation against 1.c4 by CUTTING 90% of the theory with the Symmetrical English (1…c5)!
On move 1 you are turning the tables on your opponent… reducing the White’s options and making it impossible to transpose!
GM Dhopade presents new, rarely played lines which will catch your opponent off guard giving you yet another big edge.
What you will learn:
- Stopping the pawn break – GM Dhopade shows you the two ways for preventing the annoying b2-b4 pawn break… and also teaches you when NOT to prevent it!
- Fighting the Fianchetto Setup – GM Dhopade recommends a bulletproof setup for Black to beat the King’s Side Fianchetto. This is a very powerful move order trick, and you’ll be happy to see this line on the board… over and over again.
- Pawn Structure Blueprint – GM Dhopade deep dives into all the most important pawn structures that arise in Symmetrical English. Masting those structures is over 70% of your opening preparation work!
If you want to score points with Black against one of the most common chess openings 1.c4, this course is a must!
Study it once and win games for years to come. This opening preparation, based on top-notch analysis & novel variations, will serve you well for a decade!
Preview by the Author:
- 12 fully annotated theoretical chapters
- 6 hours video course
- 33 strategy reminders
- 12 test positions
- Memory Booster for each chapter
- Downloadable PGN file
Test Section:
At the end of the database, you will find a test section including 12 interactive test positions. Each one of these positions features an important key point to remember.
Outline:
Chapter 1 – 1.c4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.d3
Chapter 2 – 1.c4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.a3
Chapter 3 – 1.c4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.e3
Chapter 4 – 1.c4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.Nf3
Chapter 5 – 1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.e3
Chapter 6 – 1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.g3
Chapter 7 – 1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.g3 d5 5.cxd5 Nxd5 6.0-0
Chapter 8 – 1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.g3
Chapter 9 – 1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 e6 6.Ndb5
Chapter 10 – 1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 e6 6.Bf4
Chapter 11 – 1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 e6 6.a3
Chapter 12 – 1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 e6 6.g3
About the Author:
GM Swapnil Dhopade [FIDE 2499]
is an Indian chess grandmaster. In 2016, he became the first grandmaster from the Vidarbha region and the fifth from Maharashtra. In 2017, GM Dhopade shared 3rd place with a score of 6.5/9 at the Isle of Man International Masters tournament.
He was the coach for the Indian women’s team at the World Team Chess Championship in 2019.
