LIVE Blitz Chess Commentary #324: English Symmetrical, hedgehog system
This is a blitz chess game I played as white with time control 3|2. The opening was the English Symmetrical, hedgehog system. Control the center, and there's a strong chance you control the game. The critical pawn breaks for black in the hedgehog system are b5 and d5, with the former more likely to occur due to not only fewer white defenders, but also because the knight pawn is less valuable than the central d-pawn. Sometimes b5 can hit even as a pawn sacrifice to open lines on the queenside and activate the black pieces. White spends time expanding on the kingside looking for an attack against the enemy king in this one, whereas black waits for his counterstriking opportunity on the queenside.
