Hi, 

I've been learning the English opening recently. In this game I felt that I didn't have as much control of the centre in the opening as I would have liked (being white). Any ideas on how I could have improved my position. And some help on playing against 1.c4 2.c5 would be useful. 

When I first started playing here I didn't have any openings. So, I was just an e4 chap, sometimes with a d4 game now and then to mix it up. Then I decided to start playing c4. The thinking was that it's not as common and may prove awkward for my opponents.

Since then I've 79 games with c4 and have only met c5 7 times. If your wanting to become a c4 player I'd look at 1.c4..e5 games predominantly. I know that doesn't help with your curiosity for how to play against c5. But what I'm saying is that you could spend a fair bit of time geming up on it and then not getting a chance to use that info for a fair bit of time.

The symmetrical, from what little I know of it, is apparently rather boring/drawish. So, I alsways try to create imblances as soon as possible just to make it fun.

Thanks for that. I used to play d4, was never that good at e4, or at least didn't look into it enough. I love the English and I have mostly looked at 2..e5 but find that i usually have most of the control on the d4 square. In the symmetrical line it seems equal. The reason I ask is that I have won a large percentage of my c4 games and don't do too badly facing it either. My percentage of wins where I play 2..c5 is quite good. 

Well, i would like to comment on the game but there is so much to say so i wont even bother. However - and bare in mind i am not expert in English - i can see that although you play through the moves of the opening you have not actually studdied it. 7.Rb1 betray your unfamiliarity with the position and the fact that you just play moves for the sake of it.

What you have to do is study the position that arrise from the opening and not just memorise the moves. If you had spend some time looking at the position after 6...- 0-0 you'd know that 7. d3 or even 7. e4 are more in the spirit of the position. 7.Rb1 does not make sense.

Go back to the board and setup the position after 6...-0-0. and spend some time forming a plan of action and next time you will have a far better understanding of the demands of the position.

Yea, I realise Rb1 was a bad move. For some reason I thought I would try and attack the c5 pawn, but I had no real backup. I knew after I made that move it was bad. I just felt slightly cramped facing 2..c5 as opposed to 2..e5 when I can play e3 and d4 usually gaining space.

Cant see any obvious big mistakes, but i liked the way you capitalised on your opponents poor moves! He made some big fundamental mistakes par example 31.Kh7 allowing your rook infiltrate his territory which proved fatal!

I dont like the English so i suggest playing an opening i like like the Ponziani or Scottish! lol