Considering The English Opening

I'm interested in trying out the english opening.

What are your favorite variations resulting from 1.c4?

It often transposes into 1.d4 lines. 1...e5 and 1...c5 are the only common responses that keep it an English. Against 1.e5, you can play a reverse sicilian, usually a reversed dragon or scheveningen setup. Against 1...c5 , a hyper-accelerated dragon or Maroczy bind setup usually works for white.

This is the setup I try to achive when I play the English opening (Closed English/Botvinnik English) If you don't like playing closed games you can try other variations like the four knights. Many great players like Bobby Fisher used the English opening and even used it against Boris Spassky in a World Chess champion match.

Incidentally, what are the other major variations of the English besides the Reversed Sicilian and Botvinnik English (and not d4 transpositions?) I prefer the 1. Nf3 2. c4 move order if that matters. Also please not that suuuper-symmetrical line where Black copies everything and White plays Rb1 b4 and trades off the b pawn

The Botvinnik setup only works when Black plays a Reversed Sicilian with commitment to ...Nc6.  The Symmetrical Botvinnik gets White nothing as Black's Bishop isn't blocked, along with other pluses for Black!

Marin explains a lot of detail on the English in his 3 books.