There is a wide choice, but no perfect solution to the problem :
a) Rubinstein's 2. c4 Nf6 3. Nc3/g3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 opening the center, but White here has a whole batch of options, completely different from one to another.
b) The reversed Botvinnik system 2. c4 Nc6 3. Nc3 e5 4. g3 g6 5. Bg2 Bg7 6. 0-0 Nge7 7. d3 d6; Black has a lot of space especially with f5 but lot of positional play ahead to manage the weakness on d5 and the kingside attack is not easy to craft.
c) there are some tricky moves in the ultra-symmetrical which is normally a bit dry for Black with no prospect. One of the most interesting tries is 2. c4 Nf6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 g6 6. g3 Bg7 7. Bg2 0-0 8. 0-0 Qa5 instead of the usual exchange on d4.
d) the main roads to keep the play complicated in the Symmetrical English are the Hedgehog and the Double Fianchetto, but it requires some amount of chess knowledge to play them well.
Hello,
Played my first OTB match today. Was prepared against 1.d4 and 1.e4. And I intended to play c5 against Nf3 (to invite a sicilian, since I play taimanov).
So he did play 1.Nf3, but followed with c4. So I entered a symmetrical without too much plan. I got outplayed in the opening, but managed to win after he blundered in the middlegame. Any tips to approach actively/dynamically 1.Nf3 and c4 in these symmetrical strcutures? I'd rather keep 1...c5 because of the possiblities to enter a sicilian (or more usual Q-pawn openings like a london).
Cheers