What to play as White against the Symmetrical English?

Hello.

As White I always start with 1. Nf3, and then if my opponent plays 1…c5 I play 2. c4 which is the Symmetrical English.

But what exactly should I play in the Symmetrical English?

What move order should I choose precisely?

Should I play for d2-d4? If yes, when exactly should I play d2-d4?

In order to answer these questions, there are six important points to note:

• I want to always make a Kingside Fianchetto whatever Black plays (except if doing so would give Black equality).

• I want to play variations that tend to lead on average to the most positional, solid, safe, quiet, slow, boring and strategic positions (i.e. the least sharp and tactical positions).

• I like having a space advantage. And I love Queenless positions.

• I want to play variations that are objectively strong for White. I am only satisfied with the best. They need to be played very often by Grandmasters.

• I would like to limit Black’s options as much as possible.

• I also play the Catalan, the Queen’s Indian Fianchetto Variation, the King’s Indian Fianchetto Variation and the Grünfeld Fianchetto Variation, so transpositions to any of these openings are welcomed.

Thanks in advance for your answers.

I think you are looking for the Botvinnik system. After g3,Bg2 play e4! Ne2,d3,Be3 with the idea to push d4 if it is possible and gain space. Of course you can generate sidelines at the same time with Rb1,a3,b4! challenging c5 pawn and always have in mind the king side brake f4.

Finally remember that we are talking for a system and not for a variation.

play 3.d4 and try to set up a Maroczy bind.

Impossible. As stated above, I start with 1. Nf3. The Botvinnik System requires White to play Nge2.

I was thinking about that, but I'm not really sure that this would be the most "positional, solid, safe, quiet, slow, boring and strategic" option for White.

Against 1. Nf3 c5 2. c4 Nc6 the move 3. d4 might be strong. But against 1. Nf3 c5 2. c4 Nf6 the move 3. d4 is probably less compelling for White because it runs into a sound gambit: 3...cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5 5. Nb5 d5 6. cxd5 Bc5 7. N5c3 O-O

I'm not sure if White can get an advantage in the English. I could be wrong. There's the problem that if you delay d4 for too long you risk going into the symmetrical variation where you both play a dragon and Black copies all your moves. Whether White has an advantage there I don't know... But if you play an early d4 which guarantees you will avoid this then you will deal with some of those other lines you wanted to avoid. The other question is whether White has an advantage if he does not go into the Maroczy when Black plays ...g6 at all. Playing g3 all the time would probably lead to these positions. You might be ok against the hedgehog and you may be able to transpose into the Catalan/Tarrasch after ...e6 stuff but ...g6 I think is where the real problems lie. 

So I have my doubts that you will be able to get an advantage, if any, if you limit yourself to specific piece structures or positions in the symmetrical English. There is a thread on chesspub that had some suggestions on this but I'm really not an expert on these things. The only way I can see White getting slow positions all the time would be to play some dragon structure and just play for b4 or to go into a Reti. But those positions tend to be equal.

There is no point looking after "the absolute truth". 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 e5 5.Nb5 d5 is of course interesting, but hardly a reason to switch as white- there is rich play ahead. For details on it you can consult Aveskulov's excellent book "Attack with Black"- pay some attention to the not-so-popular 8.g3 lines.

In this position you're almost forced into a dragon or maroczy. I had your same problem back when I experimented with the English. delaying d2-d4 is a mistake, unless you want to play the sharp d2-d3, which will most likely be met with a kingside fianchetto and you'll be in a drawish position. I think the most positional response is 3.e4 4.d4. I honestly don't think you can choose not to play d2-d4 if you want a good position and a strategic game.

But what about delaying d2-d4 for a little later than move 3?

Because if I play 1. Nf3 c5 2. c4 Nf6 3. d4 then I might as well play 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. Nf3 which would be the same thing... I believe I should take advantage of first starting with the move 1. Nf3!

How about something like that?: First fianchettoing my light-squared Bishop, then castling Kingside, then playing Nc3, and only then playing d2-d4 around move 7. Or if Black tries to play for e7-e5 to stop d2-d4 and get a bind we might play d2-d4 on move 5 or 6 to foil Black's plan.

Would it tend to lead to "positional, solid, safe, quiet, slow, boring and strategic positions"?

And most importantly: would White get to keep his first move advantage by playing this?

Yes, you could delay it that long. I've seen it delayed to about move 9 by GMs before. And no, white loses his first move advantage by playing 2.c4. That position is considered to be playing for a draw. If black plays an early e7-e5 push you might want to look into the Botvinnik system with colors reversed. The position after 2.c4 can be either positional or tactical, depending on how black follows up. 2...g6 would almost guarantee a tactical game. If you want positional, I would recommend 2. d4 and transpose into a benoni, which is a highly positional opening. If 2...Nf6, push d5, if 2...e6, play c4. If 2...d5, play c4. You would end up in either a benoni or tarrasch defense, which are both fairly positional. As a former benoni player, I can tell you that white should fianchetto the king's bishop, exchange dark square bishops, and target the pawn on d6. This should put any player who hasn't extensively studied the benoni in a horrible position.

Since you are getting both knights out you should also have something prepared for 1.Nf3 c5 2.c4 Nf6 3.Nc3 d5. This is pretty popular even today. I think GM Giri likes to use it. 

If you play g3 early you won't be able to play the Maroczy. You're not likely to be able to play g3 for at least 4 or 5 moves unless Black plays e6. Black can hold out for a long time with something like 1.Nf3 c5 2.c4 Nf6 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.d4 cd 5.Nxd4 when it's now time for Black to decide what he wants to do. If Black doesn't play the Maroczy then I think playing g3 is normal in all the other positions.

But again, you are unlikely to always have control over the nature of the positions. Most positions are quitet and others are crazy. This is also why the English is typically recommended for stronger players. You'll get A LOT of interesting positions and learn a lot but playing this way asks a lot from the player imo. 

I highly doubt that.

On ChessBase, for the position after 1. Nf3 c5 2. c4, I have 22,000 recent games (played between 2000 and 2014) where both players were at least 1700 Elo. The result: White scores 55.6%, which is even slightly higher than his usual score of 54%.

When taking into account only recent games where both players were Grandmasters, I obtain exactly the same result, White scores 55.6%, with a sample of 2,000 games.

That might be because of the 2...g6 and 2...Nf6 continuations, which give black more familiar positions despite 2...Nc3 being the most accurate move (though drawish and difficult to play for both sides). After 2...Nc3, black has equalized

Only two moves have been played. White has as much chance getting an advantage as any other opening.

Generally speaking the moment to play d4 is when black is prepared to play e5. The moment to play G3 is when black has played e6 or b6.

Nf3 and black had d5. No longer an english.