Why don't more people play the English?

I think that some players "fear" 1...c5--the Symmetrical English. 1...e5 is a Sicilian in Reverse.

Aren't the recent Stockfish versions a combination of NNUE and old method? I thought that was the case.

Correct, but pure NNUE is still stronger. SF is worth looking at in the opening now (thankfully) but not on move one or move two usually.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Please start your toy car engines!

He doesn't have a point at all. The line you gave for white was wrong. The main moves played there after c6 are Nf3 and d4 and then white is much better. Actually, in that position, c6 is a wrong move by black.

This is the issue with him. He just tells people not to play an opening by teaching misunderstandings of the game and providing incorrect lines. Instead of teaching the correct line he just says that it's bad and you shouldn't play it. That's total bs. He's very misleading and disingenuous.

Of course naturally you cannot attack or play positionally in the english. Thanks for clearing that up for the rest of us.

exactally lmao

me when a fundamental characteristic of the game is removed because of the opening choice

TLDR: baA lot of players play d4 and e4 because that's probably the first move they got introduced or taught when they were starting to play chess. I would bet 99.99% that is the case. Most of the opening setups they see are often initiated with d4 or e4. As a beginner, there is a saying monkey see, monkey do. I can't blame beginners. Then the cycle repeats until they realize they need to learn other openings. But most folks are comfortable with what they know.

I accidentally hit enter on my last message. TLDR. Basic human psychology.

TLDR: All e4 and d4 players are clueless monkeys compared to the c4 master race.

Nepo who opened the WCC with e4: 🗿

Nepo just hasn't realised he needs to learn other openings yet. Like they say monkey see, monkey do.

Maybe Fischer, Kasparov and Karpov would've been better players if they took a note out of the book of zeitmate. They were just too comfortable in their inferior e4 d4 monkey ways.

Hey, Botvinnik certainly did, with huge success too. Listen to the 2000 you patzer 😛

True, Botvinnik was c4 master race.

The world if e4 d4 monkeys realised they need to learn other openings

It's kind of difficult to play well and is full of transpositional opportunities that mean you'll have to become familiar with other openings too.

honestly as black its solid,

in the english i either play it very locked or open,

for example

I see some folks getting butt hurt of the monkey see, monkey do expression. It wasn't an insult. This is just.how most folks start. They follow what they see. Monkey see, monkey do. Nothing wrong with that.

Big chance they did start with e4 and d4 when tbey were beginners because that's what they saw and probably what were taught by their parents, peers, or whomever was with them when they were starting out.

The context is when they are starting out.