English Opening
1.c4
An opening for White
Flexible, positional, and hard to prepare against.
The idea
White stakes a claim on the d5 square from the side and keeps options open, often fianchettoing the bishop to g2. It can transpose into many other openings, which makes it hard for opponents to prep.
The plan
Fianchetto the king's bishop, control the centre with pieces rather than pawns, and expand on the queenside. A calm, strategic game.
One tip for beginners
Great if you prefer slow, positional games over sharp tactics. Learn the g3/Bg2 setup and you have a system against almost anything.
What to watch out for
Don't neglect the centre entirely - if Black grabs it with pawns and you have no plan, the flexibility becomes passivity.
Who plays it
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