- ECO code
- A30
- Moves
- 1.c4 c5 2.Nf3
- Family
- English Opening
- To move
- Black
- Master games
- 718
- Average game length
- 42 moves
- Years covered
- 1911–2026
English Opening: Symmetrical Variation is the opening filed under ECO code A30, reached after 1.c4 c5 2.Nf3. It belongs to the English Opening family and is known as the Symmetrical Variation; in the resulting position it is Black to move.
Katuranga's collection of 138,070 master games contains 718 games on this line — the 154th most played opening in the collection. The oldest game on this line is from 1911 and the most recent from 2026. The busiest decade in this collection is the 2010s, with 200 games. An average game here lasts 42 moves.
White wins 36% of those games, 49% end in a draw, and Black wins 15%. Compared with the collection average (White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28%), Black scores worse here by 13 percentage points. Draws are more common here than usual, by 14 points.
From this position the most popular move is 2...Nf6, played in 380 games, followed by 2...Nc6 (268) and 2...g6 (63). After 2...Nf6 White scores 33% and Black 16%.
The name that appears most often on the White side of this line is Kortschnoj, Viktor (87 games); on the Black side, So,W (31).
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Results in master games
- White 36% (258)
- Draws 49% (351)
- Black 15% (109)
Most played continuations
| Move | Games | White / draws / Black | Leads into |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2...Nf6 | 380 | 33/51/16 | — |
| 2...Nc6 | 268 | 35/49/16 | — |
| 2...g6 | 63 | 57/32/11 | — |
| 2...b6 | 4 | 50/25/25 | — |
| 2...e6 | 2 | 0/100/0 | — |
| 2...f5 | 1 | 0/100/0 | — |
How the position is reached
- English Opening · 1.c4 · 10,834 games
- English Opening: Symmetrical Variation · 1.c4 c5 · 1,212 games
Played most often by
As White
- Kortschnoj, Viktor 87
- Aronian,L 33
- Nepomniachtchi,I 28
As Black
- So,W 31
- Anand,V 30
- Kramnik, Vladimir 21
Games per decade
- 1910s 1
- 1920s 7
- 1930s 2
- 1940s 1
- 1950s 12
- 1960s 53
- 1970s 78
- 1980s 68
- 1990s 77
- 2000s 64
- 2010s 200
- 2020s 155
Master games on this line
| White | Black | Result | Year | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nakamura,Hi | Caruana,F | 1-0 | 2026 | FIDE Candidates 2026 |
| Seemann,Jakub | Ivanchuk,V | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | 26th ch-EUR Indiv 2026 |
| Lazavik,Denis | Carlsen,M | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | SpeedChess Final 2025 |
| Keymer,Vincent | Vachier Lagrave,M | 0-1 | 2026 | GCT Super Blitz Croatia |
| Vachier Lagrave,M | Gelman,A | 1-0 | 2026 | Titled Tue 14th Apr 2026 |
| Nepomniachtchi,I | Niemann,Hans Moke | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | Niemann-Nepomniachtchi m |
Frequently asked questions
What is the English Opening: Symmetrical Variation?
It is the opening with ECO code A30, reached after 1.c4 c5 2.Nf3. It belongs to the English Opening family.
Is the English Opening: Symmetrical Variation good for White or for Black?
In 718 master games on this line White wins 36%, 49% are drawn and Black wins 15%. The collection average is White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28% — so this line is no worse than usual for White than the field as a whole.
What is the main continuation of the English Opening: Symmetrical Variation?
2...Nf6 — played in 380 of the master games on this line.
Which grandmasters play the English Opening: Symmetrical Variation?
On the White side Kortschnoj, Viktor (87), Aronian,L (33), Nepomniachtchi,I (28); on the Black side So,W (31), Anand,V (30), Kramnik, Vladimir (21).
Every number on this page is computed from Katuranga's master game collection; names and ECO codes follow the lichess opening book (CC0).
Try this line on the board
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