English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Mecking Variation
In the English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Mecking Variation, aim to understand the plans and pawn structures, not just memorize the first moves.
The English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Mecking Variation is a chess opening classified under ECO code A39. It is reached after the moves 1. c4 Nf6 2. Nf3 c5 3. Nc3 Nc6 4. g3 g6 5. Bg2 Bg7 6. O-O O-O 7. d4: 13 moves in, with Black to play.
It belongs to the English Opening family — one of many ways the line can branch. Understanding the parent system’s plans is the fastest way to play this variation well.
Club players rarely lose the English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Mecking Variation in the opening itself. They lose it a few moves later, when the plan behind the moves runs out: that is what reading your own games in this line shows you.