Caissa Codex
A37

English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Botvinnik System Reversed, with Nf3 6. O-O Nge7

Chess diagram: English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Botvinnik System Reversed, with Nf3 after 6…Nge7

Type a move and press Enter: e4, Nf3, O-O, or from and to squares like g1f3 (e7e8q to promote). The board is also played with the mouse.

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Statistics from Lichess

99,372 games: White 48.0% / Draw 8.0% / Black 44.0%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
48,06048K
13,52014K
13,37813K
11,92312K
3,4723,472
3,0913,091
2,9612,961
1,3381,338

Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 26, 2026

Engine evaluation

+0.19 The position is about equal

Best play: 7. d3 d6 8. a3 O-O 9. Rb1 a5 10. Ne1 Be6 11. Bg5 f6

Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.

Overview

English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Botvinnik System Reversed, with Nf3 (ECO A37, Flank Openings) is a variation of the English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Botvinnik System Reversed, with Nf3, reached after 1. c4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. Nf3 e5 6. O-O Nge7 (6 moves).

In 99,372 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 48.0%, Black 44.0% and 8.0% were drawn. White's most played move here is 7. d3, in 48% of those games.

It branches into 2 named variations. In all, 3 named lines continue from it.

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How to answer 6…Nge7

7. Ne1 scores best for White: 56.5%, with White winning 51.5% and Black 38.4% of 12K games. The most played, 7. d3, scores 51.7% in 48K games, and 7. e3 scores lowest: 47.7%. Stockfish's first choice is 7. d3.

Main answers: those played in at least 5% of these games. Score: White's wins plus half the draws, in rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500. How to play against other popular openings

Variations (2)

Other lines from the same position

Instead of 6. O-O Nge7, the position after English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Botvinnik System Reversed, with Nf3 also goes on to:

All 3 named lines that continue from here

Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Botvinnik System Reversed, with Nf3 (A37)”. Lichess data as of 26 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/english-opening-symmetrical-variation-botvinnik-system-reversed-with-nf3-2

https://chesscodex.org/openings/english-opening-symmetrical-variation-botvinnik-system-reversed-with-nf3-2