Caissa Codex
A37

English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Botvinnik System Reversed, with Nf3 6…Nge7 7. a3

Chess diagram: English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Botvinnik System Reversed, with Nf3 after 7. a3

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

14,662 games: White 51.9% / Draw 8.3% / Black 39.9%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
8,9208,920
2,5032,503
2,3612,361
386386
159159
148148
9898
4343

Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Nov 1, 2026

Engine evaluation

+0.13 The position is about equal

Best play: 7... O-O 8. d3 d6 9. Rb1 a5 10. Ne1 Be6 11. b4 axb4 12. axb4

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 7. a3 (7 moves).

In 14,662 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 51.9%, Black 39.9% and 8.3% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 7…O-O, in 61% of those games.

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How to answer 7. a3

The most played answer, 7…O-O, also scores best for Black: 44.9%, with Black winning 40.9% and White 51.0% of 8,920 games. Of the main answers, 7…d6 scores lowest: 42.0%. Stockfish's first choice is also 7…O-O.

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

Other lines from the same position

Instead of 7. a3, the position after English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Botvinnik System Reversed, with Nf3 also goes on to:

Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Botvinnik System Reversed, with Nf3 (A37)”. Lichess data as of 1 Nov 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/english-opening-symmetrical-variation-botvinnik-system-reversed-with-nf3-4

https://chesscodex.org/openings/english-opening-symmetrical-variation-botvinnik-system-reversed-with-nf3-4