Caissa Codex
A37

English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Botvinnik System Reversed, with Nf3 6…Nge7 7. d3

Chess diagram: English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Botvinnik System Reversed, with Nf3 after 7. d3

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Statistics from Lichess

102,917 games: White 46.4% / Draw 7.7% / Black 45.9%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
71,21671K
25,51226K
2,9002,900
1,1951,195
1,0451,045
412412
267267
7979

Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 25, 2026

Engine evaluation

+0.12 The position is about equal

Best play: 7... d6 8. a3 O-O 9. Rb1 a5 10. Ne1 Be6 11. Be3 f5 12. Bg5

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. d3 (7 moves).

In 102,917 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 46.4%, Black 45.9% and 7.7% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 7…O-O, in 69% of those games.

It continues into one named variation.

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How to answer 7. d3

7…d6 scores best for Black: 49.8%, with Black winning 45.8% and White 46.2% of 26K games. The most played answer, 7…O-O, scores lowest: 49.7% in 71K games. Stockfish's first choice is also 7…d6.

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

Variations (1)

Other lines from the same position

Instead of 7. d3, 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 25 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/english-opening-symmetrical-variation-botvinnik-system-reversed-with-nf3-5

https://chesscodex.org/openings/english-opening-symmetrical-variation-botvinnik-system-reversed-with-nf3-5