Caissa Codex
A37

English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Botvinnik System Reversed, with Nf3 7. d3 d6

Chess diagram: English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Botvinnik System Reversed, with Nf3 after 7…d6

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

105,141 games: White 47.5% / Draw 7.7% / Black 44.8%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
25,90726K
21,27021K
18,37018K
10,00610K
8,0648,064
7,6967,696
3,3693,369
2,4012,401

Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 28, 2026

Engine evaluation

+0.18 The position is about equal

Best play: 8. Rb1 O-O 9. a3 a5 10. Ne1 Be6 11. Bg5 f6 12. Be3 f5

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 d6 (7 moves).

In 105,141 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 47.5%, Black 44.8% and 7.7% were drawn. White's most played move here is 8. a3, in 25% of those games.

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How to answer 7…d6

8. Rb1 scores best for White: 53.9%, with White winning 50.0% and Black 42.2% of 18K games. The most played, 8. a3, scores 53.2% in 26K games, and 8. e4 scores lowest: 46.6%. Stockfish's first choice is also 8. Rb1.

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

Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Botvinnik System Reversed, with Nf3 (A37)”. Lichess data as of 28 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/english-opening-symmetrical-variation-botvinnik-system-reversed-with-nf3-6

https://chesscodex.org/openings/english-opening-symmetrical-variation-botvinnik-system-reversed-with-nf3-6