English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Anti-Benoni Variation, Spielmann Defense

An entry in the Encyclopedia of Chess Openings (ECO A32), reached after 8 half-moves: 1. c4 e6 2. d4 c5 3. Nf3 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6.

Black rook — Use ← → arrows or click moves to step through.

Black knight — Use ← → arrows or click moves to step through.

End of this line

No further variations branch from this position in our database. To explore neighbouring ideas:

About this opening

English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Anti-Benoni Variation, Spielmann Defense is an opening in the Encyclopedia of Chess Openings, classified under code A32. ECO group A (A00–A99) covers flank and irregular openings, including the English, Bird, Réti and Dutch defences. This particular variation is reached after 8 half-moves from the starting position, with the move sequence 1. c4 e6 2. d4 c5 3. Nf3 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6.

It belongs to the English Opening family. Within that family this is a level-3 branch (the Symmetrical Variation → Anti-Benoni Variation → Spielmann Defense line). The immediate parent line is English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Anti-Benoni Variation, transitioned via 4…Nf6.

The opening sequence in prose form: 1.c4 e6, 2.d4 c5, 3.Nf3 cxd4, 4.Nxd4 Nf6. From this position the encyclopaedia records no further canonical continuations — practical play branches into unnamed transpositions or returns to the parent line for alternative ideas.