Chess opening · ECO D02
Queen's Pawn Game: Symmetrical Variation
In the Symmetrical Variation the two sides mirror each other: d-pawn to the fifth or fourth rank, king's knight to f3 or f6. Black's knight now covers e4, so White cannot push the e-pawn two squares without preparation. Move three is where White commits, and the choice decides whether the game becomes a gambit, a London, a Torre or a Colle.
- Rank by weighted share
- #88 of 159
Key moves
1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6
- 2... Nf6Black develops the same way White did. The knight on f6 guards d5 a second time and watches e4, so the two halves of the board look alike. Black keeps the c-pawn and e-pawn unmoved and waits to see White's plan.
Mirror knights on f3 and f6
Each knight watches a central square in front of the enemy pawn: f3 covers e5, f6 covers e4. Neither side can push the e-pawn two squares at once without losing it, so both sides look for a supporting move first.
For White the usual supports are e3 with Bd3, or Nbd2 with a later e4. For Black they are ...e6 with ...Bd6, or ...Nbd7 aiming at ...e5.
Five setups for White on move three
The c4 push turns the game into a Queen's Gambit with the knights already out. Bf4 heads for a London setup, and Bg5 is the Torre Attack. The quiet e3 keeps the dark bishop home for the Colle, while g3 prepares a kingside fianchetto with Bg2.
The Torre and the Colle have pages of their own, so the Symmetrical Variation works as a crossroads more than as a single opening.
A London structure
3. Bf4 e6 4. e3 c5 5. c3 Nc6 6. Nbd2 Bd6 7. Bg3
White builds a pyramid of pawns on c3, d4 and e3 with the bishop outside it. When Black offers a trade with ...Bd6, the bishop drops back to g3 so that a capture there would open the h-file for White's rook.
Top replies by rating
Below 1800, e3 sits at or near the top of every band. From 1800 up c4 takes the lead, and in the top band its share is more than double that of e3.
Related openings
Try it on the board. The first coached game and three analyses are free.