The English Opening (1.c4) got its name because it was first used in international competition by an Englishman: 19th-century world chess champion Howard Staunton. But it achieved the great popularity it enjoys today with the help of a Russian: the author of this definitive book, former world champion Anatoly Karpov. Among its advantages, as Karpov demonstrates, is that it can transpose into many other openings, including the Queen’s Gambit Declined, the Reti, the Caro-Kann, the Sicilian with colors reversed, or the Polish—any one of which may provide a winning edge by leading an opponent into unfamiliar territory. This kind of flexibility is what every player needs, and Karpov provides it with a thoroughness no one else could possibly match.

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