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English Opening · As White · updated October 2026

Play the English Opening like Maxim Matlakov

A repertoire in the English Opening built from 42 of Maxim Matlakov's public Chess.com blitz games. At every position you play the move Maxim Matlakov chose most often. Where Maxim Matlakov has fewer than 3 games, the course takes the other top-50 players' most played move, then Stockfish's. Learn a line on the board, then each position comes back in a short daily review until it sticks.

Not affiliated with or endorsed by Maxim Matlakov or Chess.com.

  • Maxim Matlakov was #47 in Chess.com blitz in October 2026 (3,198) and scored 76% against opponents averaging 2,699 in these games.
  • You play Maxim Matlakov's own move in 7 of 40 positions.
  • The whole course is free, and it is updated monthly.

Free · first 5 lines need no account

Blitz rank

#47

Chess.com

Rating

3,198

Games

42

in this opening

Score

76%

in these games

Opponents

2,699

average rating

More about Maxim Matlakov

Use arrow keys to navigate the board. Press Enter to select a piece, then use arrow keys and Enter to move. Press Escape to cancel a move.
Line 1 after 6 moves

Lines to learn

  1. Line 1 · 6% at top level

    1…e6 2.g3 d5 3.Bg2 Nf6 4.Nf3

  2. Line 2 · 5% at top level

    1…Nf6 2.Nc3 g6 3.e4 d6 4.d4 Bg7 5.Be2 O-O 6.Be3

  3. Line 3 · 5% at top level

    1…e5 2.g3 Nc6 3.Bg2

  4. Line 4 · 5% at top level

    1…e5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.Nc3

  5. Line 5 · 5% at top level

    1…c5 2.Nf3

  6. Line 6 · 5% at top level

    1…Nf6 2.Nc3 e5 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.g3 Bb4 5.Bg2

  7. Line 7 · 4% at top level

    1…g6 2.Nc3 Bg7 3.d4

  8. Line 8 · 4% at top level

    1…Nf6 2.Nc3 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.e3 Be7 5.b3 O-O 6.Bb2 c5 7.cxd5 exd5 8.d4

  9. Line 9 · 4% at top level

    1…e5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 c6 4.d4 exd4 5.Qxd4 d5 6.Nf3

  10. Line 10 · 4% at top level

    1…e5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 Nc6 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.Nd5

  11. Line 11 · 4% at top level

    1…f5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.g3 g6 4.d4

  12. Line 12 · 3% at top level

    1…e5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 h6 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.e4 Nc6 6.a3

  13. Line 13 · 3% at top level

    1…e5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 h6 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.e4 d6 6.Nge2 Nc6 7.h3 Bc5 8.O-O

  14. Line 14 · 3% at top level

    1…e5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 h6 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.e4 d6 6.Nge2 O-O 7.O-O

Ordered by how often they come up in top-level games. Learned lines join your daily review.

Maxim Matlakov's main line in the English Opening, move by move

The most common line at top level: 1…e6 2.g3 d5 3.Bg2 Nf6 4.Nf3.

  1. 1…e6 Reply · Maxim Matlakov's games A common reply here is 1…e6. At top level, this comes up about 12% of the time.
  2. 2.g3 Your move · Maxim Matlakov's games Maxim Matlakov played 2.g3 in 4 games, scoring 50%.
  3. 2…d5 Reply · Maxim Matlakov's games A common reply here is 2…d5. At top level, this comes up about 9% of the time.
  4. 3.Bg2 Your move · Maxim Matlakov's games Maxim Matlakov played 3.Bg2 in 3 games, scoring 33%.
  5. 3…Nf6 Reply · Maxim Matlakov's games A common reply here is 3…Nf6. At top level, this comes up about 6% of the time.
  6. 4.Nf3 Your move · Top-50 players Maxim Matlakov has too few games here, so this is the other top players' most played move.

Questions about this course

How does Maxim Matlakov play the English Opening?
After 1.c4, Maxim Matlakov's most common line is 1…e6 2.g3 d5 3.Bg2 Nf6 4.Nf3. At top level it comes up about 6% of the time.
Is this Maxim Matlakov's course?
No. ChessDrills builds it automatically from Maxim Matlakov's public Chess.com blitz games.
What is this English Opening course based on?
42 of Maxim Matlakov's Chess.com blitz games in the English Opening as White, against opponents with an average rating of 2,699. Maxim Matlakov scored 76% in them.
How many lines does the course have?
14 lines covering 40 positions, ordered by how often they come up in top-level games. The first 5 lines need no account; saving your progress with an email unlocks the rest, free.
Who is Maxim Matlakov?
GM Maxim Matlakov was ranked number 47 on the Chess.com blitz leaderboard with a rating of 3,198 when this course was built.