English Opening-The Botvinnik Center

The English Opening: Botvinnik Center-Introduction

The c4-d3-e4 is the Botvinnik pawn center and serves as a solid foundation. 

Photo Wikipedia Mikhail_Botvinnik

Botvinnik's games serve as a useful introduction to the basic methods available. 

8.d3

The f5 attack wedge

One important option for white is the kingside attack with a pawn wedge. In the example game, black defended passively and was quickly overrun on the kingside.

The kingside pawn wedge f5-g4-h3 is a typical weapon against passive play.

12.g4

Here is the feature game.

Botvinnik,Mikhail - Shcherbakov,V
English Opening[A24]
URS-ch22 Moscow (3), 14.02.1955

Position 1

The kingside pawn wedge gives white good attacking chances. How should white continue?

White to Play

19..ab