English Opening According to Eljanov - 1.c4 e6 2.g3

When Pavel Eljanov began developing his English Opening repertoire, he noticed that 1.c4 e6 2.g3 represented a distinct challenge requiring its own dedicated treatment. While his previous courses had covered Black's symmetrical responses, King's Indian structures, and direct central challenges, the setup with ...e6 and …d5 demanded a separate approach. His solution centers on 3.Bg2 followed by Nf3, O-O, and (depending on how black continues) b3—a flexible formation that maintains White's opening advantage while adapting precisely to Black's chosen structure.