Originally posted by superstringfanAs far as "point-by-the numbers" openings go, the Colle System (1 d4 2 Nf3 3 e3 4 Bd3) is an excellent opening. Even though Black can probably equalize if he knows what he is doing, if you play the Colle regularly you'll often reach a position that you'll understand better than your opponent will.
What are your thoughts on the Colle. Do you like it, are there any tips or tricks you have with this opening. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
The Colle is generally only effective if Black plays 1...d5 and then hems in his QB with 2...e6. If Black plays 1...d5 but develops his QB to f5 or g4, then White does well to transpose into a Queen's Gambit with c2-c4.
Edit: The early- 20th-century Belgian chess great Edgard Colle didn't actually invent the opening, but he played it often against strong opposition and won some brilliant games with it.
GM Susan Polgar often plays it and has produced a series of DVD's on the opening.
I find it much more playable since I've stopped worrying about attacking h7 with the Qc2+Bd3 battery which is what many authors on the Colle emphasis. Any Indian defense with g6+Bg7 leaves white with the classic "biting on granite" and driving away the great watchdog knight on f6 is harder than it looks.
If your QN goes to d2, it is in a good position to take the f3 knight's place in an exchange or move quickly to the King side in general. This also leaves open the c-pawn to advance and start space gaining action on the Q-side. White's c-bishop is sometimes hard to get delevoped, it gets trapped behind the pawn chain. I've tried bringing it out to f4/g5 before I block it in with the e-pawn, but I'm not sure what's best.
A couple of short games to give you some of the flavor:
Game 4245356
Game 4110955
Best,
Steve
Originally posted by MontyMoosegood games
I find it much more playable since I've stopped worrying about attacking h7 with the Qc2+Bd3 battery which is what many authors on the Colle emphasis. Any Indian defense with g6+Bg7 leaves white with the classic "biting on granite" and driving away the great watchdog knight on f6 is harder than it looks.
If your QN goes to d2, it is in a good position o give you some of the flavor:
Game 4245356
Game 4110955
Best,
Steve
Originally posted by MontyMoosethose are some good games, thanks for showing me them. Also, when black fianchettos his kindside bishop i usually try to switch to the Londan system if he does it early enough, and i know what you mean by biting on granite.
I find it much more playable since I've stopped worrying about attacking h7 with the Qc2+Bd3 battery which is what many authors on the Colle emphasis. Any Indian defense with g6+Bg7 leaves white with the classic "biting on granite" and driving away the great watchdog knight on f6 is harder than it looks.
If your QN goes to d2, it is in a good position ...[text shortened]... o give you some of the flavor:
Game 4245356
Game 4110955
Best,
Steve
Originally posted by gaychessplayerThe one thing to note here is that as black I have gotten in trouble after Nf6, d5, Bf5 when I've missed timely white threats of Qb3.
The Colle is generally only effective if Black plays 1...d5 and then hems in his QB with 2...e6. If Black plays 1...d5 but develops his QB to f5 or g4, then White does well to transpose into a Queen's Gambit with c2-c4.
No offense MontyMoose but your opponents made some gross strategical and tactical errors in those games and didn't really test your opening strategy.
I used to play Colle or London setups as a beginner and as far as giving you a basis to start playing without the headache of tons of opening theory - it's a good start. However at some point you should definetly ditch the systems and start playing other openings - e4/d4 and their associated defenses. My understanding of the game has certainly increased since I stopped playing a rigid (but temptingly safe) invarying set of opening moves.