Colle System Complet

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The Dogs of War

Practical Play in The Colle System

Revised & Expanded 2nd Edition

Terese Hatch

David W. Hatch

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Pawn Promotions p.o. Box 354 Raritan, NJ 08869

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Find us on the World Wide Web at http://www.pawnpromotions.org Game files built using ChessBase 9™ Diagrams created using ChessBase 9™

Games analyzed with the aid of Fritz 8 Champion Edition Typesetting in Adobe InDesign ™

Cover Photo by Terese Hatch

Cover Design and Layout by David W. Hatch and Terese Hatch First Printing February 1995

Second Printing November 2005

The authors gratefully acknowledge the following players who contributed to the analysis of their own games:

Peter Cavaliere Gary Gifford John Mingos Robert Salgado Newton Berry Daniel Breen Tom Klem Valery Segal

This book is dedicated to all the faithful Colle System players who responded to our plea by sending us the games contained in this book.

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�

o?! Oops?? 133

A Bust to the Colle? 153

Edgar Colle and Friends 163

The Rank and File 175

Symbols 177

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Introduction

For this 2005 edition of The Dogs of War, as in the 1 995 edition, we invited players who play the Colle System, have ever played the Colle System or have played against the Colle System to contribute their games to the making of this book. Their contribution has given The Dogs of War its authentic flavor. The unique quality of this book is that the majority of the games contained here cannot be found anywhere else (i.e. books, periodicals, CD-ROM's, databases, the Internet). This book is a vehicle for us to display the mainline Koltanowski and Zukertort Variations of the Colle System, as well as other lines and sub-variations that can arise out of the Colle System (the Stonewall, London, Queen's Gambit, Trompowsky, Torre). Within these major lines and sub-lines can be found original, diverse and unusual ideas for attack and defense in the opening and both subtle and profound concepts for positional strategy and endgame play. This book is not intended to be a treatise on theory or a how-to-play-the-opening book, but rather a practical study of Colle System games played at all levels. The purpose of this book is to showcase the Colle System in practical play, to pique your curiosity about this opening system and to motivate, challenge and inspire you to give this resourceful system a try.

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Practical Plqy in _{The Colle �stem} 7

Opening Theory in Action

The Colle System answers virtually every chess player 's number one question: "What opening should I play?" Indeed, how does the average chess player decide upon an opening repertoire? This decision is made even more difficult due to the mind-boggling array of openings, variations and subvariations from which to choose and the intensive work that must go into studying and mastering enough of them to be competitive. If you survive the opening and make it to the middlegame you then must formulate a plan to creatively continue the game. Add to this the absolute duty to learn all the maneuvers and calculations required for the exact science known as the endgame. In the meantime your opponent compounds your dilemma with a myriad of defenses designed to confound and thwart your every move. Quite a conundrum. Our solution is to play the Colle System !

If there ever was an opening that epitomizes the concept of understanding principles rather than memorizing variations, the Colle System is it. Johannes Zukertort originated the system over a century ago. It was forged by Edgar Colle in the 1 920's and 1 930's and further developed by George Koltanowski. The great correspondence player, C.J. S. Purdy had this to say about the Colle System: "A player who specializes in the Colle System needs to spend only about a tenth of the time studying the openings (for White) that he would otherwise have to. The Colle is the safest of all opening systems for White, and yet it is designed for kingside attack and therefore seldom leads to dull games." Nevertheless, you may have heard that the Colle System has a reputation for being innocuous and dogmatic. Our premise, however, is that the opening moves, albeit unvarying for the most part, systematically construct a solid pawn formation and precisely place the pieces in the best possible position to launch a kingside attack. It is our opinion that this opening system is a powerful display of versatility and persistence in a game that requires patience, intellect, intuition and a comprehensive understanding of profound concepts. The Colle System has a sound opening strategy, the potential for exciting middlegame tactics, and the opportunity for an endgame advantage. It is a simple and straightforward opening system to learn. It has the flexibility to challenge anything your opponent may use to defend against it, and it offers clear themes of play. The basic soundness of its themes and strategies cannot be questioned. After familiarizing yourself with the

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Colle System, you will soon discover that even against the most capable of opponents, the Colle System will not fail to excite and challenge players on both sides of the chessboard.

The worth of any opening system can only be judged in terms of its practical consequences. Results are the best test of the validity of any opening system. It is no surprise that the contributors to this book range in rating from Class E to Master. By experiencing the games at such varying degrees of skill, the versatility of the opening can truly be appreciated. We know that chess is a very complex game and that chessplayers make mistakes. In the words of Tartakower, "The winner of the game is the person who makes the next-to-Iast mistake." While we concede that some of these games are flawed, they are, nonetheless, examples of good fighting chess. The games have value because they show opening theory in action. Original moves and home-grown ideas have been hatched here and this is possibly the first time they have appeared in book form. We collected these games from club, correspondence and tournament players and that is what makes this book unique.

Chess games are not necessarily won or lost in the opening alone, and when all is said and done, it is good moves that win chess games. The games selected here are examples of practical play in the Colle System. They contain all the elements of fundamental chess : attack, defense, equalization, counterattack, positional maneuvering, thematic sacrifices, solid pawn formations, tactical combinations and strategic plans. The classic setup of the opening moves of the Colle System comprises a geometric pattern of the pieces in the best possible combinative, tactical, strategic and positional sense.

Thematic concepts for White:

• The e3 -e4-e5 pawn break to open up lines

• Enforcing the pawn break with Bd3 , Nf3 and Nbd2 • The thematic kingside assault highlighted by the bishop

sacrifice on h7

• b3 and Bb2 (Zukertort Variation)

• The rook lift from d l -d3-h3 ; or Rfl -f3-g3 or h3 ; or Rfl -e l • The knight outpost on e5 or g5

• Queenside pawn majority in the endgame

• Exploiting the f7 square after the f8 rook moves away • Queen to h5

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Practical Plqy in _{The Colle System} Thematic concepts for Black:

• Queenside castling

• Queenside fianchetto to attack the center before White

has a chance to consolidate

• Saddle White with an isolated queen pawn • An early . . . e5

• . . . cS and . . . c4 to stake a claim in the center • . . . BfS to challenge the White Bd3

• . . . Bg4 to harass and pin White's important knight on f3 • A King's Indian Defense formation foregoing . . . dS

in favor of . . . g6 and . . . d6

9

Most chess books rely heavily on Grandmaster games for instruction, and most Grandmaster games are beyond reproach in their originality, execution and instructional value. Important lessons can be learned by studying them. Therefore, we have included many Grandmaster games for your enjoyment and edification. Here is a foretaste from four-time Women's World Champion Zsuzsa Polgar, a very strong proponent of the Colle System. Her game against Leonid Yudasin is an outstanding example of play at the Grandmaster level.

Polgar, Zsuzsa - Yudasin, Leonid Munich, 1991

1 . d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3 e3 cS 4.Bd3 Nc6 S.O-O dS 6.b3 Bd6 7.Bb2

0-0 _{S.a3 Qc7 9.c4 cxd4 1 0.exd4 eS 1l .dxeS NxeS 12.NxeS BxeS}

13.BxeS QxeS 14.Nd2 Bg4 l S.Re1 Qd6 1 6.Qc2 RacS 1 7.h3 BhS lS.BfS Rc7 1 9.Qd3 RdS 20.Qd4 b6 2 1 .ReS Re7 22.f4 Qc7 23.Rae1 RxeS 24.fxeS dxc4 2S.exf6 gxf6 26.Qxf6 c3 27.Ne4 c2 2S.Qh6 Bg6

28 .. . QcS+ doesn't do any good 29.NxcS Bg6 30.Bxg6 hxg6 3 1 .Ne4 f6 32.Nxf6+ Kf7 3 3 . Qh7+ Kxf6 34.Qe7+ KfS 3 S . QeS#.

29.Nf6+ KhS 30.NeS 1-0

30 . . . QcS+ 3 1 .Kh I Qg I + 32.Kxg l c l Q 3 3 . Qg7#.

Our personal favorite is this Carsten Hoi upset win against U. S. Champion Boris Gulko. That this game is included in so many books on the Colle System is no surprise.

Hoi, Carsten - Gulko, Boris Thessaloniki, 19S5

1.d4 e6 2.Nf3 cS 3.e3 Nf6 4.Bd3 b6 S.O-O Bb7 6.Nbd2 cxd4 7.exd4 Be7 S.Re1 0-0 9.c3 d6 1 0.Qe2 ReS 1 l .Nfl Nbd7 1 2.Ng3 Bf8 13.BgS h6 14.Bd2 Qc7 lS.Bc2 BdS 1 6.b3 Qb7 1 7.Nh4 bS 1 S.Qd3

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gS 19.Nf3 Bxf3 20.gxf3 Bg7 2 1 .h4 gxh4 22.Ne4 Qc6 23.Kh1 NhS 24.Rg1 KhS 2S.Rxg7 Kxg7 26.Bxh6+ Kxh6 27.Rg1 fS 2S.Qe3+ f4 29.Nxd6 Qxd6 30.Qd3 NfS 3 1 .Qh7+ 1-0

This selection of games from Edgar Colle epitomizes the essential qualities of the Colle System.

Colle - Schubert Scarborough, 192 5

l .d4 d S 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.e3 e 6 4.Bd3 c S S.c3 Nbd7 6.Nbd2 cxd4 7.exd4 Bd6 S.O-O 0-0 9.Re1 Qc7 10.Qe2 ReS 1l .NeS NfS 12.Ndf3 N6d7 13.NgS f6 14.QhS g6 l S.Nxg6 fxgS 1 6.NxfS Nf6 1 7.QxgS+ Qg7 lS.Nxh7 1-O

Colle - Aguilera Barcelona, 1925

l .d4 dS 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.e3 e6 4.Bd3 a6 S.Nbd2 Bd6 6.0-0 Nbd7 7.e4 dxe4 S.Nxe4 0-0 9.BgS Be7 1 0.Qe2 NdS 1 l .c4 Nb4 12.Bb 1 BxgS 13.NfxgS h6 14.f4 hxgS l S.fxgS fS 1 6.QhS fxe4 1 7.Bxe4 Nf6 l S.gxf6 Qxd4+ 19.Kh1 Qxe4 20.ti+ Rxti 2 1 .Qxti+ KhS 22.Rf4 1-0

Colle, Edgar - Q'Hanlon, John Nice, 1930

l .d4 dS 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.e3 cS 4.c3 e6 S.Bd3 Bd6 6.Nbd2 Nbd7 7.0

0-o _{S.Re1 ReS 9.e4 dxe4 1 0.Nxe4 Nxe4 1l .Bxe4 cxd4 1 2.Bxh7+ Kxh7}

13.NgS+ Kg6 14.h4 RhS l S.Rxe6+ Nf6 16.hS+ Kh6 1 7.Rxd6 QaS lS.Nxti+ Kh7 19.NgS+ KgS 20.Qb3+ 1-0

Our purpose in writing this book is to share our excitement over the games we received and to invite you to play them over. For it is only when a game of chess is played and replayed and studied and restudied, that its full value can truly be realized. In the words of Mikhail Botvinnik, "Chess is first of all a game, but if anyone succeeds in producing a game which keeps on living and is played over and over again for many years, chess becomes an art." _{In chess, the possibilities} are infinite.

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Practical PI'!Y in _{The Colle System} 1 1

Cry, Havocl

"Cry, ' Havoc ! ' and let slip the dogs of war." - SHAKESPEARE, Julius Caesar, 11/, 1

Through the games in this first chapter, it is our intention to champion the Colle System by telling its story in a way that is more persuasive than its critics ' attack on it.

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Klem, Tom (1714) - Metz, Francisco (NM)

ACA Millenium Tourney, 2001 Annotations by Tom Klem

l .d4 dS 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.e3 g6

A common defense against the Colle. Many "anti-Colle" theorists advocate this setup as it blunts the influence of the Bd3 maneuver so familiar in the Colle System.

4.Bd3

White continues to develop and stick to the plan.

4 ... cS

Black threatens to drive the light squared bishop off its intended target on e4.

S.c3

Makes room for the bishop to remain on the b l -h7 diagonal.

S ••• c4

Releasing the tension in the center, perhaps prematurely.

6.Bc2 BfS

Here is an opportunity for White to stray from the plan.

7.Nbd2

White does not take the bait, but continues his development.

7 . . • Qc8 8.0-0 hS 9.Rel Ne4 1 0.Nh4 e6

Black has gone to great lengths to put his pieces and pawns on light colored squares. This does limit the scope of White's king bishop, but at the cost of falling behind in development.

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Practical Plqy in _{The Colle System} Il.Nxf5 gxf5 12.£3 Nxd2 13 .Bxd2 deserves consideration.

1l ... Nxd2 12.Bxd2 Bxc2 13.Qxc2 g5

The knight is lost.

14.Ng6!?

1 3

White intuitively turns the lost piece into a sacrifice, exploiting Black's undeveloped queenside and hoping to break open the position.

14 ... fxg6 15.Qxg6+

Suddenly, White's queen jumps into the fray, making the most of the sacrifice.

15 ... Kd7 16.e4

Finally making the e4 push and breaking open the game with force.

16 ... Bd6?

Black is still developing his pieces when he should be worrying about the safety of his king.

Better is 16 ... dxe4 17.Rxe4 Qe8 18.Qxg5 Kc8 but Black cannot be happy with this position either.

17.exd5 exd5 18.Re6 Qf8 19.Rxd6+! 1-0

If 19 .. . Qxd6 then 20.Qg7+ Kc6 21.Qxh8.

Gertler, David (2375) - Roll, Craig (22 1 5)

NJ FIDE Masters Invitational, 1 988

l.Nf3 Nf6 2.d4 g6 3.Nbd2 d5 4.e3 Nbd7 5.Bd3 Bg7 6.0-0 0-0 7.Rel c5 8.c3 b6 9.e4 dxe4 1 0.Nxe4 Bb7 1l .Bg5 cxd4 12.Nxd4

In the Colle System, White strives to control the center by first occupying it with pawns and then occupying and controlling it with pieces. In this

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game Black counterattacks the center from a distance with fianchettoed bishops. A good example of classical vs. hypermodern theory.

12 ... h6 13.Bh4 Nxe4 14.Bxe4 Bxe4 1 5.Rxe4 Bf6? 1 6.Nc6 Qc7 1 7.Nxe7+ Bxe7 1 8.Rxe7 Rad8 19.Qd2

1 9 ..• g5? !

1 9 .. . Rfe8 20.Qxh6 Rxe7 2 1 .Bxe7 and although Black is down two pawns, his king is still relatively well shielded by his kings ide pawns.

20.Bxg5 ! Qc5

20 .. . hxg5 2 1 .Qxg5+ Kh8 22.Re3 and White will soon mate.

2 1 .Bh4 Qh5 22.Qf4 Ne5

Right piece, wrong square. 22 .. . Nc5 threatens 23 . . . Rd l + 24.Re l Rxe l + 25.Rxe l Nd3 26.Qg3+ Qg6 and Black is still in the game.

23.Rxe5 Rdl+ 24.Rel 1-0

McKeen, Tim (1850) - Burgwin, Doug (1751)

World Open Hex, 2004

l.d4 Nf6 2.NO e6 3.Nbd2 d5 4.e3 c6 5.Bd3 Bd6 6.0--0 Nbd7 7.e4

White is able to get in this pawn advance sooner than usual because Black has not contested the center with ... c5 .

7 ... dxe4 8.Nxe4 Nxe4 9.Bxe4 Nf6 10.Bd3 0--0 _{1l.Bg5 Qc7 12.Bxf6 gxf6}

13.Qe2 Kh8 14.Rfel Rg8 15.g3

1 5 .g3 is risky but does serve a practical purpose in that it blunts the potential attack on the b8-h2 diagonal and the g-file. White could also have accomplished this by playing 1 5 .Qe4 f5 16.Qh4 without creating weak squares in front of his king.

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Practical PIt[Y in _{The Colle �stem} 1 5

15 ... c5 16.dxc5 Bxc5 17.Qe4 Rg7 18.Re2 Bd7 19.Qc4

White's last few moves are too passive and yield the advantage over to Black. 19.Qh4 should be played in order to defend the weak squares on the kingside and to quash the ensuing combination.

19 ... Rxg3+ 20.hxg3 Qxg3+ 21.Kf1 Qxf3

22.Qe4?

With this move White defends against mate on hI while threatening mate himself on h7. However, 22.Qh4 f5 23.Qf6+ Kg8 24.Qg5+ Kf8 25.Qh6+ Ke8 26.Qxh7 or 22.Be4 Qh5 23.Rd2 allows White to parry the mate threat and gives White equal chances for counterplay.

22 .•. Qh3+ 23.Qg2 Qxg2+

The exchange of queens diminishes Black's attacking chances. With 23 . . . Qh5 ! ? 24.Qxb7 Rg8 25.Ke l Black maintains his kingside attack and wins back the exchange.

24.Kxg2 Rg8+ 25.Kf1 f5 26.Rdl Bc6

The Black bishops are ideally positioned to support the advance of the passed h-pawn, but Black pushes the f-pawn instead.

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Black waited too long to play this move.

31 .ReS Bd6 32.RxhS+ Kg7 33.RgS+

After a series of Black inaccuracies, White is able to go on the attack.

33 ••. KfB 34.Rxg8+ Kxg8 3S.Bh7+ !

The exchange of bishops clarifies White 's material advantage and seals the win.

3S •.. Kxh7 36.Rxd6 Kg6 37.Rd7 a6 38.Rxb7 Bft 39.Kd2 fS 40.Ke3

Be2 4 1 .Rb6 Kf6 42.Kf4 as 43.b3 a4 44.bxa4 Bc4 4S.Kxf3 Bxa2 46.Ke3 KeS 47.f4+ KdS 48.Rb4 KcS 49.c3 BdS SO.aS Kd6 S1 .Kd4 1-0

Stoyko, Steve (2270) - Colure, Sean (233S)

NJ FM Quest, 1986

One of the strengths of the Colle System is the way in which it lends itself to a wide range of transpositional opportunities that can spring from its foundational moves. One such variation is the Stonewall Attack, distinguished by its dark squared pawn complex. This very fine game combines everything thematic in the Colle and the Stonewall.

l.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.e3 dS 4.Nbd2 Be7 S.Bd3 b6 6.0-0 Bb7 7.NeS 0-0 S.f4 Nbd7 9.Qf3 cS 10.c3 Qc7 1l.g4 RadS 12.gS

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Practical Plqy in _{The CoJle �stem} 17

The straightforward nature of White's Stonewall Attack is brilliant in its simplicity. All the attacking vectors for White point to the Black king.

12 ... NxeS 13.fxeS Ne4 14.Nxe4 dxe4 1S.Bxe4 Bxe4 16.Qxe4 BxgS

Black could not allow White's aggression to stand. The mass exchange of minor pieces leaves the position dynamically equal.

17.M Qd7 18.Bd2 c4

Black makes a fateful decision to push his queenside pawns thereby relieving all of the pressure on d4. 1 8 ... f5 !? 19.Qg2 Bh6 would maintain the tension in the center while placing the Black pieces in a better defensive formation.

19.Rafl bS

1 9 .. . f5 20.exf6 Rxf6 2 1 .Rxf6 Bxf6 22.Be 1 and the position is equal.

20.Khl as

Foregoing another opportunity to defend with 20 .. . f5 ! ? 2 1 .exf6 Rxf6.

21 .Qg4 Qb7+?

The check is ineffective. White 's obvious defense is a move he probably wanted to play anyway - and now he can play it with tempo !

22.Rg2 h6? 23.e4

This pawn advance unleashes the bishop and unpins the rook.

23 ... f6

White executes a beautiful combination that simplifies the position into a winning rook and pawn ending.

24.exf6 Rxf6 2S.Rxf6 Bxf6 26.Qxe6+ Qt7 27.QfS KfB 28.Rfl Qd7 29.Bxh6! QxfS 30.RxfS Re8 3 1 .Rxf6+ Ke7 32.Bxg7 b4 33.RfB RxfB 34.BxfB+ KxfB 3S.a3 ! 1-0

Dashing any hope Black might have had to sneak . . . a4 and . . . a3 by White, thereby queening first.

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Leighton, George (2024) - Kaushansky, L. (2439)

Chicago Open, 1982

l.d4 dS 2.e3 Nf6 3.Bd3 eS 4.e3 Ne6 S.f4 Bg4 6.Nf3 e4 7.Be2 Ne4 8.0-0 fS 9.Qel e6 1 0.NeS NxeS 1 l .fxeS Be7 1 2.Ba4+ Kf8 13.Nd2 Bh4 14.g3 BgS IS.Kg2 Kg8 1 6.Nxe4 fxe4 1 7.Bdl BfS 1 8.h4 Be7 19.hS h6 20.g4 Bh4 2 1 .Qe2 QgS 22.Kh l Bh7 23.b3 exb3 24.axb3

The pawns have so congested the center of the board that White 's bishops have little scope, and Black's bishops can do no better than to huddle along the side of the board.

24 ... g6 2S.Ba3

25.Qb5 ! ? would apply immediate pressure after 25 . . . Qe7 26.Ba3 .

2S .•. Kg7 26.Rf6 Rae8?

Right square, wrong rook.

27.QbS Rhf8 28.Bxf8+ Rxf8 29.Qd7+ 1-0

It's mate after 29 . . . Kg8 30.Qxe6+ Kg7 31.Qe7+ Kh8 32.Rxf8+ Bg8 3 3 .Qe6 gxh5 34.Rxa7 Qg7 3 5 .Rxg8+ Qxg8 36.Qxh6+ Qh7 37.Ra8+ Bd8 3 8 .Rxd8#; however White missed a quicker mate with 29.Qxb7+ Rf7 30.Qxf7+ Kh8 31.Rxa7 Qxe3 32.Qxh7#.

Popel, Stephan (2 1 S2) - Dandridge, Marvin (2304)

Mid-West Masters, 1982

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Practical Plqy in _{The Colle System} 1 9

S.Re1 � 9.BgS d6 1 0.Nbd2 Nbd7 1l .Qa4 a6 12.Rad1 ReS 13.h3 h6 14.Bh4 bS l S.Qe2 Nb6 1 6.Bg3 NbdS 1 7.Qb 1 NhS l S.Bh2 Nhf4 19.Bfl Qd7 20.Rc1 fS 2 1 .a4 Rf6 22.axbS axbS 23.g3 Rg6 24.Kh1 NhS 2S.Qd3 Be6 26.Bg2 BgS 27.Ra1 Qb7 2S.NxgS hxgS 29.BO Rh6 30.Kg1 Nhf6 3 1 .Rxe6 g4 32.Bg2 gxh3 33.BO Qd7 34.Rae1 g6 3S.R6e2 gS 36.Re6 Qg7 37.QxfS RfS 3S.Rxd6 Ne4 39.Qxe4 Rxd6 40.Qd3 g4 4 1 .Bh1 Qf7 42.f4 gxO 43.Kf2 Nf6 0-1

Lamansky, Steve (1 6S3) - Sened, Sarkie (1 949)

Iowa Open, 1 999

l.d4 dS 2.NO Nf6 3.e3 e6 4.Bd3 eS S.e3 e4 6.Be2 bS 7.� as S.Nbd2 Bb7

Black's aggressive pawn advances distract him from the completion of his development.

9.NeS Nbd7 1 0.f4 Bd6 11 .QO g6 1 2.a4 b4?

13.Nexe4 !

Black does not give the Colle System the respect it deserves as he needlessly loses this pawn.

13 •.• Be7 14.NeS 0-0 lS.e4 bxe3 16.bxe3 Bb6 1 7.Ba3 ReS 1 S.Kh1 ReS

19.Nxd7 Qxd7 20.eS NhS 2 1 .Rfc1 Ng7 22.Nb3 Qxa4? 23.NeS Qe6 24.Ba4 Qe7 2S.BxeS RxeS 26.Rab 1 Be6 27.Rb2 RaS 2S.Reb 1 BxeS 29.BxeS a4 30.Ba3 hS 3 1 .Rb4 ReS 32.Qd3 BeS 33.Rc1 RbS 34.RxbS QxbS 3S.Rb 1 QdS 36.g3 h4 37.Bd6 hxg3 3S.hxg3 QaS 39.Bb4 QaS 40.Kg2 a3 41.Ra1 a2 42.Qd2 Qb7 43.Rxa2 BbS 44.Qb2 NfS 4S.Qa1 Qe6 46.RaS+ Kh7 47.Qh1+ Nh6

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48.Bf'S

48.Rh8+ Kxh8 49.Qxh6+ Kg8 50.BfS Bfl + 51.Kf2 Qxc3 52.Qg7#.

48 ... Bf1+ 49.Kf2 1-0

49 . . . Bh3 50.Qxh3 Kg8 51.Qxh6 Qxa8 52.Qg7#.

Taylor, Anton (1 560) - Cooper, Justin (1 848)

Let It Snow Not ! , 02.2005

1 .NO d5 2.d4 Nf6 3.e3 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Bd3 Bg4 6.Nbd2 e5 7.dxe5 Nxe5 8.Be2 Ng6 9.0-0 Bd6 1 0.c4 0-0 1l .cxd5 Nxd5 12.Ne4 Be7 13.h3 Be6 14.b3? Qb6

Black misses 14 .. . f5 ! ? 15 .Ng3 Bf6 winning the exchange.

1 5.Bb2 Rfd8 1 6.Qc2 Rac8 1 7.Rfdl h6 1 8.Rd2 Qc6 19.Rc1 Bf'S

Black misses his chance to play 19 . . . Nb4 20.Qb l Nxa2 21.Rcd l wlnnmg a pawn.

20.Ba3

Focusing another piece on the already hotly contested pawn on c5.

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Practical Plt[Y in _{The Colle �stem} 2 1

21 .•. b6

2 1 . . .c4 would give Black the counterplay he needs after 22.Bxf8 cxd3 23 .Qxc6 Rxc6 24.Rxc6 Bxe4 25 .Rxg6 fxg6 and the advanced pawn on d3 will require White 's constant attention.

22.Nf6+

22 ••• Qxf6?

Black does not sense the danger in this position, wrongly playing 22 .. . Qxf6, not realizing the knight on d 5 will b e subject to a blistering attack. Necessary is 22 .. . Nxf6 ! ? 23 .Bxf5 Rxd2 24.Qxd2 Re8.

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23.BxfS Re7 24.Bb2 Qe6? 2S.Bxg6 fxg6 26.NeS QaS? 27.Qxg6

27.Rcd l would bring the knight on d5 under immediate attack. 27 ... Nxe3 2S.fxe3 Rxd2 29.Rxd2 QeS 30.Qxg6 Re7 31.QxeS RxeS.

27 ... Rd6? 2S.Qe4 ReS 29.Redl RedS 30.Ne4 R6d7 3 1 .Qe6+ Kh7 32.e4 Re7

32 ... Nf6 is the only chance for Black to get any counterplay, but after 33.Rx

�

7 Nxd7 34.Rxd7 Rxd7 3 5.Qf5+ KgS 36.Qxd7 Qxe4 White is up a pIece.

33.QfS+ g6 34.QO bS 3S.Ne3 Qb7 36.NxdS Rti 37.Nf6+ KhS 3S.RxdS 1-0

3 S .. . Qe7 39.R l d7 c4 40.Rxe7 h5 4 1 .Ng4+ Kh7 42.Qxf7+ Bg7 43.Qxg7#.

Maltese, Adam (22 1 S) - Sugar, Zoltan G. (1764)

US Amateur Team East, 2005

l .d4 dS 2.NO Nf6 3.e3 e6 4.Bd3 eS S.b3 Ne6 6.Bb2 Ne4 7.Nbd2 fS

Black plays a delayed Dutch Defense against White's Zukertort Variation.

S.O-O Nf6 9.e4 Be7 1 0.Ret exd4 1l .exd4 0-0 12.Rel Ne4

Black has expended several valuable moves getting this knight from f6 to e4.

13.Re2 gS

Black gains space and threatens ... g4.

14.NeS NxeS I S.dxeS g4

This pawn advance is double-edged. On the one hand it controls the f3 square, making it harder for White to dislodge the nicely posted knight on e4. But it also places one more Black pawn on a light square, limiting the scope of the bishop on cS.

1 6.Bb l b6 17.Nfl Ba6

Putting the bishop on an active diagonal.

I S.Ne3 NgS?

Black goes astray. l S ... dxc4 ! ? is a viable option after 19.Bxe4 Qxd l + 20.Rxd l RadS.

19.exdS

Offering to sacrifice the exchange and Black takes the bait.

19 ... Bxe2 20.Qxe2 BeS 2 1 .Rd l QeS 22.dxe6 Qxe6?

A careless recapture that will cause Black to lose a tempo to avoid the queen being skewered to the king.

23.Bd3 Qg6 24.Be4+

White can win a pawn with 24.Nxg4 Ne6 and after 25.Nf6+ KhS the White knight is powerfully posted.

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Practical Plqy in _{The Colle System}

24 .•. Kg7

The Black king is exposed and starts to get kicked around.

25.Rd7+ Kh6 26.e6

26 ••. Nxe6

23

The pawn should not be captured. Correct play for Black would be to get the rook into the game with 26 .. . Rae8 27.Bg7+ Qxg7 28.Rxg7 Kxg7 29.Qb2+ Kg6.

27.Bxe6 Qxe6 28.Nxg4+! 1-0

It's mate after 28 .Nxg4+ Kg5 29.Qxe6 Bxf2+ 30.Nxf2 Rac8 31.Nh3+ Kh5 32.Rxh7+ Kg4 3 3 . Qg6#.

Filatov, Leonid (2301) - Mayer, Steve (2226)

World Open, 2000

l.d4 d5 2.NfJ Nf6 3.e3 e6 4.Bd3 c5 5.b3 Be7 6.Bb2 Nbd7 7.Nbd2N b6 8.0-0 Bb7 9.Qe2 0-0 1 0.Ne5 Qc7 1l .a3 a6 1 2.f4 b5 13.Nxd7 Nxd7 14.dxc5 Nxc5? 1 5.Bxh7+! Kxh7 1 6.Qh5+ Kg8 1 7.Bxg7! Kxg7 18.Qg4+ 1-0

Benderac, Ana (231 0) - Ovod, Evgenij a (2307)

ECC Women, 2003

l.d4 Nf6 2.NfJ d5 3.e3 e6 4.Bd3 Bd6 5.0-0 b6 6.Ne5 Bxe5 7.dxe5 Nfd7 8.Qg4 g6 9.Qg3 Ba6 1 0.e4 Bxd3 1 l .cxd3 dxe4 1 2.Bg5 Qc8 13.d4

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White takes advantage of Black's lag in development with this positional pawn sacrifice. In exchange for the pawn, she has a lock in the center and control of the dark squares.

13 •.• Nc6 14.Qc3 Ne7 1 5.Bxe7

Dashes any hopes for the knight to reach the d5 outpost as well as preventing the king from castling.

15 • . • Kxe7 16.Nd2 Qb7 1 7.Qe3 f5 1 8.exf6+ Nxf6 19.f3 exf3 20.Qa3+

Kd7 2 1 .Nxf3 Raf8

The attempt to win another pawn with 2 1 .. . Qd5 backfires after 22.Ne5+ Kc8 23 .Nf7 Qxd4+ 24.Khl and Black cannot avoid the loss of material.

22.Ne5+ Ke8 23.Rac1 Nd5 24.Rfel Ne7? 25.Nc6 Nxc6 26.Rxe6+ Kd8 27.Rexc6 Rfi 28.d5 Re8 29.h3 Ree7 30.Qc3 b5 3 1 .d6!

31 .•• cxd6

Black cannot defend against all of White's threats. If 3 1 . . .Re8 (not 31 . . . Rd7 32. Qh8+ and mate follows. ) 32.dxc7+ Kc8 3 3 .Re6 Rxe6 34.Qh8+.

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Practical Plqy in _{The CoJie System}

Stuart, Phil (1881) - Dunne, Alex (2200)

Correspondence, 1989

25

l.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.e3 e5 4.b3 exd4 5.exd4 Ne6 6.Bd3 Bg4 7.Bb2 e6 8.0-0 Bd6 9.Nbd2 0-0 1 0.a3 Re8

Black has completed his development expeditiously. The queen bishop on g4 serves to inhibit the knight from going to e5, a move White wants to play in the Colle-Zukertort.

U.Be2 Qb6 12.Rc1 Ne4 13.Nxe4

This exchange of pieces gives White some breathing room from his cramped position.

13 ... dxe4 14.Nd2 Bxe2 1 5.Qxe2 f5 1 6.Ne4 Qd8 1 7.Nxd6 Qxd6 18.Rfdl Ne7 1 9.e4

A further exchange of minor pieces has clarified the mission of White 's queenside pawns and with the backing of the rooks, the pawns on c4 and d4 are ready to advance.

19 •.. Rf6 20.Qe3 Rh6 2 1 .g3 b6 22.Rd2 Ng6 23.d5 e5 24.b4 Rh3 25.e5

bxe5 26.bxe5 Qf6

Both sides have staked out their territory. White 's pawns race to promote before Black can weave a mating net.

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3 1 .Qti! N13+

Of course the queen cannot be captured because of 3 1 .. . Rxf7 32.d8Q+ Qxd8 3 3 .Rxd8+ RfS 34.RxfS#.

32.Kfl Nxh2+ 33.Kg2 1-0

After 33 . . . Rg8 34.c6 the pawns cannot be stopped from promoting.

Saenz, P. (2071) - Anderson, S. (1978)

U. S. Amateur Playoff, 1 994

l .d4 Nf6 2.N13 cS 3.e3 e6 4.c3 b6 S.Bd3 Bb7 6.Nbd2 d6 7.0-0 Be7 8.b4

This early pawn move initiates an innovative plan that simultaneously opens up the queenside and breaks open the center.

8 .•• cxd4 9.cxd4 0-0 1 0.a4 a6 1l .Bb2 Nbd7 12.e4 Re8 13.Rel NfS

14.bS axbS IS.BxbS N8d7 1 6.eS NdS 1 7.Ne4 dxeS 1 8.NxeS NxeS 19.Bxe8 ? ! Nc4 20.BbS Nxb2 2 1 .Qb3 Nxa4 ? !

2 1 . . .Nf6 22.Nxf6+ Bxf6 23 .Qxb2 Bxd4 and the Black bishops control the board.

22.Rxa4 Rxa4 23.Bxa4 Nf4 24.Q13 NdS 2S.Qg3 hS 26.QeS h4 27.h3 Nf6 28.Bc2 g6 29.Bd3 Nxe4 30.Bxe4 Bf6 3 1 .Qf4 Qxd4?

Black captures the wrong piece, leaving his back rank undefended and his queen bishop hanging. Better is 3 1 .. . Bxe4 32.Rxe4 Qd5 .

32.Qb8+ Kg7 33.Qxb7 Qd2 34.Rfl Qf4 3S.B13 BeS 36.Rd l Bd4 37.Qe4 Qxe4 38.Bxe4 fS 39.Rxd4 1-0

(26)

Stoyko, Steve (23 1 5) -Lunna, Todd (23 11)

NJFM Quest, 1 986

27

l.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.e3 b6 4.Nbd2 Bb7 S.Bd3 eS 6.0-0 Be7 7.e3 dS 8.NeS 0-0 9.Qe2 Nbd7 1 0.f4

White reacts to Black's Queen's Indian Defense with the Stonewall Attack.

10 .•. Ne4 11 .Rf3 fS 1 2.Rh3 NxeS 13.dxeS Nxd2 14.Bxd2 e4 I S.Be2

Qe8 1 6.Bel bS 1 7.g4

17 .•. g6

Black can attempt to open the a8-h i diagonal with I 7 .. . d4 but after I 8 .cxd4 (not 1 8. exd4? Qc6 1 9.Rg3 Qhl + 20.Kj2 Bh4) l 8 .. . Qc6 I 9.e4 fxe4 20.Qe3 the center is plugged.

18.Bh4 Bxh4 1 9.Rxh4 Qe7

I9 .. . d4 doesn't work because of 20.exd4 Qd8 2 1 .gS .

20.Rh3 as 2 1 .Kf2 Kh8 22.Rgl Rfi? ! 23.gxfS gxfS 24.QhS Rg8 2S.Rxg8+ Kxg8 26.Qh6 Rg7 27.Rg3 Be8

The Black bishop, which has been asleep behind his pawn chain for most of the game, begins to stir.

28.RgS RxgS 29.fxgS Qg7 30.Qf6 Qxf6? !

Black does White a favor by trading queens and allowing a passed pawn.

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34 ... exfS 3S.KxfS Bti

3 5 .. . Bd7+ does not thwart the advance of the pawns after 36.e6 Bc8 3 7.Ke5.

36.e6 BhS 37.KeS BfJ?

The bishop is needed on the e8-h5 diagonal to help defend against the advance of the pawns. 3 7 .. . Kf8 is better, but after White captures on d5 his advantage is still considerable.

3S.ti+ Kg7

3 8 .. . Kf8? is, of course, out of the question because of 39.Kf6 h5 40.e7#.

39.Kd6 Kf8 40.e7+ Kxti 41 .Kd7 Bg4+ 42.KdS 1-0

Root, Douglas (2460) - Rubin, Sidney (2200)

U.S. Open, 1 99 1

l .d4 dS 2.NfJ Nf6 3.e3 e6 4.Bd3 Be7 S.Nbd2 Nbd7 6.0-0 b6 7.NeS Bb7 S.f4 eS 9.e3 g6 1 0.QfJ Qe7 11 .g4 Rf8 1 2.gS NhS 13.BbS BeS?

Black has waited too long to castle. Black should castle long and take his chances after 1 4 .Bxd7+ Rxd7.

14.e4

A different avenue of attack from what we are used to seeing in the Colle System. Instead of a raging kingside attack, White begins his attack from the queenside and quickly breaks open the center.

14 •.• Bd6 IS.exdS BxeS 1 6.dxe6 Bb7 1 7.exd7+ KdS I S.dS Bd6

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Practical Plqy in _{The Colle �stem} 29 has two powerful passed pawns.

19.Nc4 Ng7 20.Bd2 f6 2 1 .Bc3 Nb5 22.Qe4 Be7 23.Radl a6 24.Bc6

Black has no useful moves in this position and there is nothing he can do to save his king from suffocation.

24 . • . a5 25.d6 Qxd7 26.dxe7+ 1-0

26 . . . Kc8 27.exf8Q+ Qe8 28.Qexe8+ Kc7 29.Qff7#.

Vasilj evic, D. (2308) - Dimitrijevic, Mir (2081)

Zimski Winter Open, 2005

l.d4 dS 2.NfJ Nf6 3.e3 e6 4.Bd3 Be7 S.b3 0-0 6.Bb2 Nbd7

7.0-0 c6 8.Nbd2 b6 9.NeS Bb7 1 0.f4 cS 11.QfJ g6 1 2.Rfl Qc7 13.c3 Ne8 14.Qb3 fS I S.g4 Nef6 1 6.gxfS exfS 1 7.NdfJ Ne4 1 8.Rg2 NxeS 19.NxeS Rf6 20.c4 BfB 2 1 .Bxe4 dxe4 22.dxcS Bg7 23.Rdl Rd8 24.Rgd2

The White rooks control the d-file and in conjunction with the knight on e5, eye the key d7 square.

24 ..• Rxd2 2S.Rxd2 bxcS?

The bishop is useless on the closed a8-h i diagonal and must help to control the d7 square with 25 . . . Bc8 26.cxb6 Rxb6.

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26.Rd7 Qc8 27.Qh4 Bc6 28.Rxg7+! Kxg7 29.Ng4! 1-0

After 29 . . . Qf8 30.Bxf6+ Kf7 31.Qxh7+ Ke6 32.Bg7 the exposed Black king is no match for White 's material advantage.

Vasiljevic, D. (2321) - Savic, M. (2 1 70)

17th Belgrade Trophy, 2004

l .d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 dS 3.e3 cS 4.c3 e6 S.Nbd2 Nc6 6.NeS NxeS 7.dxeS Nd7 8.f4 b6 9.Bd3 Bb7 1 0.0-0 Qc7 1 l .QhS g6 1 2.Qe2 Bg7 13.c4 0-0-0 14.e4 Rhe8 1 S.cxdS exdS l 6.exdS BxdS 1 7.Be4 Bxe4 1 8.Nxe4 Kb8 19.Qa6 f6 20.Nc3 Qb7 2 1 .Qxb7+

With queens still on the board White can hope to drum up counterplay with 21.Qa4 fxe5 22.fxe5 Bxe5 23 .Bf4. Now the advantage turns to Black's favor.

2 1 . .• Kxb7 22.Ne4 Kc6 23.Nxf6

White 's pawns are overextended, however, this exchange only serves to increase the scope of the bishop on g7 .

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Practical Plqy in _{The Colle System} _{3 1}

2S ... Bxb2 !

The loss of this pawn gives Black a powerful passed pawn and an overwhelming advantage. 26.Bxb2 Rd2+ 27.Kf3 Rxb2 2S.Rf2 Rxf2+ 29.Kxf2 c4 30.g4 bS 3 1 .Kf3 KcS 32.h4 c3 33.fS gxfS 34.gxfS Kc4 3S.Kf4 c2 36.f6 Kc3 37.KgS Kb2 3S.Rh l c1Q+ 39.Rxc1 Kxc1 40.ti RbS 41 .Kf6 Kb2 42.Kg7 Kxa2 43.hS b4 0-1 43 . . . b4 44.Kxh7 b3 .

Root, Douglas (24S0) - Davis, Loal W. (2207)

California Open, 1 990

l.d4 dS 2.Nf3 cS 3.e3 Nc6 4.c3 e6 S.Bd3 Nf6 6.Nbd2 Bd6 7.0-0 0-0 S.dxcS BxcS 9.e4 eS l 0.Qe2 d4 11 .Nb3 Bb6 1 2.cxd4 Nxd4 13.Nbxd4 Bxd4 14.Nxd4 Qxd4 I S.Be3 Qd6 1 6.Racl b6 1 7.Rfdl Bb7 I S.f3 RacS 1 9.Bc4 Qe7 20.a4 Qb4 2 1 .b3 RfdS 22.Bd2 Qe7 23.Qel NhS 24.Bb4 Qf6 2S.RxdS+ RxdS 26.Rd l Nf4 27.RxdS+ QxdS 2S.Qd2 Qxd2 29.Bxd2 BcS 30.Bc3 Ng6 3 1 .Bb4 Be6 32.Bd6 Bxc4 33.bxc4 f6 34.BbS NfS?

The knight must play to e7 and after 3 5 .Bxa7 Nc8 will be in a better position to defend the b-pawn and chase the White bishop away without fear of being harassed by the advancing c-pawn.

3S.Bxa7 Nd7 36.aS bxaS 37.cS NfS 3S.c6 Ne6 39.Bb6 a4 40.c7 Nxc7 41 .Bxc7 a3 42.BaS Kti 43.Kf2 1-0

The White bishop will be able to stop the a-pawn from queening and allow the White king time to capture it. The timely trade of bishop for

(31)

pawn will then secure White a winning king and pawn ending.

Pozarek, Frank (1 757) - Ambats, Jessica (2060)

U.S. Amateur Teams East, 1 989

l .d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.e3 b6 4.Nbd2 Bb7 5.Bd3 d5 6.0-0 Nbd7 7.c3 Bd6 8.Qa4

White whets our appetite with this provocative move. However, we are left wondering, what is White provoking Black to play here?

8 •.• 0-0 9.Qc2

Black reacts to White's queen sortie by calmly castling, and White loses a tempo to get his queen back into play.

9 ..• c5 1 0.b3 Qc7 1 l .Bb2 h6 12.Rac1 e5 13.dxe5 Nxe5 14.Nxe5 Bxe5

1 5.Nf3 Bd6 1 6.h3 Rfe8 17.Be2 Ne4 1 8.c4 dxc4 19.Bxc4 Qe7 20.Rcdl Rad8 2 1 .Bb5

Black has more space but White 's formation is compact with no weaknesses.

2 1 ... RfB 22.Bc4 Ng5 23.Nxg5 Qxg5 24.f4

All four bishops are raking the board, but the edge must go to White 's bishops who have more scope.

24 . • . Qg3 25.Rf2 Qxe3?

White has shrewdly enticed Black into capturing an extremely poisoned pawn.

26.Qg6!

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Practical Plqy in _{The Colle System} 3 3 White i s threatening mate and Black is powerless to stop it.

26 •.. Be5 27.Rxd8 Rxd8 28.Qxti+ Kh8 29.Bxe5 Qg3 30.Qxb7 Rdl+

3 1 .Rf1 Rxfl+ 32.Bxfl 1-0

Now 32 . . . h5 3 3 .Bd3 Qe l + 34.Kh2 Qg3+ 3 5 .Kxg3 h4+ 36.Kxh4 a6 37.Qxg7#.

Segal, Valery (2405) - Veach, J. (2242)

1992

l.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.e3 d5 4.Nbd2 c5 5.c3 Nbd7 6.Bd3 Be7 7.0-0 0-0 8.Qe2 b6 9.e4 dxe4 1 0.Nxe4 Bb7 11 .Ne5 cxd4 1 2.cxd4 Nxe4 13.Bxe4 Bxe4 14.Qxe4 Nf6 1 5.Qh4 Qd5 1 6.Rdl Rac8 1 7.Bg5 Rc2 1 8.Rd3 Rfc8

18 . . . Rxb2 ! ? wins a pawn for Black after 1 9.ReI Qb5 (but not 1 9 .. . Rxa2 20.Bxf6 Bxf6 21. Qxf6 gxf6 22.Rg3 + Kh8 23.Nxj7+ Rxj7 24.Rc8+ and Black is being checkmated.)

19.Rf1 Rxb2 20.Rg3 Kf8 2 1 .Be3 Qe4?

22.Nd7+! 1-0

The knight is overworked. If 22 . . . Nxd7 23 .Qxe4; 22 .. . Kg8 (or 22 ... Ke8) 23 .Nxf6+ followed by 24.Qxe4. Either way, Black loses his queen.

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Salgado, Rob (2354) - Kostanski, Robert (2 1 03)

Golden Knights, 1983

l .d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.e3 e6 4.Bd3 e5 5.b3 Ne6 6.Bb2 Bd6 7.0-0 0-0 S.a3 b6 9.Ne5 Bb7 1 0.Nd2 a6 1l.f4 b5 12.dxe5 Bxe5 13.Qf3 ReS 14.b4 Bb6 1 5.Qg3 Nxe5 1 6.Bxe5 a5N 17.f5 Nh5 I S.Qh3 Qg5 19.Rael axb4 20.Nf3 Qh6 2 1 .axb4 Bxe3+

In accepting the sacrifice with 21. . .Bxe3+ Black only succeeds in putting added pressure on his queen which now has to serve double duty to protect both the knight and bishop. The result is that Black's pieces are left uncoordinated for attack and ill-prepared for defense.

22.Khl f6

22 .. . d4 23 .Bxd4 Bxd4 24.Nxd4 does not afford Black sufficient counterplay.

23.Bd6 RfdS

24.Rxe3

White initiates a combination so forcing that it leaves Black with no means of retaliation.

24 ..• Qxe3 25.Qxh5 Rxd6 26.fxe6 Rxe6 27.Bxh7+ Kf8 2S.Bf5 ReeS

29.QhS+ Kfi 30.Bxe6+ Rxe6 3 1 .h4 1-0

If31 . . . Qf4 32.Ng5+ fxg5 3 3 .Rxf4+ gxf4 34.Qb8 (Rob Salgado); 31 . . . Re8 is also ineffective after 32.Ng5+ Qxg5 3 3 . Qxe8+ (not 33. hxg5? ? Rxh8+ 34.KgJ Rc8 and Black is ahead in material.) 33 .. . Kxe8 34.hxg5 fxg5 3 5 . Rf5 .

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Wang, P. (2306) - Prasad, C. (1 788)

Oceania Zonal, 2005

3 5

l .d4 d S 2.NfJ Nf6 3.e3 e 6 4.Bd3 c S S.c3 Bd6 6.Nbd2 Nbd7 7.0-0 0-0 8.Re1 Qc7 9.e4 cxd4 1 0.cxd4 dxe4 1 1 .Nxe4 Nxe4 12.Rxe4

Recapturing with the rook instead of the bishop gets this piece into play immediately.

12 .•. Nf6 13.Rh4 Be7 14.BgS g6 lS.NeS NdS 1 6.Rc1 Qd8 1 7.Bxe7

Qxe7 18.Qg4 f6? 1 9.Nxg6!

White is not fazed by the attack on his knight and fearlessly plays this thematic sacrifice exposing the Black king.

19 •.• hxg6 20.Bxg6

White resists the temptation to play 20.Qxg6+ because 20 .. . Qg7 21.Qh5 f5 lets Black off the hook.

20 .•• Qg7 2 1 .Rxc8!

21. •• fS

The rook is untouchable. 21. ..Rfxc8 22.Qxe6+ Kf8 23.Rh8+ Qxh8 24.Qf7#; or 21. . .Raxc8 22.Qxe6+ Rf7 23 .Qxc8+ Qf8 24.Bxf7+ Kxf7 25.Rh7+.

22.Bh7+ Kfi 23.BxfS exfS 24.QxfS+ Nf6 2S.Rc7+ 1-0

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Polgar, Zsuzsa (GM) - Mai, Thi

N ovi Sad, 1 990

l .d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 dS 3.e3 e6 4.Bd3 eS S.b3 Nbd7 6.0-0 Be7 7.Bb2 0-0 S.Nbd2

White refrains from playing 8.c4, a common theme in the Zukertort, to avoid the risk of getting hanging pawns after 8 . . . dxc4 9.bxc4 cxd4

1 0.exd4.

S .•. b6 9.NeS Bb7 1 0.Qf3 ReS 1 l .Radl Qe7 1 2.Qh3 h6 13.f4

White has set up the ideal Colle attacking formation.

13 ... Ne4 14.Nxd7 Qxd7 I S.Bxe4 dxe4 1 6.dxeS

White powerfully opens up the center along with the a l-h8 diagonal for the bishop on b2. It is interesting that in the Colle-Koltanowski variation it's White 's king bishop that is the powerhose, and in this Colle-Zukertort variation, it's the queen bishop that is wreaking havoc.

1 6 ..• QbS 1 7.Ne4 BxeS I S.Qg4 f6 19.Qxe6+ KhS 20.Rd7 Re6?

Black chooses the wrong piece with which to chase the queen. Better is 20 . . . Qc6 2 1 .Qg4 Rg8 .

2 1 .Qg4 1-0

In order to defend against the mate, Black must lose the bishop on b7. Of course White should not play 2 1 .Qxe4? because with 2 1 . . .Rc7 ! ? the discovered attack on the queen will cost White material after 22.Rd5 Qc6.

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Practical Plqy in _{The Coiie System}

Stairway to Heaven

Chess, like love, like music, has to power to make man happy.

- Siegbert Tarrasch (1832-1934)

37

For us, the Colle System, in its purest most methodical sense, calls to mind the Led Zeppelin song, Stairway to Heaven. Written by Jimmy Page and Robert Plant, Stairway to Heaven is a masterful and imaginative slow developing, intense musical masterpiece. The song builds harmoniously one musical instrument upon another (acoustic guitar, string section, keyboards, flutes and drums) until it finally explodes into a feverishly exciting electric guitar climax. Compare this with the smooth and naturally developing moves of the Colle System. A series of opening moves, seemingly innocuous though deceptively deliberate, methodically flow one piece after another (pawn, knight, bishop, rook and queen) until the game reaches a frenetic and compelling middle game and a determinedly crushing end.

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Campion, William (1512) - Brown, Thomas (1248)

Correspondence, 1 992

l.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.e3 e6 4.Bd3 Bd6 5.Nbd2 O-{) 6.0-{) c6 7.Rel b6

White need not worry about 7 . . . c5 because 8.c3 keeps the bishop on the strategic b 1 -h7 diagonal should Black continue the advance of the c-pawn.

8.e4 dxe4 9.Nxe4 Bc7? ! 1 0.Bg5 ? !

Better is 1 O.Nxf6+ which forces Black to ruin his position with 10 ... gxf6 because 10 .. . Qxf6 falls prey to 1 1 .Bg5.

1 0 ..• Nbd7 1l.Nxf6+ Nxf6 12.Ne5 Qe7 13.Bxf6 gxf6? 14.Bxh7+!

Kxh7

Black is lost. All moves lead to mate. 1 4 .. . Kh8 1 5 .Qh5 Kg7 1 6.Qg4+ Kh8 1 7.Re3 fxe5 1 8 .Rh3 Bd8 1 9.Be4+ Qh4 20.Rxh4+ Bxh4 2 1 . Qxh4+ Kg7 22.Qg5+ Kh8 23.Qh6+ Kg8 24.Qh7#.

1 5.Qh5+ Kg7

1 5 .. . Kg8 1 6.Qg4+ Kh8 1 7.Re3 Qa3 1 8 .bxa3 fxe5 1 9.Rh3#.

1 6.Qg4+ 1-{)

16 . . . Kh7 1 7.Re3 Qa3 1 8.bxa3 fxe5 1 9.Rh3#.

Nemhauser, Jeffrey (1357) - Hatch, David (1 672)

2nd Income Tax Closed, 1 985

l.d4 d5 2.Nf3 b6 3.e3 e6 4.Bd3 Nf6 5.Nbd2 Bb7 6.0-{) Nbd7 7.c3 Be7 8.Qe2 Ne4 9.Bc2 !

The beginning of White 's effort to break the blockade at e4.

9 ..• c5 10.Nxe4 dxe4

The wisdom of White 's bishop retreat to c2 now becomes apparent because this pawn capture is not a fork.

1l.Nd2 Nf6 12.f3 exf3 13.Nxf3 h6 14.e4 cxd4 1 5.Nxd4 O-{)? 1 6.e5 Ne8 17.Bxh6! Bg5 1 8.Qd3 f5 1 9.exf6 Bxh6 20.Qh7+ 1-{)

20 . . . Kf7 2 1 .Bg6#.

Gifford, Gary (1 869) - Buss, Andy (1776)

Action Chess, 1 988

l.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.e3 e6 4.Bd3 Be7 5.Nbd2 0-0 6.0-{) c5 7.dxc5

White wants to play the thematic e4 pawn break, but must first set it up with this capture in order to avoid an isolated d-pawn.

7 ... Bxc5 8.c3 Nc6 9.e4 d4 1 0.Nb3 Bb6 1 l.e5 Ne8?!

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Practical Plqy in _{The Colle System} ₃₉ other kingside pieces to maneuver on the back rank. 1 1 . . .Ng4 doesn't solve Black's defensive problems either because of 1 2.Bxh7+ Kxh7 1 3 .NgS+ Kg8 1 4 .Qxg4 f6 I S .exf6 Qxf6. Equally ineffective is 1 1 . . . NdS 1 2.Nbxd4 Nxd4 1 3 .cxd4 fS and White 's attack continues unabated after 1 4.exf6.

12.Bxh7+

12 ..• KhS

The dilemma Black faces after this bishop sacrifice is whether to accept or decline it. If Black accepts, White will play NgS and Black must come forward with . . . Kg6, otherwise mate quickly follows. Black's exposed king position compensates for the small material disadvantage that White has.

13.Bd3 dxe3 14.Ng5 g6 1 5.Qt3 Kg7

Black could not liberate the position with I S .. . Ng7 because of 1 6.Qh3+ NbS 1 7.Nxf7+ Rxf7 1 8.Bxg6 and White has an overwhelming attack.

16.Qh3 RhS 17.QxhS+! ! KxhS I S.Nxti+ Kg7 19.NxdS BxdS 20.f4 cxb2 2 1.Bxb2 b6 22.Bb5 Bb7 23.Rac1 ReS 24.Rfd l Be7 25.Rd7 Kf8 26.Rxb7 Be5+ 27.Nxe5 bxe5 2S.Rxe5 Ne7 29.RxeS NxeS 30.Ba3+ 1-0

Leads to a very nice mate after 30 . . . Ncd6 3 1 .exd6 Nxd6 32.Bxd6+ Kg8 3 3 .Bc4 Kh8 34.Bxe6 a6 3 S .BeS#. (See diagram next page.)

(39)

Curry, R. (1750) - Rivero, R. (lS50)

Newark (Del.) C.C., 1979

l .d4 Nf6 2.NfJ c5 3.e3 d5 4.c3 Nbd7 5.Bd3 e6 6.Nbd2 Bd6

7.0-0 0-0 S.Re1 Qc7 9.e4 cxd4 1 0.cxd4 dxe4 11 .Nxe4 Nxe4 12.Bxe4 Nf6 13.Bd3 Bd7 14.Bd2 Bc6 1 5.h3 RacS 1 6.Rc1 Qb6 17.Bc3 RfdS l S.Qe2 Nd5 19.Bxh7+!? Kxh7 20.Ng5+ KgS

Better is 20 .. . Kg6 2 1 .Bd2 Qxd4 (21 . . . Qxb2 is impossible because of thefollowing mating combination 22. Qe4+ f5 23. Qxe6+ Nf6 24. Qf7+ Kh6 25.Ne6+ Qxd2 26. Qxg7+ Kh5 2 7. Qf7+ Kh6 28. Qxf6+ Kh 7 29. Qg7#) .

2 1 .Qh5 BeS??

Loses quickly. Better is 21 ... Rd7 22.Qh7+ Kf8 .

22.Rxe6 fxe6 23.Qh7+ Kf8 24.QhS+ Ke7 25.Qxg7+ 1-0

(40)

Burkhardt, Bob - Vosburgh, Ted

Nat'l Press Club Finals, 1994

4 1

l.d4 dS 2.e3 e6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Bd3 cS S.c3 c4 6.Bc2 bS 7.NeS Nbd7 S.f4 NxeS 9.fxeS Nd7 1 0.0-0 f6? 1l.exf6

White can prevent Black from castling with I1.Qh5+ ! ? Ke7.

1l ... Nxf6 1 2.Nd2 Bd6 13.e4

White pulls off the thematic e4 pawn break in the center and threatens 14.e5 .

13 ... dxe4?

Black goes astray. Better would have been 13 . . . Qb6 or 13 . . . e5 .

14.Nxe4 Nxe4 IS.Bxe4 RbS??

Black's lack of defensive resources sticks out like a sore thumb.

16.QhS+

White's pieces are magnificently placed for the final attack.

16 ... Kd7 17.Rfi+ Be7 I S.BgS ReS 19.Qh4 h6 20.Bxe7 Rxe7 2 1.Rafl Rxfi 22.Rxfi+ KeS 23.Rf8+! ! 1-0

Black is overwhelmed after 23 . . . Kxf8 24.Qxd8+ Kf7 25.Qc7+ Bd7 26.Qxb8.

Cavaliere, Peter (1S40) - Leahy, Kerry (2270)

Staten Island C.C. Simul, 1987

l.d4 dS 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.e3 c6 4.Bd3 Bg4 S.Nbd2 e6 6.0-0 Nbd7 7.c3 Bd6 S.e4 dxe4 9.Nxe4 Nxe4 1 0.Bxe4 Qc7 1l.h3 BhS 1 2.Rel 0-0 13.Bxh7+ KhS I4.Bd3 Bf4 1 S.Bxf4 Qxf4 1 6.Re4 Bxf3 17.Rxf4 Bxd l

(41)

Berry, Newton (1735) - Radtke, Henry (1794)

Hales Comers, WI, 1994

l.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.e3 e6 4.Bd3 Be7 5.Nbd2 Nbd7 6.0-0 0-0 7.Rel ReS S.e4 dxe4 9.Nxe4 Nxe4 1 0.Bxe4 Nf6 1l.Bd3 Bd6 1 2.Bg5 Bd7 13.e3 Be7 14.Qe2 h6 1 5.Bh4 e6 1 6.Ne5 BeS 17.Radl Rf8 I S.Re3 Nd5 19.Rf3 ! QeS??

Rightfully declining the Trojan Bishop on h4, which would lead to mate three different ways. If 19 .. . Bxh4 20. Bh7+ Kh8 21. Rxf7 Rxf7 22. Nxf7#; or a) 21. . . Re8 22. Ng6+ Kxh7 23 . Nxh4+ Kg8 24. Qg6 Qg5 25 . Rxg7+; or b) 21. . . Rg8 22. Ng6+ Kxh7 23. Nf8+ Kh8 24. Qh7#. However, the text move (19 .. . Qe8) allows White a decisive combination which was overlooked.

20.Bxe7

White has a much better continuation with 20.Bh7+ Kh8 21.Rxf7 Qxf7 (21 . . . Rx17 22.Ng6+ Kxh 7 23.Nj8+ Kg8 24. Qh 7+ Kxj8 25. Qh8#) 22.Nxf7+ Rxf7 23 .Bxe7 Nxe7.

20 ..• Qxe7 21.Qd2 Nf6 22.Rg3 KhS

With his pieces actively placed, White is on the verge of busting open the kingside.

23.Rh3

Another way to wreak havoc is 23.Rg6 Kg8 24.Rxh6 gxh6 25.Qxh6 Re8.

23 .•. NgS 24.Qf4 Qf6 25.Qe4 Qf5 26.Qe3 Qf6 27.Ng4 Qe7 2S.Nxh6!

gxh6

1f 28 .. . Nxh6 then 29. Rxh6+ gxh6 30. Qxh6+ Kg8 31. Qh7#.

(42)

Practical PI'!Y in _{The Colle System} A beautiful rook sacrifice leading to mate.

29 ••• Kg7

If 29 . . . Nxh6 then 30.Qxh6+ followed by mate on h7.

30.Rh7+ 1-0

It's mate after 30 . . . Kf6 3 1 . Qe5 (or 3 1 . Qf4).

Hatch, Terese (1124) - Vidmar, Richard (111S)

U.S. Open, 1 986

43

l.d4 Nf6 2.NfJ e6 3.e3 dS 4.Bd3 Bb4+ S.c3 Be7 6.Nbd2 0-0 7.0-0 cS 8.Re1 a6 9.e4 bS 1 0.eS Nfd7 11 .Nfl Nb6? 12.dxcS BxcS??

With a small amount of coaxing from White, Black removes all of his pieces from the scene of the attack.

13.Bxh7+! Kxh7 14.NgS+ Kg8 l S.QhS Re8 1 6.Qxf7+ Kh8 17.QhS+ Kg8 1 8.Qh7+ Kf8 1 9.Qh8+ 1-0

Cavaliere, Peter (1716) - Kaplan

Hudson County Ch., 1 986

l.d4 dS 2.NfJ e6 3.e3 Nf6 4.Nbd2 Be7 S.Bd3 0-0 6.c3 b6 7.0-0N Bb7 8.Qe2 Nbd7 9.e4 dxe4 1 0.Nxe4 Nxe4 11 .Bxe4 Bxe4 1 2.Qxe4 Nf6 13.Qe2 cS 14.dxcS BxcS l S.Be3 Bd6 1 6.BgS h6 17.Bh4 gS 18.NxgS ! ?

Objectively not the best move, but i n typical Colle fighting spirit White sacrifices a piece with the idea of exposing the Black king to attack. A more sedate line would be 1 8 .Bg3 Nh5 1 9.Rad l Nxg3 20.hxg3 .

18 ... hxgS 1 9.BxgS Be7 20.Rad1 Qc7 2 1 .Rd3 Rfd8 22.Rf3 NdS 23.Bh6 Bd6? 1-0

(43)

Black lost on time. Analysis shows that White can finish the game off with 24.Rg3+ Kh8 2S.Bg7+ Kg8 26.QhS f6 27.Bxf6+ Bxg3 28.Qg6+ Kf8 29.fxg3 (threatening Bxd8). 29 .. . Nxf6 30.Rxf6+ Ke7 3 1 .Qf7+ Kd6 32.Qxe6+ KcS 33.RfS+ QeS 34.RxeS+ RdS 3 S . QxdS#.

Hatch, David (1707) - Curtis, Jeffrey (1308)

U.S. Open, 1 993

l .d4 dS 2.Nf3 e6 3.e3 Nf6 4.Bd3 cS S.c3 Bd6 6.Nbd2 0-0 7.0-0 Nbd7 8.e4 cxd4 9.cxd4 dxe4 1 0.Nxe4 Nxe4 1l .Bxe4 Nf6 12.BgS Be7 13.Bxf6 Bxf6 14.Rc1 Qb6 1S.Qc2 g6 1 6.Rfdl Rd8

Increasing the pressure on the isolated pawn on d4.

17.Qc7 Qxb2 1 8.NeS Rf8 _{19.Rb l BxeS 20.dxeS Qxa2 2 1 .Rd8 as?}

22.RxfS+ KxfS 23.Qd8+ YZ-YZ

White does not have to settle for the perpetual check.

White misses the winning continuation 23 .. . Kg7 24.Rd l Qa3 2S.Qf6+ Kh6 26.g4 bS 27.gS+ KhS 28.Bf3+ Qxf3 29.Qxf3+ Kh4 30.Rd4+ KxgS 3 1 .Qf4+ KhS 32.Qh4#.

Curry, R (1 694) - Saxe, W (I S84)

Wilmington C.C., 1 976

l .d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.e3 cS 4.Bd3 Nc6 S.c3 dS 6.Nbd2 c4 7.Bc2 bS 8.0-0 Bd6 9.Rel 0-0 1 0.e4 dxe4 1 l .Nxe4 Nxe4 1 2.Bxe4 Bb7?

(44)

13.Bxh7+ Kxh7 14.NgS+ Kg6 l S.Qg4 Kf6?

1 5 .. . f5 and Black can play on.

16.Rxe6+! fxe6 17.Qxe6# 1-0 Curry, R. (1 62S) - Marcham, J.

Cape Coral, FL C.C., 1 973

45

1.d4 Nf6 2.NfJ e6 3.e3 cS 4.Bd3 dS S.c3 Nc6 6.Nbd2 Be7 7.0-0 0-0 8.Re1 Qc7 9.e4 cxd4 1 0.cxd4 dxe4 11 .Nxe4 Nxe4 1 2.Bxe4 fS 13.Bxc6 Qxc6 14.NeS Qb6 l S.b3 Rd8

Attacking the isolated pawn on d4.

16.Bb2 Bd7 17.Rc1 Rac8 1 8.Re3 BgS?

Black must play 1 8 .. . RxcI1 9.Bxc 1 (Not 1 9. Qxcl Bg5) 1 9 .. . Bf6 20.Bb2 with even chances.

19.Rxc8 Bxc8 20.Rh3 Bf6 2 1 .QhS h6?

2 1 . . .Bxe5 is better after 22.dxe5 h6.

22.Qti+ Kh7

22 .. . Kh8 doesn't work either because of 23.Rxh6+ ! ! gxh6 24.Ng6#.

23.Rxh6+! Kxh6 24.Qg6# 1-0

Hatch, Terese (1 0S6) - Johnson, Lonnie (l S28)

NJ Open, 1 985

l.d4 Nf6 2.NfJ e6 3.e3 dS 4.Bd3 cS S.c3 Nc6 6.Nbd2 Qc7 7.0-0 Bd7 8.Re1 Bd6 9.e4 dxe4 1 0.Nxe4 Nxe4 1 l .Bxe4 cxd4 1 2.cxd4 0-0

With no pieces to defend his King, Black castles right into the teeth of White 's attack.

13.Bxh7+ Kh8? 14.NgS Bxh2+? l S.Kh 1 g6 1 6.Qg4 f6 17.Qh4 fxgS 18.BxgS Kg7 19.Qh6+ 1-0

19 ... Kh8 20.Bxg6+ Kg8 2 1 .Qh7#.

Cowan, Warren (788 Postal) - Brands, Edwin (294 Postal)

1.d4 dS 2.NfJ Nf6 3.e3 a6 4.Bd3 e6 S.Nbd2 Bd6 6.0-0 0-0 7.Re1 Nc6 8.c3 bS 9.e4± dxe4 1 0.Nxe4 Nxe4 1l .Bxe4 Bb7 1 2.Bxh7+ Kxh7

13.NgS+ Kg6 14.h4 Re8? IS.Qd3+ Kh5? 16.g4+! 1-0 It's mate after

16 ... K.xg4 17.Qf3+ Kxh4 18.Qh3#.

Cruz, R - Reid, P

Grumette Mem. Day Classic, 1 989

(45)

8.Be2 Qe7 9.Ne5 Nbd7 1 0.f4 Nxe5? 1l.fxe5 Ne8 1 2.Rf3 f6 13.Rh3 g6?

No better is 1 3 .. . h6 1 4.Qh5 fxe5 1 5 .dxe5 Be5 .

14.Nf3?

1 4.Rxh7 ! f5 (Not 14 .. . Kxh 7? because of 15. Qh5+ KgB 1 6. Qxg6+ Ng7 1 7. Qh 7+ Kj7 1 B.Bg6#) 1 5 .Rh6.

14 •.• Rti 1 5.e4 BfB 16.Qe2 b5 17.exf6+- Nxf6 1 8.Ng5 Re7? 19.e5

Ne8 20.Bd2 as 2 1 .Rf1 h6 22.Qf2 Bg7 23.Qh4

White misses the first of many mates beginning with 23.Bxg6 Kh8 24.Rf3 Nf6 25.exf6 Kg8 26.fxg7 Kxg7 27.Rf8 Qxh2+ 28.Kxh2 Kxg6 29.Rg8+ Kh5 30.Qe2+ Kh4 3 1 .Rf4#.

23 .•. Qa7 24.Bxg6 Bxe5 25.Bti+

Overlooking 25.Qxh6 Bxd4+ 26.Kh l Bf6 27.Rxf6 Qg l + 28.Kxg l Nxf6 29.Qh8#.

25 ... Rxti 26.Rxti

Again missing 26.Nxf7 Bf6 27.Rxf6 Kf8 28.Bxh6+ Ke7 29.Bf8+ Kd7 30.Rxe6 Qxd4+ 3 1 .exd4 Ba6 32.Qe7+ Ke8 3 3 .Rb6 e3 34.Qd8#.

26 •.• Bxd4+ 27.exd4 1--0

If 27 . . . Nd6 28.Rxa7 Rxa7 29.Qxh6 Nf7 30.Qg6+ Kf8 3 1 .Rh7 Re7 32.Rxf7+ Ke8 3 3 .Qf6 Kd7 34.Qxe7+ Ke6 3 5 . Qe5#.

Chapuis, Bobby (1 500) - Scott, Gordon (1 527)

Mid-MS Open, 2003

l .d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.e3 e6 4.Bd3 Be7 5.0--0 0--0 6.Rel e5 7.e3 e4 8.Be2 Ne6 9.Nbd2 b5 1 0.e4 dxe4 11 .Nxe4 Bb7 1 2.Nfg5 h6? 13.Nxf6+ Bxf6 14.Nh7 Re8 1 5.Qg4 g5? 1 6.h4 Bg7 17.hxg5 Kh8 1 8.gxh6 Bxh6 19.Bxh6 Rg8 20.Qh5

(46)

Practical Plqy in _{The Colle SYstem} ₄₇

Another way to win is 20.Bg5 Rg7 2 1 .Nf6 Qxf6 22.Bxf6 Nxd4 23 .Qxg7#.

20 ..• Nxd4 2 1 .NgS RxgS 22.BxgS+ Kg8 23.Qh7+ Kf8 24.Qh8# 1-0

Hunt, J. (1 8S4) - Silvestri, J. (1732)

l.d4 dS 2.Nf3 e6 3.e3 Nf6 4.Bd3 Bd6 S.Nbd2 cS 6.c3 0-0 7.NeS Nbd7 8.f4 cxd4 9.exd4 Qb6 1 0.0-0 NxeS? 1 l .fxeS BxeS 1 2.Kh l Bd6 13.Rxf6 gxf6 14.QhS fS

14 . . . Rd8 would have given Black the necessary maneuvering room after 1 5 .Nb3 f5 .

IS.Nc4 dxc4

If 1 5 .. . Qd8 1 6.Nxd6.

16.QgS+ Kh8 17.Qf6+ Kg8 1 8.Bh6 1-0

1 8 . . . Qxd4 1 9.cxd4 Be5 20.dxe5 cxd3 2 1 .Qg7#.

Hatch, Terese - Chess Challenger

Oak Street CC, 1 993

l.d4 dS 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.e3 e6 4.Bd3 cS S.c3 Nbd7 6.Nbd2 Bd6 7.0-0 0-0 8.Qe2 b6 9.e4 NhS 1 0.eS Nf4 1l .Bxh7+

As we can see, this common bishop sacrifice on h7, when not properly prepared, is not enough to force a winning advantage.

1l ..• Kxh7 12.Qe3 Ba6 13.Rel

With B .Qxf4 ! ? White can win back the piece, however, after 1 3 .. . Bxfl 1 4.Ng5+ Kg8 1 5 .Nxfl Black i s up the exchange, but the exposed nature of the Black king gives both sides equal chances.

13 ... Nd3 14.NgS+ Kg6

14 .. . Kg8 ! ? looks like a viable alternative 1 5 .Nde4 Bxe5, but not: a) 1 5 .. . dxe4? 1 6.Qxe4 f5 1 7.Qh4 Qxg5 1 8 .Bxg5 (18. Qxg5?! Nxel 19.Bf4 Bxe5 20.Bxe5 Nxe5 21.Rxel Nj7) 1 8 .. . Nxe l 1 9.Rxe l ;

b) 1 5 .. . Nxe l ?? 1 6.Qh3 Qxg5 1 7.Nxg5 (1 7.Bxg5 Nc2 18.Nf6+ gxf6) ; c) 1 5 .. . Nxc l ?? leads to instant destruction 1 6.Qh3 Qxg5 1 7.Nxg5 .

IS.Ndf3 Nxel ?

Black can try 1 5 .. . Rh8 1 6.exd6 Nxe l 1 7.Nxe l Rh5 which defends against the queen infiltrating on the h-file, but White is still better because of Black's exposed king.

16.Nh4+ Kh6 17.Nxfi+ Kh7 1 8.Nxd8 Nc2 1 9.Qg3 Rf6 20.exd6 Nxal 21 .BgS?!

(47)

White should play 2 1 .Nc6 Kg8 22.Ne7+ Kf8 23 .Nhg6+ Ke8 and, in contrast to the move played, White keeps more pieces on the board for the attack.

21. .. Rxd8 22.Bxf6 Nxf6 23.Qg6+ Kh8 24.g4

White can win the knight trapped on a l but instead continues the attack on the Black king.

24 • . . cxd4 2S.cxd4 Rc8

25 . . . Bb5 is Black's last chance for counterplay but after 26.Qf7 Nxg4 27.Qxa7 Rg8 White 's passed pawn is still a thorn in Black's side.

26.gS Ne4 27.QhS+ Kg8 28.Ng6 Rc1+ 29.Kg2 Bf1+ 30.Kf3 Nd2+ 3 1.Kf4 eS+ 32.NxeS

Black's pieces are not coordinated enough to either attack or defend.

32 ..• Rc8 33.Qti+ Kh8 34.d7 Rd8 3S.Ng6+ 1-0

3 5 .. . Kh7 36.Ne7 Be2 37.Qf5+ g6 3 8 . Qxg6+ Kh8 39.Qh6#.

Bellah, Lynn (899) - Gardner, Michael (1292)

Mid-Miss Open, 2004

l.d4 dS 2.Nf3 e6 3.e3 Nf6 4.Bd3 Nc6 S.c3 Bd6 6.0-0 Bd7 7.Nbd2 0-0 8.e4 eS 9.exdS NxdS 1 0.Ret Re8 1l.Nc4 exd4 12.Nxd6 cxd6 13.c4 Nf6 14.a3 NeS 1 S.Bf4 Nxf3+ 1 6.Qxf3 Bc6 17.Qh3 Bd7 1 8.Qh4 Rxel+ 19.Rxel Qf8 20.f3 Re8 21.BgS Rxet+ 22.Qxel Qd8 23.Qb4 Qc7 24.Bxf6 gxf6 2S.b3 as 26.Qel QcS 27.b4 axb4 28.axb4 QeS 29.Qg3+ Qxg3 30.hxg3 Kg7 3 1.Kf2 fS 32.Ke2 Kf6 33.f4 h6 34.Kd2

(48)

b6 3S.Be2 Bc6 36.Bf3 Be4 37.g4 ? !

Interesting but risky.

49

37 .•. fxg4 38.Bxe4 hS 39.g3 Ke6 40.Kd3 fS 41.BdS+ Kf6 42.Kxd4

Kg6 43.Bhl h4 44.gxh4 KhS 4S.Ke3 Kxh4 46.Kf2 g3+ 47.Kf3 Kh3 48.Bg2+ Kh2 49.Bfl Kgl SO.Kxg3 Kxfl S1.Kh4 Ke2 S2.KgS Kd3 53.cS bxcS S4.bxcS

White misses a chance to draw with 54.b5 c4 5 5 .b6 c3 56.b7 c2 57.b8Q c 1 Q .

5 4 ..• dxcS SS.KxfS c 4 S6.KeS c3 S7.fS c 2 S8.f6 c1 Q 0-1

Nelson, James (1610) - Pearson, Alex (IS61)

Boulder Open, 1 985

l.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.e3 dS 4.Bd3 cS S.c3 Nc6 6.Nbd2 Bd6 7.0-0 0-0 8.Qe2 Qc7 9.dxcS BxcS 1 0.e4 d4 H .eS Nd7 1 2.Bxh7+! Kxh7

Or 12 . . . Kh8 1 3 .Bc2 dxc3 1 4.Qe4 and White will remain up a pawn.

13.NgS+ Kg6 14.Qe4+ fS I S.exf6+ Kxf6?

With 1 5 .. . Kxg5 1 6.fxg7 Kh6 1 7.gxf8R Bxf8 1 8 .Nf3+ Kg7 1 9.Qg4+ Kh8 20.Qh3+ Kg8 2 1 .Qxe6+ Kh8 22.Ng5 and Black avoids the mate.

16.Qxe6+ KxgS 17.Nf3+ 1-0

(49)

Mingos, John (1 800) - Cook, Charles

Correspondence, 1968

l.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.e3 dS 4.Bd3 cS S.c3 Be7 6.Nbd2 0-0 7.0-0 b6 8.Qe2 h6 9.e4 Bb7 10.dxcS BxcS ll.eS Nfd7 12.Re1 Nc6 13.Nfl d4? 14.Qe4 fS l S.exf6 Rxf6 16.Qh7+ Kf7 17.Ng3 1-0

Threatening 1 8 . Nh5 and no matter what Black tries, he still has to go down the exchange i.e. 1 7 .. . Qh8 1 8 .Qxh8 Rxh8 19.Ne4 Rxf3 20.gxf3 .

Nelson, James (1786) - Plett, M (19S3)

Colorado Open, 1987

In our analysis of the games in this book, one recurring theme we discovered is that whenever Black foregoes castling early, he often gets into big trouble.

l.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.e3 dS 4.Bd3 cS S.c3 Nbd7 6.Nbd2 Be7 7.0-0 b6 8.NeS NxeS 9.dxeS Nd7 1 0.f4 c4 ll.Bc2 BcS 1 2.Nf3 f6 13.Nd4 Bxd4 14.QhS+ Ke7? l S.exd4 g6 1 6.Qh4 Kf7 17.exf6 Nxf6 1 8.g4 Bd7? 19.fS Ne4 20.fxg6+ Kxg6 21.Qh6# 1-0

Stuart, Phil (1881) - Infranca

Jamaica C.C. Championship, 1980

l.d4 Nf6 2.e3 dS 3.Bd3 e6 4.Nf3 h6 S.Nbd2 b6 6.0-0 Nc6 7.c3 Be7 8.Re1 0-0 9.Qc2 Qd6 10.e4 dxe4 ll.Nxe4 Nxe4 1 2.Bxe4 Bf6 13.Be3 Rb8 14.Rad1 Ne7 1 S.Qd2 c6? 1 6.Bf4 eS 17.dxeS Qxd2 1 8.Rxd2 BgS 19.NxgS hxgS 20.BxgS Re8? 2 1.Bxe7 Rxe7 22.Rd8+ 1-0

Weyrauch, C. (1770) - Fisk, Lawrence (1 640)

1 6th BCC, 199 1

l.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 dS 3.e3 e6 4.Bd3 cS S.c3 Nc6 6.Nbd2 Be7 7.0

0-o _{8.Qe2 Bd7 9.dxcS BxcS 1 0.e4 dxe4 l l.Nxe4 Nxe4 1 2.Bxe4 Rb8}

13.Bf4 Rc8 14.Rad1 Qe7 1 S.b4 Bb6? 1 6.Bd6 Qe8 17.Bxh7+! Kxh7 18.NgS+ 1-0

(50)

Mingos, John (2 1 90) - Rigo, Bernard

USA-Australia Correspondence, 1992

5 1

I.d4 e6 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.e3 c5 4.c3 b6 5.Bd3 Bb7 6.Nbd2 Be7 7.0-0 0-0 S.e4 d6 9.Qe2 Nc6 1 0.a3 cxd4 1 l .cxd4 e5 1 2.d5± NbS 13.b4 Nbd7 14.Bb2 g6 1 5.Rac1 NeS I 6.Bb5 h6 17.Bc6 Bxc6 1S.dxc6 Ndf6 19.Rfd l QcS 20.b5 Nc7 2 1 .a4 Ne6 22.h3 Nf4 23.Qe3 g5 24.Nc4 g4? 25.Nxd6 Bxd6 26.Rxd6 NeS 27.Nxe5

White misses the chance to finish off the game nicely with 27.Rxh6 f6 (2 7 .. . gxj3 28. Qxf4 and the queen cannot be captured because of 29.Rh8#.) 28 .Nxe5 fxe5 29.Bxe5 and Black's material deficit and exposed king is too much to overcome.

27 ... Nxh3+ 2S.gxh3 Nxd6 29.Qxh6 1-0

29 . . . Qe6 (The alternative 29 .. /6 also loses to 30. Qg6+ Kh8 31.Nxg4 Nxe4 32. Qxe4 Qe8 33. Q{5 Qe 7) 30.Qg5+ Kh7 and Black is helpless against the onslaught of White 's pieces.

Gholson, Steve (1 527) - Newey, Richard (1 6S0)

Western States Open, 1994

I.Nf3 d5 2.d4 Nf6 3.e3 e6 4.Nbd2 c5 5.c3 Nc6 6.Bd3 cxd4 7.exd4 Bd6 S.O-O 0-0 9.Rel Qc7 1 0.Qc2N b6 1l .Nfl h6 1 2.Qe2 Nd7 13.Bb5?! Bb7 14.Bxc6 Bxc6

White impulsively deviated from the typical Colle kingside attack by playing the bishop to b5 and immediately trading it off, giving Black the bishop pair.

15.Ne5 Nxe5 1 6.dxe5 Bc5 17.b4 Be7 1 S.Qg4 Kh7 19.Ng3 RgS 20.Nh5 Bb5 2 1 .a4 Bd3 22.Qd4 Qc4 23.Be3 RacS 24.Nf4 Qxd4 25.Bxd4 Bc4 26.a5 BdS 27.Rec1 RaS 2S.g3 Bc7 29.Ng2 RgbS 30.Ne3 Bd3 3 1 .c4 bxa5 32.cxd5 axb4?!

Black sacrifices his bishop in order to get two connected passed pawns which, from a tactical perspective, proves not to be enough. A more practical continuation is 32 . . . Bb6 3 3 .Bxb6 axb6 34.bxa5 Rxa5 3 5 .Rxa5 bxa5 .

33.Rxc7 as 34.Rxti b3 35.Bb2 a4 36.dxe6 Be4 37.Rf4 Bg6 3S.Rfxa4 Rxa4 39.Rxa4 RdS 40.Rb4 Bc2 41 .e7 ReS 42.Nd5 Kg6 43.Rf4 1-0

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Boroviak - Van der Westhuizer

Postal, 1977

l .d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 cS 3.e3 dS 4.c3 Nbd7 S.Nbd2 g6 6.Bd3 Bg7 7.0-0 0-0 8.Qe2 Qc7 9.e4 eSN 1 0.dxeS NxeS 1l .NxeS QxeS 1 2.f4 Qc7 13.eS Nd7 14.Nf3 Re8 I S.Qfl f6 1 6.exf6 Nxf6 17.Qh4 Ne4 1 8.NgS NxgS 19.QxgS Be6 20.fS BxfS 2 1 .BxfS gxfS 22.QxfS Rad8?

Allowing White to develop with tempo. Black should play 22 .. . d4 ! ? to gain space for his rooks and bishop.

23.BgS Rd7 24.Rael Re4?

Loses a pawn.

2S.Rxe4 dxe4 26.Qxe4 QeS 27.Qg4 Rf7 28.Qc4 Qc7 29.Bf4 Qd7 30.Bb8 a6 3 1 .a3 bS 32.Rxfi Qxfi 33.QxcS Qa2 34.Qc8+ Bf8 3S.Qg4+ Bg7 36.Qe2 Qb l+ 37.Kf2 QfS+ 38.Qf3 Qc2+ 39.Kel Qb l+ 40.Qd l Qe4+ 41 .Kfl Bf8 42.Kgl h6 43.Ba7 Be7 44.Bfl Kh7 4S.Qel Qb7 46.Qe6 1-O

Boroviak - Jacobs

Golden Knights Postal, 1974

I .Nf3 dS 2.d4 Nf6 3.e3 cS 4.c3 Nc6 S.Bd3 e6 6.Nbd2 Bd6 7.0-0 0-0 8.dxcS BxcS 9.e4 Qc7 1 0.Qe2 Bd6 1 l .Rel Ng4

An interesting repositioning of the knight that begins a wholesale exchange of pieces in the center.

1 2.h3 NgeS 13.NxeS NxeS 14.exdSN Nxd3 I S.Qxd3 exdS 1 6.QxdS Bh2+ 17.Khl Be6 1 8.QhS Rad8 19.Nf3 RdS?! 20.NgS

On the surface this move serves the dual purpose of defending the queen while threatening mate, but White 's main objective is to create and exploit the weak pawn on e6.

20 •.. h6 2 1 .Nxe6 fxe6 22.Qe2 ReS 23.Be3 RefS 24.g3 Bxg3 2S.fxg3

Qxg3 26.Qg2 Rf3 27.Qxg3 Rxg3 28.Bxa7 RfS 29.Kh2 Rd3 30.Radl Rdf3 3 1 .Rgl RaS 32.Bd4 eS 33.Kg2 Rf6 34.Be3 Rxa2 3S.Bc1 e4 36.Rd8+ Kh7 37.Rel Rf3 38.c4 Rc3 39.Rd4 Rc2+

Black does well to get both rooks to the second rank, but there simply is no mating net to be found.

40.Kf1 Rh2 41 .Rdxe4 Ral 42.Kgl Rc2 43.Bd2 Rxel + 44.Bxel Rxb2 4S.Bc3 Rb3 46.Re3 bS 47.cS b4 48.Bd4 Rbl+ 49.Kg2 b3 SO.Re7 b2 S 1 .Rxg7+ 1-0

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Culbertson, Wayne (1 604) - Schechter, Neil (1 640)

St. Louis, MO, 1 992

5 3

l.d4 e 6 2.e3 Nf6 3.Bd3 d S 4.NO c S S.c3 c4 6.Bc2 Bd6 7.0-0 bS 8.Nbd2 Bb7 9.Qe2 Qc7 1 0.a4 a6 11.e4

This essential pawn break frees the queen bishop and will gain space in the center if allowed to advance to e5.

1l ... dxe4 1 2.Nxe4 Nbd7 l3.BgS NdS 14.axbS axbS I S.Rxa8+ Bxa8 16.Ral 0-0 17.Ra6 N7b6 1 8.Nxd6 Qxd6 1 9.Qe4

1 9.Ne5 is another thematic Colle System attacking line and Black must resist the temptation to play 1 9 .. . f6 because of 20.Qh5 fxe5 2 1 .Qxh7+ Kf7 22.Bg6#.

19 .•. g6 20.Qh4 Bb7 2 1.Ra7 Qb8 22.RaS Bc6 23.NeS Qb7 24.Be4

Ra8 2S.Rxa8+ Qxa8 26.Bcl ?

26.h3 ! ? sufficiently defends against the back rank mate and allows White to keep his pieces poised for attack after 26 .. . Qe8 27.Bd8.

26 ... Be8?

Black in tum should press his attack with 26 .. . Qa l 27.Qh6 Nxc3 28.Nxc6 (threatening 29.Ne7+ Kh8 30. Qf8#) Ne2+ 29.Kfl Qxc l + 30.Qxc l Nxc l .

27.Qh6 Qa4 28.Qd2 Qa7 29.h4 Qe7 30.Qh6 b4 3 1.cxb4 Qxb4 32.NO c3 33.bxc3 Qxc3 34.Bd2 Qal + 3S.Kh2 Qa7 36.NgS Nf6

(53)

White did not defend the g4 square on the previous move with 36.Ne5 and it is mandatory that he do so now with 37 .Bf3 . Instead he blunders.

37.Bf4?? Ng4+ 0-1

Stuart, Phil (1881) - Lorie, J. (1131)

1988

l.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.e3 d5 4.Nbd2 Bg7 5.Bd3 0-0 6.0-0 Nc6 7.c3 Re8 8.e4 e5 9.dxe5 Nxe5 1 0.Nxe5

The knight which started out grimly has finessed its way onto an imposing square on e5 . White quickly removes this annoying piece.

10 ..• Rxe5 11.f4 Re8 12.e5 Ng4 13.Nf3 c5 14.h3 Nh6 1 5.Be3 c4 1 6.Bc2

Bf5 17.Bd4 Bxc2 1 8.Qxc2 Nf5 19.Rael Ng3 20.Rfl as 2 1.Kh2 Ne4 22.Rfe2 b5 23.Nd2 Nxd2 24.Qxd2 Qd7 25.Qe3 b4 26.Qf3 Rab8 27.g4 bxc3 28.Qxc3 a4 29.Rf2 Qc7 30.Khl Bf8 3 1 .Qf3 Be7 32.Rfe2 Bb4 33.Rfl Qc6 34.f5 Rf8? 35.Qe3

Passive play by Black allows White to take the initiative.

35 ..• Bc5 36.Qh6

Threatening 37.f6 and mate on g7.

36 ... Rfe8 37.e6! f6 38.fxg6 Rb7 39.Rxf6 Rg7 40.gxh7+ Kh8 41.e7! 1-0

(54)

Practical PIt!) in _{The Colle System}

Berg, Peter (1467) - Gray, Douglas (l S44)

Arlington C.C., 1 990

5 5

1.d4 Nf6 2.NfJ d S 3.e3 e 6 4.Nbd2 c S S.c3 Nc6 6.Bd3 Be7 7.0-0 0-0 8.NeS NxeS 9.dxeS Nd7 1 0.NfJ f6 1l.exf6 Bxf6 1 2.Qc2 h6 13.Re1 eS 14.e4

The simple answer to Black's premature pawn advance is to strike back in the center with e4.

14 •.. c4?

If 14 .. . d4 then 1 5 .b4 attacks the pawn chain at its base.

lS.Bn Nb6 1 6.Be3 Qd6

16 .. . Bg4 ! ? is an interesting alternative for Black in an effort to slow White 's attack after 1 7.exd5 Bxf3 1 8 .gxf3 Qxd5 .

17.Rad1

Black's pawns on c4 and d5 are overextended largely as a result of Black's aggressive 1 3 .. . e5 pawn push.

17 •.. d4? 1 8.cxd4 exd4 1 9.Nxd4 Be6 20.Nxe6

White can win a piece with 20.e5 ! ? Qxe5 2 1 .Bc l Qxe l 22.Rxe l Bxd4 23 .Rxe6 Rxt2 24.Qxt2 Bxt2+ 2S.Kxt2 Kf7.

20 ••• Qxe6 21.Bxb6 Qxb6 22.Bxc4+ Kh8 23.b3 Bd4 24.Re2 Rad8

2S.Rn Rf4 26.eS Qc7 27.e6 Rh4?

Threatens mate, but Black should be more concerned with the advance of the passed e-pawn and play 27 .. . Qe7.

28.g3 Rh3 29.Kg2 RhS 30.e7 Qc6+ 31.Qe4 Re8 32.Qxc6 bxc6 33.Bti 1-0

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The Game is Afoot!

"It was on a bitterly cold night and frosty morning, towards the end of the winter of 1897, that I was awakened by a tugging at my shoulder. It was Holmes. The candle in his hand shone upon his eager, stooping face, and told me at a glance that something was amiss.

"'Come, Watson, come! ' he cried. 'The game is afoot. Not a word! Into your clothes and come ! '"

From The Adventure of the Abbey Grange by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, 1904.

Black employs a multitude of defenses to counter the Colle System including the Dutch Defense, the King's Indian Defense, the Pirc, the Benoni, the Tarrasch and the Queen's Indian Defense. Black invents an innovative array of symmetrical and asymmetrical lines and a few curious flank openings designed to unbalance the position, rattle White and shake things up. The solid Indian Defenses are effective alternatives to the d7 -d5 classical defenses to the Colle System and can prove to be very viable "anti-Colle" tactics that serve to alter the comfortable nature of the Colle setup.

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5 8 THE DOGS O F WAR Ferraiuolo, Jim (947) - LaMonica, Anthony (I S67)

Marshall CC, 2004

l .d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.e3 Bg7 4.Bd3 0-0 S.O-O d6 6.b3 Nbd7 7.Bb2 b6 S.Nbd2 Bb7 9.c4 cS 10.dS eS

Black adopts an unusual defense with both bishops fianchettoed and pawns on . . . c5 and . . . e5 .

1l .Ne4 Nxe4 1 2.Bxe4 fS 13.Bc2 Nf6 14.Nd2 NhS IS.e4 f4 1 6.Nf3 BcS I7.Bd3 Bg4 I S.Be2 Bxf3

The pawn structure dictates the course of any game. In this game, the pawn structure severely limits the scope of the bishops (especially White 's). Black has the only "good" bishop, but he improvidently trades it off.

19.Bxf3 Nf6 20.g4 gS 2 1 .Kg2 Kfi 22.Rh l RhS 23.h3 QeS 24.Qe2 Ke7 2S.a4 hS 26.Rh2 hxg4 27.hxg4 Rxh2+ 2S.Kxh2 Qg6 29.Rhl

RhS+ 30.Kgl Rxhl+ 3 1 .Bxhl Nd7 %-%

Schell, Chalmers (1 00S) - Smith, Floyd (1246)

Ohio Open, 1995

l .d4 dS 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.e3 BfS 4.Nbd2 e6 S.Be2 Be7 6.0-0 Nbd7 7.Rel a6 S.c3 0-0 9.Nfl cS 1 0.Ng3 Bg6 1l .Nh4 Be4 12.f3 Bg6 13.Nxg6 fxg6 14.Bd3