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COLLE SYSTEM ZUKERTORT VARIATION, 5 b3 PDF
COLLE SYSTEM ZUKERTORT VARIATION, 5 b3 PDF
ZUKERTORT VARIATION, 5 b3
GM Andrew Soltis
ISBN: 0-87568-288-X
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION 5
The Other CoWe 5
CHAPTER ONE 14
Zukertort 5 b3 vs Koltanowski 5 c3 14
The c-pawn strategies 18
CHAPTER TWO 23
How White Wins 23
Stonewalling 31
CHAPTER THREE 45
How White Loses 45
Queenside Disasters 49
CHAPTER FOUR 57
Common Strategic Mistakes 57
(1) Black loses when he allows the 57
game to become focused on
White's bishops and their
dominating diagonals
(2) For White, the biggest mistake is 62
usually to lose control of e5
(3) One of the principal causes for 65
Black's downfall over the years is a
premature exchange of pawns on
d4
4 COLLE SYSTEM
ZUKERTORT VARIATION, 5 b3
CHAPTER FIVE 88
Main Line Zukertort Variation 5 b3 Analysis 88
1 d4 d5 2 e3 Nf6 3 Bd3 e6 4 Nf3 c5 5 b3 89
(A) 5...NC6 92
(B) 5...Nbd7 98
5
INTRODUCTION
The Other Colle
There are two faces to what we call the Colle System — but
many authorities recognize only one. Weighty tomes like The
Encyclopedia of Chess and The Oxford Companion to Chess,
and even the Russian Chess — Encyclopedic Dictionary, de
fine the Colle as an opening in which White puts pawns at d4,
e3, and c3.
But there's another version: the pawns remain at d4 and e3,
and the c-pawn is held back, while the c1 bishop is fianchet-
toed at b2. This simplifies the problem of how to get that
bishop into the game while giving White greater flexibility in
handling the center.
The variation is named after Johannes Hermann Zukertort, the
first player to demonstrate the wonderful attacking potential of
White bishops lined up on the b1-h7 and b2-g7 diagonals.
Here's a typical Zukertort-ure, from his 1883-84 tour of the
United States. His opponent in the game played at the Man
hattan Chess Club was one of the leading U.S. players for
three decades.
Zukertort - Judd
New York 1883
1 d4 e6
2 Nf3
As we'll see, there are many move orders by Black in the
Colle-Zukertort, but White usually gets by with a single se
quence: 1 d4, 2 e3, 3 Bd3 and 4 Nf3 — although in this book
we'll see a lot of other orders. Here his task is made easier by
Black's first move, which makes ...Bf5 impossible (compare
1.. .d5 2 Nf3 Nf6 3 e3 Bf5).
2 ... Nf6
3e3 d5
4 Bd3 Bd6
6 COLLE SYSTEM
ZUKERTORT VARIATION, 5 b3
But this thwarts that idea and fixes the e-pawn as well.
White's plan now is to bombard e6 with a bishop at b3 and
rooks on the e-file.
16 ... Bd7
This was Black's last chance for 16...c5 but he was probably
afraid of opening the diagonal for the b2-bishop.
17 b4! Kf7
To protect e6 but, as it turns out, this, and his next, only en
courage the winning breakthrough.
18 Bb3 a5
19 c5! Bc7
20 b5l
An excellent stroke. Black doesn't want to have his pieces
locked in by 21 b6 so he allows the center to be opened.
20 ... cxb5
21 d5
Now 21 ...exd5 22 Qxd5ch wins a piece (22...Be6 23 Q*f5ch).
21 ... Rad8
22 d6 Bc6
23 Qc3 Qg4
24 Rf2 b4
INTRODUCTION 9
The Other Colle
25 Qe5 Bb8
Colle - Grunfeld
Berlin 1926
1 d4 Nf6
2 Nf3 e6
3e3 b6
4 Bd3 Bb7
5 Nbd2 c5
10 COLLE SYSTEM
ZUKERTORT VARIATION, 5 b3
6 0-0 Be7
7 b3
But White can use his spatial edge to make specific threats,
including N*f7, N*e6 and d4-d5 followed by Nf5 after ...exd5.
16... g6
17 Nxf7! Kxf7
18 Qxe6ch Kg7
19 d5
White has excellent compensation besides two pawns for his
knight: Black's pieces, particularly the a8-queen and b7-
bishop, are frozen out of the game, while White has several
immediate (20 Q*d7) and long-range threats.
19 ... Nc5
20 Nf5ch!
Now on 20...gxf5 White crashes through with 21 Q*f5 Nxd3
22 Rxe7ch, e.g., 22...Rxe7 23 Qxf6ch Kg8 24 Qxe7 Nxb2 25
Rc3.
20 ... Kf8
21 Qe3 gxf5
As good or bad as anything.
22 Qh6ch Kf7
23 Bxf5
White isn't really interested in 24 Bxc8. His bishop is too
valuable since it will help him mate (24 Be6ch N*e6 25
d*e6ch or 24 B*h7 and 25 Qg7 mate). He's also saving
Rxe7ch for a more appropriate moment.
INTRODUCTION
The Other Colle
23... B*d5
Desperation.
24 Rxe7ch!
Like now: 24... K*e7 25 Q*f6 is mate.
24... Rxe7
25 Qxf6ch Ke8
26 Qh8ch Kf7
27 Bxc8
Black resigns.
CHAPTER ONE
Zukertort 5 b3 vs Koltanowski 5 c3
There are major differences between the Koltanowski and
Zukertort systems and they are primarily concerned with the
pawn structures. The Koltanowski employs a structure based
on solidity and stability — White enjoys rock-solid control of d4
because he has pawns at both e3 and c3. This comes at the
cost of some rigidity.
White surrenders some of that solidity in the Zukertort by con
trolling d4 with one pawn, at e3, plus the bishop at b2. This
means his queen bishop will probably have much greater
reach and flexibility. It also means that he will have holes at
c3 and a3 that Black can exploit. Usually the advantages of
the reach outweigh the holes.
Here's an illustration:
Donnelly - Gray
Correspondence 1992-3
1 Nf3
This is not a good way of reaching the Colle if that's your in
tention all along.
1 ... d5
2d4 Nf6
3e3 e6
4 Bd3 c5
5 b3 Nc6
6 0-0 Be7
7 Bb2 0-0
8 Nbd2
(see diagram on next page)
CHAPTER ONE 15
Zukertort 5 b3 vs Koltanowski 5 c3
Even though two pairs of pawns are off the board, White's in
tentions haven't varied much from the other Zukertort Variation
games we've seen so far. He's thinking of mate on h7 and
he'll use Rh3 and g2-g4-g5 to do it.
14 ... Bb7
15 Rh3 ge
16 Qe2 Rfd8
17 Re1
White hints at Nxf7/...Kxf7/Qxe6ch a la Colle-Grunfeld.
CHAPTER ONE 21
Zukertort 5 b3 vs Koltanowski 5 c3
17... Nf8
18 Ndf3 Bxf3
Otherwise 19 Ng5. Note that Black's queenside majority plays
no role and he'd be better off if he could have played ...b4-
b5!?*c4 at some point — making an illegal retreat of the
pawn.
19 Qxf3 Rac8
20 g4! Bd6
21 f5
White may have considered 21 g5 Nh5 22 R*h5 but the text,
threatening f*g6/Q*f6 has more immediate impact.
21 ...Bxe5
22 Rxe5 N6d7
23 fxg6 fxg6
24 Re2 Nb8
15 c4 Bb7
16 Rd1
In light of what explodes in the center now, Black should have
followed general principles and gotten his queen off the d-file
(16...Qc7).
16... Qd7
17 cxd5 e*d5
On 17 ... Bxd5 18 e4 opens lines nicely for White.
18 e4!
This still works here, thanks to the position of the d7-queen.
18... fxe4
19 Nxe4 Ne6
Of course not 19 ...d*e4?? 20 Bc4ch and 21 Rxd7. But how
is White going to meet the threat now 20...dxe4 — as well as
20 ...Nxf4 — here?
20 Qg4! Rxf4
Not 20...dxe4 21 Bc4 Q-moves 22 Bxe6ch.
21 Rxh7!
A remarkable shot, illustrating the power of the two White
bishops: 21 ...Kxh7 22 Nf6ch wins.
21 ... Rxg4
26 COLLE SYSTEM
ZUKERTORT VARIATION, 5 b3
22 Nf6ch Bxf6
23 Rxd7 Bc8
Otherwise White wins back oneof the enemy bishops with a
powerful endgame.
24 Rxd5 Be7
25 h3 Rh4
26 Bxg6 Nc7
This leads to a stunning finish.
27 Rd8ch! Bxd8
28 Rxd8ch Kg7
29 Bf5?
Now 29 ...Bxf5 30 e6ch Kg6 31 e7 Re4! b u t...
29 ... Bb7?
30 e6ch Kh6
31 e7
Black resigns. Since 31 ...Bc6 is met by 32 Rd6ch.
As we noted in the introduction, the Colle-Zukertort is more
flexible than the Colle-Koltanowski because of the options of
fered by White’s c-pawn. This is true whether or not White
plays Ne5 as in the last example.
In the Koltanowski we saw that White's best manner of
changing the pawn structure was the e3-e4 advance (with or
CHAPTER TWO 27
How White Wins
6 Be2
Black hastens to get his c8-bishop outside his center pawn
structure before he plays ...e6. This has the added benefit of
discouraging White from posting his own bishop — the one
that usually does the most kingside damage — on d3.
6 ... e6
7 0 -0 Bd6
8 Nbd2 0-0
9 h3 Bh5
10 dxc5 B*c5
11 c4
(see diagram on next page)
28 COLLE SYSTEM
ZUKERTORT VARIATION, 5 b3
18 Ne4 Qd8
19 Rxd5
Now 19...Qxd5 20 Qc2! and Rd1 gives White a slight pull
(20...f5 21 Ng5 h6 22 Rd1).
19... e*d5
20 Rd11 Qe8
21 Nxc5 Rxc5
22 b4 Rb5
This is a clumsy square for the rook but Black may have been
trying to avoid 22...Qb5 23 Qd2 Rc8 because of 24 a3 Rd8 25
Qd4 Qa4 26 Rd3 with the idea of 27 e4.
23 Qg4!
30 e4l
Of course, he can't play 30...Qxe4?? 31 Qxd6 or 30...dxe4??
31 Rxd6.
30 ... b6
31 Qd4 Qd7
32 Qd3l
CHAPTER TWO 31
How White Wins
This sets a final trap (38 Rd3? Q*f5) and avoids 37...Q*b5 38
h4.
38 Qd8ch! Kh7
39 Qd3 Qf4
40 e6l Qe5
The e-pawn helps decide after 40...f*e6 41 fxe6ch Kg8 42 e7
Qe5 43 Rc1 Q*e7 44 Rc8ch Kf7 45 Qc4ch Kg6 46 Qc2ch Kf6
47 Rc6ch.
41 exf7 Qf6
42 Qd7
Black resigns.
STONEWALLING
In that example we saw White exchanging on both d5 and c5.
This strategy can even be conducted successfully when White
has adopted a "Stonewall" pawn formation. This is a plan not
seen often in the Colle-Koltanowski — but the Zukertort ver
sion is a bit different.
32 COLLE SYSTEM
ZUKERTORT VARIATION, 5 b3
Barbalic - Mihalj
Yugoslav Correspondence 1979
1 d4 d5
2 Nf3 Nf6
3e3 c5
4b3 Nc6
5 Bb2 e6
6 Bd3 Bd6
7 0-0 0-0
8a3
This may seem a waste of time since its only apparent pur
pose is to prevent ...Nb4. Actually, it prepares a queenside
pawn march.
8 ... Qe7
9 Ne5
White must not permit ...e6-e5.
9 ... Rd8
10 Nd2 Nd7
11 f4
(see diagram on next page)
CHAPTER TWO 33
How White Wins
30 Be6ch Kh8
31 Raf1 Bxb5
White's rooks were going to penetrate at f8 or f7 in any event.
32 Rf7 Qxf7
33 Rxf7 Rxf7
34 Bxf7 Bd3
White has a variety of ways of winning — but he has to solve
the problem of activating his queen first.
35 h4 gxh3
36 Qxh3 Ne5
37 c6l Ba6
38 g6
Black resigns.
The exchange of two pairs of White pawns — d*c5 and cxd5
— can also bring about the notorious hanging Black pawns.
The status of these pawns is delicately perched between two
conditions: they are either a fixed weakness that can come
under withering fire from White rooks or they are a powerful
pawn-web that deeply influences the center in Black's favor.
Here's how White succeeds in making them the former.
36 COLLE SYSTEM
ZUKERTORT VARIATION, 5 b3
Rashkovsky - Aseev
Russian Championship 1994
1 d4 Nf6
2 Nf3 e6
3e3 b6
4 Bd3 Bb7
5 0-0 d5
6 b3 Nbd7
7 Bb2 Bd6
8 Ne5 0-0
9 Nd2 Ne4
White doesn't mind the doubling of his pawns on the e-file af
ter 11...N*e5 12 d*e5 Bc5 because then the d5-pawn be
comes a target after Qe2/Rd1/c2-c4.
12 Radi f6
"What's good for the goose" (10 f3) should be good for the
gander, Black reasons.
13 Nxd7 Q*d7
14 c4
We have a different version of symmetry after ...Rad8. For
the next few moves each side waits for an indication of enemy
intentions in the center. Who will make the first pawn cap
ture?
14... Qc7
15 h3 Rad8
16 Qc2 g6
The first deviation from symmetry (16...h6) encourages White
to force matters.
17 cxd5 exd5
Clearly Black cannot continue 17...cxd4 18 Qxc7 Bxc7 19
dxe6 because of the threat of 20 e7. But 17...Bxd5 18 e4
Bb7 was a reasonable possibility.
18 dxc5 bxc5
38 COLLE SYSTEM
ZUKERTORT VARIATION, 5 b3
This is what White aimed for with the double pawn trade. To
gether on the same rank, the pawns have much greater
strength than when one is advanced. Now 19...d*e4 20 B*e4
would leave him with an exploitable, isolated c5-pawn.
19... d4
Now White has a majority of kingside pawns that will expand.
20 Bc1! Bc8
21 f4 Kg7
With the c4-g8 diagonal now open, the king should be safer
here, Black thinks. But White's next maneuver proves him
wrong.
22 Qf2! Be6
23 Qh4
White threatens 24 f5 and 25 Bh6ch.
23 ... Rf7?
After the proper 23... Kg8, White can maintain his initiative with
24 f5! g*f5 25 e*f5 e.g., 25...Bd5 26 Bh6 Rf7 27 Rde1 and
then 27...Bg3 28 Qg4ch Kh8 29 Re6.
24e5l
CHAPTER TWO 39
How White Wins
31 Rg5l a4
32 Rf3 axb3
33 axb3 Rxf6
There was no other defense to the threat of 34 Rfg3 and 35
Rg8 mate.
34 Be5l Rxe5
35 Rxf6 Rxg5
36 Qxg5 Be7
37 Rf7
Black forfeits.
On the other hand ... White can end up with the hanging
pawns himself because of the prospect of ...cxd4/exd4 as
40 COLLE SYSTEM
ZUKERTORT VARIATION, 5 b3
So it took White two moves to get his pawn to the fourth rank
while it took Black two moves to shift his queen to c7: the two
lost tempi balance out.
8 ... dxc4
9 b*c4 Be7
10 Bb2 cxd4
This apparently routine capture is an error here, since White
gets more immediate use out of the e-file than Black gets in
the form of pressure against c4. Since White wasn't ready to
do anything with his d4-pawn, Black should have waited.
11 exd4 0-0
12 Nbd2 b6
13 Rc1 Bb7
White can begin calculating the consequences of d4-d5 al
ready. Here, for example, 14 d5 exd5 15 cxd5 Nxd5 16 Nd4!
42 COLLE SYSTEM
ZUKERTORT VARIATION, 5 b3
Black saw that 18...Qh6 was the wrong idea here because of
19 Rxe7! and 20 Rh4.
19 Ne4 Qh6
20 Bc1 Qg6
21 Bd2
White shields the d-file and protects the b1-bishop so that it
threatens to discover an attack on the queen (22 Nc5; 22
Neg5).
CHAPTER TWO 43
How White Wins
21 ... f5l
22 Ng3 Kh8
23 Qb3 Ba8
24 h3!
17 Bxe4 d*e4
18 Nh2 Be6
28 f4 Kf6
29 Kf2 Ke7
30 Ke1 f5
White is playing without his knight from now on since 31 Nf 1,
B*f1 is a lost king-and-pawn endgame.
31 Kd2 Kd6
32 g4 g6
33 h4 h5l
34 g5 Kc5
But this was the other Black threat. The exchange of bishops
gives Black excellent queenside chances against the c2-pawn
and the c3-hole.
11 B*a3 Qxa3
12 Ndf3?
Much better is 12 c3!, safeguarding the queenside before it
comes under too great an enemy assault.
Then White should have a free hand for f2-f4 followed by Rf3
or f4-f5. For example, 12 c3! Bd7 13 f4 Qd6 14 Rf3 Rfc8 15
Qe1 a6 and Qh4.
12 ... Bd7
Black has ...Rac8 and ...Nb4 in mind. It's not too late for 13
c3 but that would leave his rook to defend the a-pawn.
13 N*c6 Bxc6
Black has one (minor) positional problem and that is the "bad"
bishop at c6. But he solves the problem in a nice manner.
14 Qd2
Preparing a bad idea. Afterwards 14 Qc1, followed by Ne5
and Qe3 if Black avoids a queen trade, was recommended.
14... Rac8
15 c3?
CHAPTER THREE 51
How White Loses
White's last chance was to block the file with 22 Nc5!, al
though with 22...e5, Black is clearly doing well.
22... Qa5
23 a4
The obvious drawback to this way of stopping ...Nb5 is the
creation of yet another weak pawn at b3.
23... Qb6
This effectively ends the strategic battle, after which a brief
tactical series brings the game to its close. White is also last
after 24 b4 a5 25 b5 Nc4 or 24 Rb1 Nf5 25 Red f6 26 Ng4
e5.
24 Nd3 Q*b3
25 Ne5 Qb6
26 Rb2 Qa7
27 Qe1
27... b6
White's mini-initiative is over and Black can resume the attack,
this time against a4 as well as c3.
28 Nd3 Rc4
29 a5
Or 29 Ra2 Qc7 30 Ra3 b5! 31 axb5 N*b5 winning another
White pawn.
CHAPTER THREE 53
How White Loses
29... b*a5
30 Nc5 Nb5
31 Re2 N»d4!
A nice combination that strikes at the very foundation of the
Colle System, the d4-pawn.
32 cxd4 R8*c5
White resigned when saw that he will remain three pawns
down (33 dxc5 Q*c5ch).
White should always be looking for opportunities on the king-
side — but with one eye on the queenside, where Black has
his best chance for a breakthrough.
The center is usually closed or semi-open in the Colle-Zuker-
tort and this enables White to perform some elaborate maneu
vers and execute long-range plans denied him when the cen
ter is open. But, at the same time, he risks having his pieces
turn out to be badly misplaced if the queenside turns out to be
just as much of a battleground as the kingside.
Here's an example of Black winning a skirmish on the queen
side that leads to a final battle on the kingside.
Chiburdananidze - Galliamova
Women's Candidates Match 1995
1 d4 d5
2 Nf3 Nf6
3e3 eS
4 Bd3 c5
5 b3 Nc6
6 Bb2 Bd6
7 0 -0 0-0
8a3 b6
9 Nbd2 Bb7
10 Qe2 Qe7
54 COLLE SYSTEM
ZUKERTORT VARIATION, 5 b3
11 Ne5 Rac8
White didn't want to play c2-c4, which would have been con
sistent with the dxe5 recapture, out of fear of allowing Black to
CHAPTER THREE 55
How White Loses
open the long b7-f3 diagonal. But now Black gains valuable
space on the queenside and drives White's light-squared
bishop out of play.
18 Be2 Qc5
Now 19 Bd4 Qxa3 costs a pawn.
19 b4 c3!
White can't afford 20 b*c5 c*d2 21 c*b6 R*c2.
20 Qe1 Qc7
21 Bc1 f6
With both of White's bishops out of commission right now,
Black senses it is time to strike on the kingside.
22 e*f6 R*f6
23 Rh5?! Qf7
24 Qh4 Rf8
25 g4
25 ... g5!
Thanks to the problems he created for White's bishops with
...c4-c3, Black can now seize a decisive initiative on the king-
side.
26 Qh3 Qg7
The f4-square now falls to Black and the b8-h2 diagonal is
opened.
56 COLLE SYSTEM
ZUKERTORT VARIATION, 5 b3
27 fxg5 Rxflch
28 Bxf1 Qf7
29 Qg2 d4l
And it's Black's bishops who have the final say (30 e4 B*e4 31
Q*e4 Q*f1 mate).
30 Qe2 Ba6
31 b5 Bxb5
32 g6 Qxflch
White resigns.
CHAPTER FOUR
Common Strategic Mistakes
There are so many ways of losing on either side of the Colle-
Zukertort that we can only touch on the major mistakes here.
(1) Black loses when he allows the game to become
focused on the White bishops and their diagonals.
Yusupov- Scheeren
Plovdiv, 1983
1 d4 Nf6
2 Nf3 e6
3e3 c5
4 Bd3 d5
5 b3 Nbd7
6 Bb2 b6
7 0-0 Bb7
8 Ne5l a6?
Black is too concerned about stopping Bb5 and preparing
...b5 — and begins to lose the thread.
9 Nd2 b5
10 N*d7 Q*d7
11 d*c5
Well timed. He stops ...c4 and opens an excellent line for his
b2-bishop. True, White helps Black's f8-bishop get developed
quickly but he has a major problem defending g7.
58 COLLE SYSTEM
ZUKERTORT VARIATION, 5 b3
11 ... B*c5
12 Qf3l Be7
13 Qg3 0-0
14 Nf3
17 Radi
Also good was 17 Qf4, to continue the assault on f6.
17 ... Nh7?
18 Qxh5l
Pretty: 18...gxh5 19 B*h7 mate.
18 ... Bxg5
19 B*g6
And now 19...fxg6 20 Qxg6ch and mate next.
19 ... f6
20 f4 Qg7
21 fxg5 Nxg5
22 h4!
60 COLLE SYSTEM
ZUKERTORT VARIATION, 5 b3
The game is over after either 22... Nh7 23 Rd4! and 24 Rg4 or,
as play went, 22...Ne4 23 B*e4 d*e4 24 Rf4! and Black re
signs.
One of the most dangerous mistakes for Black is to allow his
opponent the two-bishop advantage. And one of the best
things about the "2 Bs" is that you can trade off one of the
bishops favorably. Here's an illustration of that.
Rubinstein • Kostic
Goteborg, 1920
1 d4 e6
2 Nf3 Nf6
3 e3 c5
4 Bd3 d5
5 0-0 Nc6
9 ... b6
10 Re1 Bb7
11 e4
White gets the big break in first and, as a result, obtains the
advantage in space.
11 ... dxe4
12 N*e4 c*d4?
Inexact, as White demonstrates. Black hoped that, by trading
three pairs of minor pieces and two pairs of center pawns, he
would eliminate White's attacking chances. But 12...N*e4
was the proper order.
13 N*d4 N*d4
14 Nxd6! Qxd6
15 Bxd4
Black can't take on d4 because of Bxh7ch. He should take
some precaution now to safeguard his kingside (15...Qe7) but
thinks that, by doubling on the d-file, he will force White into
damaging retreats or exchanges.
15... Rfd8?
16 Bxf6 gxf6
17 Qg4ch Kh8
18 Bxh7l
This is what Black overlooked. The point is 18...Kxh7 allows
19 Re3! and 20 Rh3ch.
62 COLLE SYSTEM
ZUKERTORT VARIATION, 5 b3
18 ... f5
19 Qh5 Kg7
20 Re3 Qf4
21 Rg3ch Kf8?
Remarkably enough, Black can survive after 21...Kf6!.
White's best chance then is 22 Rf1, protecting against ...Rd2,
and setting up Rg6ch!, e.g., 22...Rd2 23 Rg6ch! f*g6 24
Qxg6ch Ke7 25 Qg7ch K-moves 26 Q*b7.
22 Rg8ch Ke7
23 Rg7 Rf8
Kuruccial - Lakatos
Hungarian Correspondence
1 Nf3 Nf6
2d4 e6
3e3 d5
4 Nbd2 c5
5 b3 Nc6
6a3
Once again this odd-looking move that may prepare d*c5 and
b2-b4.
6 ... Bd6
7 Bb2 0-0
8 Bd3 b6
9 0 -0 Bb7
10 Qe2 Rc8
11 h3?
And again this "country" move loses time. Black now develops
a mini-initiative against the c2-pawn.
11 ... c*d4
For once, this exchange is well-timed.
12 exd4 Ne7!
13 Ne5 Qc7
64 COLLE SYSTEM
ZUKERTORT VARIATION, 5 b3
14 f4 Ne4!
21 c5 b*c5
22 Nxf4? cxd4
23 Qd3 Ne3
24 Rf2 g5!
The game is virtually decided by this.
25 Qxd4 Qxd4
26 Bxd4 gxf4
27 Bxa7 Nd5
28 b4 Kf7!
All of Black's pieces will coordinate now in the final attack, on
92.
29 Bc5 Rg8
30 a4 Rg3
31 Kg1 Rcg8
32 Raa2 f3
33 Bd6 Rxg2ch
White resigns.
(3) One of the principal causes for Black's downfall over the
years is a premature exchange of pawns on d4.
This is a difficult problem for Black because often ...cxd4 is
essential to his counterplay. The question is not whether, but
when, to do it. Alexander Alekhine once said, "Oddly enough,
this exchange" is made "even by very experienced players."
66 COLLE SYSTEM
ZUKERTORT VARIATION, 5 b3
Kosten - Dickenson
Northampton, 1984
1 d4 d5
2 Nf3 e6
3 e3 c5
4 b3 c»d4?
11 Ne5!
23 Rf6l Kh8
The justification of the blocking rook move is that 23... Bxf6 24
e*f6 wins the trapped knight. But the main function of 23 Rf6
was to gain time for Qh3 and mate on h7 after Bxg7.
24 Qh3 Rg8
Now 25 N*f7ch would win eventually b u t...
25 N*h7!
CHAPTER FOUR 69
Common Strategic Mistakes
Black resigns.
There is no defense to 26 Ng5 and 27 B*g7ch.
As we've seen, a major trouble with ...c*d4 is that White
usually gets more out of the e-file than Black gets from the c-
file. But Black also loses the possible option of ...e6-e5 —
while giving White the option of using his queenside majority.
Here's a case in point.
Rubinstein - Metger
Ostende, 1907
1 d4 d5
2 Nf3 c5
3 e3 e6
4 Bd3 Nf6
5 b3 Nc6
6 Bb2 cxd4?l
7 e*d4 Bd6
8 0—0 0—0
9 Re1 b6
This takes away c5 from Black's knight and hints at the use of
White's queenside pawns (a3-a4-a5).
15... a5
This solves one problem but creates a potential weakness on
b6.
16 b5 Nc5
17 Bd4l Ne7
18 Nf3 N*d3
19 c*d3
(see diagram on next page)
CHAPTER FOUR 71
Common Strategic Mistakes
4 Bd3 Bb7
5 0-0 dS?!
11 Qf3 Ne8
74 COLLE SYSTEM
ZUKERTORT VARIATION, 5 b3
23 Qg4 Qd5
24 h4 Qf5
25 Qd1 Qd5
26 Qg4 Qf5
27 Qd1 Qd5
28 Qe2l
35 Rh3?
Now Black gets back into it.With 35 Qc1 White is still much
better.
35 ... f4!
36 Rh4 fxe3
37 Kh2?
And this loses. With 37 Qe2 the game goes on.
37 ... Bf5
38 Qe2 Qd2
39 Qf1 Ke6l
40 Rxe4 Bxe4
White resigns.
CHAPTER FOUR 77
Common Strategic Mistakes
9 ... Bxc5
10 Qe2 0-0
11 e4
21 ... e5
22 fxe5 Nxe5
Not 22...Rxe5 23 Nf3 Re6 24 g5 and the long diagonal is de
cisive.
23 Rxf6! Qxf6
24 d7
This is what Black overlooked: White ends up with two minor
pieces for rook and pawn. In theory, material will be in bal
ance, but in practice the rook is often not a match in the mid-
dlegame.
24 ... Nxd7
25 Qxf6 Nxf6
26 Bxf6 Rc6
27 g5 h6
28 h4 Bc8
29 Nf3 h5
Black now sees that openingthe h-file only sets up a mating
threat for White (K-moves and Rh1-h8).
30 Nd4 Rc7
31 Kf2 Bb7
32 a4 Kf8
33 Nf3 Bc8
34 Be5 Rd7
35 Bd4 Re6
CHAPTER FOUR 81
Common Strategic Mistakes
36 Kg3 Kg8
37 Kf4
5 0-0 Nc6
6 b3 Bd6
7 Bb2 0-0
14 Ndf3
Here White misses a great chance to use the dxc5/e3-e4 plan,
e.g., 14 d*c5 Bxc5 15 b4 Bb6 16 Kh1 and e3-e4.
14... f6
15 Ng4
And here he lets slip another opportunity in the form of 15 Nh4
followed by g2-g4-g5. The main strategic point is to stop
...Bg6. And the main tactical point is that 15...f*e5 16 f*e5
Bc7 invites 17 R*f8ch Kxf8 18 Bxh7 followed by a rook or
knight check and (17...Q*f8 18 Rf1 Qe7 19 B*h7ch K*h7 20
Nf5ch)
15 ... Bg6!
After this White's attack peters out.
16 Bxg6 Nxg6
17 dxc5 Bxc5
18 Nd4
(see diagram on next page)
84 COLLE SYSTEM
ZUKERTORT VARIATION, 5 b3
This meets the threat of 18...N*f4 and makes its own threat of
19N*e6Q*e6? 20 Nh6ch.
18... f5!
19 Nxc6 bxc6
20 Ne5 Nxe5
21 Bxe5l? Bxa3l
Black can safely grab this pawn because ...Bd6xe5 or ...e5
will reduce White's last kingside chances to nothingness.
22 Rf3 Bd6
23 Bb2 Rf8
24 Ra6 Rac8
25 Rg3 Rf7?
26 Qh6!
Black missed his winning chance (25...e5!) and now must deal
with the threat of 27 Bxg7 Rxg7 28 Rxg7ch Qxg7 29 Qxe6ch.
CHAPTER FOUR 85
Common Strategic Mistakes
26... e5
This leads to a major liquidation that enabled White to draw
after 27 f*e5 B*e5 28 Bxe5 Qxe5 29 Rxc6 Rfc7 30 Qf6! Qxf6
31 Rxf6 RxC2 32 Rxf5 Rd2 33 h4 , etc.
(5) It is often a mistake for Black to post his queen at c7
when White can favorably open the c-file with c2-c4.
Even Akiba Rubinstein, an expert at handling the White pieces
in the Zukertort, once succumbed to this error. At the Carls
bad tournament of 1907 he played the system three straight
times with White and performed well. But a few months later:
Freiman - Rubin' in
Lodz, 190?
1 d4 d5
2 Nf3 e6
3 e3 c5
4 b3 Nf6
5 Bd3 Nc6
6 0-0 Bd6
7 Bb2 Qc7?l
8 c4! dxc4
9 Bxc4 cxd4
Compounding the c-file error. Black should try 9...a6 to avert
Nb5.
86 COLLE SYSTEM
ZUKERTORT VARIATION, 5 b3
10 e*d4 0-0
11 Nc3
It's too late now: 11...a6 12 d5! favors White.
11 ... Nb4
12 Nb5 Qe7
13 Ne5 a6
14 N*d6 Qxd6
White now restrains Black's development and gains time to
make threats against h7. Black's iron control of d5 isn't
enough.
Qf3 Rb8
Ba3! a5
17 Radi b5
18 Bd3 Bb7
19 Qh3 Rfd8
20 Rfe1 Qd5
Threatening 21...N*d3. But Black fails to notice that White's
next move also contains a threat of its own.
21 Bb1 Rbc8?
(see diagram on next page)
CHAPTER FOUR 87
Common Strategic Mistakes
22 Ng4!
Simple but strong . Now 22...Qg5 23 N*f6ch Q*f6 24 Qxh7ch
Kf8 would have been relatively best.
22 ... Nxg4
23 Bxh7ch Kf8
24 Be4! Qd7
25 Bxb7 Qxb7
26 Qxg4 Rc2?
Black was also lost after 26...Kg8 27 Re3 but it would have
taken a while.
27 Qh4 Qa8
28 d5l Rcc8
Admitting his 26th move was an error. Naturally, 28...Rxd5??
29 Qh8ch and 30 Qxa8 couldn't be played.
29 dxe6 fxe6
30 Bb2 Kf7
This meets the immediate threat of g7 (31 Qh8ch) but White
can also win with quiet moves.
31 Qg4
Black resigns.
CHAPTER FIVE
Main Line Zukertort Variation Analysis
Before we get into specific lines, we should consider move or
der. The most natural way of playing the Colle is 1 d4
followed by 2 Nf3 and then 3 e3. This sequence may have a
psychologist wondering where the opening is headed.
For example:
1 d4 Nf6
2 Nf3
Oops, now what? Black will play ...c7-c5 at some point but
what does he do with his d-^ ° He may be reluctant to
play into the main line of the Coi^*.ukertort, with ...d7-d5, but
he doesn't have that much choice.
With 3...d5 we have the main line Zukertort. The chief alter
native strategy for Black is to play ...c7-c5 and develop the c8-
bishop on b7, while delaying a decision about what to do with
the d-pawn. For example, 3...b6 4 Bd3 Bb7 5 0-0 Be7 6 b3
0-0 7 Bb2 c5, and now White has a choice between 8 c4,
which may lead to a pair of pawn exchanges after 8...c*d4 9
e*d4 d5 and the more cautious 8 Nbd2 Nc6 9 d*c5 b*c5 10
e4 d6 as in Onischuk-Lautier, Biel 1996.
On the other hand, there is this popular opening sequence of
moves:
1 d4 d5
Note that Black is preparing to seize the key diagonal, d3-h7,
with his c8-bishop. For that reason, we recommend:
2e3
(see diagram on next page)
90 COLLE SYSTEM
ZUKERTORT VARIATION, 5 b3
3 Bd3 e6
4 Nf3 c5
By putting some pressure on d4, this begins a struggle for the
dark squares. Black can quickly get into trouble after, say,
4...g6 5 b3 Bg7 6 Ba3! and now 6...Nbd7 7 Nbd2 c5 8 0-0 0 -
0 9 c4 (Yusupov-Sosonko, Tunis 1985) 9...b6 10 cxd5 Nxd5
11 Ne4 or 10...exd5 11 Rc1, with pressure on the queenside
in either case.
5b3
Black "threatened" to drive the bishop off the d3-h7 diagonal
with 5...c5. The alternative way of dealing with that is 5 c3,
the Koltanowski Variation. As we've seen in the previous
chapters there are many ideas in common in the Zukertort and
Koltanowski, but also quite a few that are different.
The major choices facing Black are what to do with his bishops
and b8-knight. We'll begin with the most natural spot for that
knight:
(A)
5 ... Nc6
We saw in Chapter Two that 5...Qa5ch 6 c3 is only a minor
annoyance, since Black will spend another tempo later on to
get a better square for the queen and this will match the
tempo that White spends on c3-c4. Similarly, 5...cxd4 6 e*d4
Bb4ch 7 c3 manages to temporarily block White's b2-g7
diagonal. But this turns out to favor White after 7... Bd6 8 0-0
Nc6 9 Qe2 Qc7 10 Re1 0-0 11 Ne5 b6 and now 12 Bg5! is
better than the b2 development and works excellently in
coordination with Qf3-h3. threatening Bxf6 and mate on h7.
Black can also vary slightly from the main line by developing
his bishop at d6 or e7 at the sixth move. But this will almost
certainly transpose into our main lines. The most substantive
alternative to 5...Nc6 is the development of the knight at d7,
which we'll consider in section (B) below.
6 0 -0
7 Bb2
You'll find some opponents who will insert ...cxd4 at move six
or seven because they want the center clarified. This is pre
mature because after 7...cxd4 8 exd4 0-0 White can choose
between 9 c4 preparing c4-c5 and creating a queenside pawn
majority or 9 Re1 and Ne5, using the half-open e-file effec
94 COLLE SYSTEM
ZUKERTORT VARIATION, 5 b3
7 ... 0-0
Black can also anticipate White's next move with 7...Qe7
threatening ...e6-e5 as well as ...cxd4 and ...Ba3. Then 8
Ne5 0-0 9 Nd2 cxd4 10 exd4 Ba3 11 Bxa3 Qxa3 12 c3 and
f2-f4 is fine for White, as noted in Chapter Two.
Note also the move 7...Nb4, which seems to drive the bishop
off the key diagonal at a gain of time. However, White will get
the tempo back after 8 Be2 and 9 a3 — since the move a2-a3
is useful to him as we'll see.
For example, 7...Nb4 8 Be2 0-0 9 a3 Nc6 10 Nbd2 and now
10...Qe7 11 Ne5! Bxe5 12 dxe5 Nd7 13 f4 f5 14 c4! with ad
vantage to White (Rubinstein-Treybal, Baden-Baden 1925) or
10...b6 11 Ne5 Ne7 12 Bd3 Bb7 13 Qf3 Rc8 14 Qh3 ditto
(Rubinstein-Bogolyubov, Match 1920).
MAIN LINE ZUKERTORT VARIATION ANALYSIS 95
8a3
Now, the capture on d4 eases White's attack and gives Black
little in the way of pressure on the c-file. For instance,
8...c*d4 9 exd4 b6 10 Nbd2 Bb7 11 Qe2 Qc7 12 Ne5 Ne7 13
f4 Rac8 and with 14 Rac1! g6 15 g4! followed by c2-c4 White
gets an edge as in Alekhine-Rosselli, Zurich 1934.
8 ... b6
10 Nd2
10... Qe7
If Black bides his time with moves like 10...a6 and 11...b5,
White starts his attack with 11 f4 and Qf3-h3.
11 f4
White's queenside is secure, thanks to 8 a3, and he has good
reason to turn attention to the kingside. Now, in most situa
tions, he will retake on e5 with the f-pawn.
11 ... Rfd8
Note that if Black tries to oust the e5-knight with 11...Nd7,
White has one of the prettiest and most famous of combina
tions — the double bishop sacrifice: 12 Nxd7 Q*d7 13 d*c5
Bxc5 14 Bxh7ch K*h7 15 Qh5ch and 16 Bxg7! followed by a
queen check and Rf3-h3ch.
12 Rf3 Ne4l
(see diagram on next page)
MAIN LINE ZUKERTORT VARIATION ANALYSIS 97
Black blocks the key diagonal and forces White to conduct the
attack in a different manner. After other moves White's attack
becomes stronger, e.g., 12...Rac8 13 Rh3, threatening,
among other things, N*c6 followed by dxc5, B*f6 and
B*h7ch.
13 Rh3
If White becomes greedy with 13 N*e4 d*e4 14 B*e4 then
Black has 14...Nxe5l.
13 ... f5
14 Bxe4l
Now 14...Bxe5 15 Bxf5 costs Black a pawn.
14... d*e4
15 Qh5
We are following Euwe-Rubinstein, Mahrisch-Ostrau 1923 in
which White gained the upper hand since Black cannot play
98 COLLE SYSTEM
ZUKERTORT VARIATION, 5 b3
6 Bb2
An attempt to contest control of e5 with 6...Bd6 7 0-0 Qc7
works nicely if White cooperates (8 Nbd2 e5!).
MAIN LINE ZUKERTORT VARIATION ANALYSIS 99
7 0-0 Bb7
The natural continuation by both White and Black so far.
8 Ne5
This is most accurate since it prevents Black from blocking the
attack lines with 8...Ne4 (which now would be met by 9 Bb5!
100 COLLE SYSTEM
ZUKERTORT VARIATION, 5 b3
9 Nd2
Again ...Ne4 is discouraged because 9...Ne4 10 Bxe4! dxe4
11 N*d7 and 12 Nc4 would favor White's knight over the en
emy bishop.
9 ... b5
10Nxd7
White acts to simplify the center before ...c5-c4 pushes him
backward and gives Black too much operating room on the
queenside. Now on 10...N*d7 11 d*c5 11...N*c5 Black is
doing well but 11 c4! appears more promising. For example,
11...d*c4 12 b*c4 b4 13 Be4 gives White a slight pull and
11...b*c4 12 bxc4 cxd4 13 exd4 dxc4 14 Nxc4 Be7 15 Re1
does the same.
10... Qxd7
11 dxc5
MAIN LINE ZUKERTORT VARIATION ANALYSIS 101
Now 12 B*f6 g*f6 only helps Black out. The right way to at
tack the neglected kingside is:
12 Qf3
The queen is headed for g3, where it exerts great power
against g7, or for h3, where it sets the tables for mate on f7.
Note that 12...d4 could be met now by 13 Ne4, e.g.,
13...N*e4 14 B*e4 B*e4 15 Q*e4 Rd8 (else Q*a8ch or e*d4)
16 Radi with advantage.
12... Qe7
We saw the consequences of 10...Be7, the other way of
meeting 11 B*f6 in the Yusupov-Scheeren game in Chapter
One.
13 Qg3 0-0
(see diagram on next page)
102 COLLE SYSTEM
ZUKERTORT VARIATION, 5 b3
14 a3
This prevents 14...Ba3 and confers some superiority on
White. He will continue Nf3 and either Nd4 or Ne5. He need
not change the pawn structure in the center except for f2-f4 to
get his f1-rook into the game via f3.
NOTES
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