Newsgroups: rec.games.chess.analysis Path: info!dregis From: dregis@exeter.ac.uk (D.Regis) Subject: Re: Colle opening Message-ID: Organization: University of Exeter, UK. References: Date: Mon, 3 Feb 1997 12:21:57 GMT In article uck@netcom.com (Tom Chamberlain) writes: > >While old to chess, I'm relatively new to studying games/opening techniques, >and following the time tested advice to empasize on 1opening, for now I've >chosen the Colle opening. [...] >Also, and as a bit of a segue, what is an open opening and what is a closed >opening (besides an oxymoron)? What kind would a more tactical player >tend to prefer? Hi Tom After 1.e4 e5 White can and should aim to play d2-d4, giving an "open" game, where play strongly features, or is dominated by, tactics. After 1. d4 d5 White may find it slow and unprofitable to play e2-e4, so we get a more "closed" game, where play is slower and more strategical. However, this is purely a general guide: after 1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3. e4 e5 the game is already more open than the heavyweight main line of the Ruy Lopez with d4-d5 e.g. 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 O-O 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 Qc7 12. Nbd2 Nc6 13. d5 Nd8 (Karpov-Unzicker). And you have already discovered the Colle, which is an open interpretation of a closed start. >Therefore, I am asking for tactical player's favorite opening lines for >white. Will the Ruy do for me, or is there a more dynamic opening? >How does the Bird system rate? Or should I pursue something a little more >mainstream? I guess every tactical player has a different favourite opening! And it depends on your standard: tuppeny-hapenny openings that don't work at master level can give good business at club level, and the Colle is a good example of this. Most players start off playing the Italian Game with Bf1-c4 (e.g. 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 is the Giuoco Piano, and now 4. c3 gets the centre open), but there are some well-known ways to equalise and simplify against it. Many club players have adopted a gambit line instead: you can choose from the Evans' Gambit (1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4), the Scotch or Goring Gambits (1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 and now 4. Bc4 or 4. c3), or maybe the King's Gambit (1. e4 e5 2. f4). There are many viable defences to the King's Gambit but it's worth a punt. The Scotch Game with 4. Nxd4 is a fine opening, and guarantees a more open game than many lines of the Ruy Lopez. The Ruy itself has some heavyweight closed lines but a variation with an early (move 5./6.) d2-d4 may suit you. The Bird can get a nice attack going but may be a bit slow for a tactician. If you don't mind a slow overture before the tactics then this, or the King's Indian attack (Nf3/g3/Bg2/d3), are fine. Bird's has a counter-gambit, the From (1.f4 e5!?), which may put White more on the defensive than you would prefer. Many White players transpose here into the King's Gambit by 1. f4 e5 2. e4, and this invites immediate tactical complications. >However, I think I need to learn a much more tactical opening for white, as >I genuinely prefer the tactical nightmares that I can obtain as Black by >using the Sicilian or the MOdern Defense (?? - ..g6, 2)..Bg7 3)..d6). > I'm not sure I follow this, but the great attacking champion Mikhail Tal used to say he like playing against the Sicilian better than the Ruy Lopez, because it was easier to open up the game against it. For most attacking White players, the French is their least favourite defence. There have been two books published with the same title: An Opening Repertoire for the Attacking Club Player by (1) Keene and Levy, and (2) Edward Gufeld. The Keene/Levy title has been completely re-written since the first edition, and nearly all the recommended lines have changed. Each book recommends lines against all the Black defences and may give you a good start towards a repertoire. Generally, Keene and Levy in their second edition (KL2) have recommended a mix of recent fashions and less well-known continuations, whereas Gufeld has selected much more theoretical lines from a long-standing main stream. Both, therefore, may become dated rather quickly. Main line system for White after 1...e5 KL1: Scotch Gambit/Max Lange 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4 KL2: Scotch Game 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 EG: Vienna Game 1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Bc4 Philidor's Defence 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 KL1: main line with 3. d4 Nf6 4. Nc3 KL2: exchange system 3. d4 Nf6 4. dxe5 Nxe4 EG: Latvian Gambit 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 f5 KL1: main line with 3. Bc4 KL2: exchange system with 3. dxe4 EG: Alekhine's Defence 1. e4 Nf6 KL1: (can't remember) KL2: Exchange variation 1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. d4 d6 4. c4 Nb6 5. exd6 EG: Four Pawns' attack 1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. d4 d6 4. c4 Nb6 5. f4 Caro-Kann Defence 1. e4 c6 KL1: Gunderam attack 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. c4 Nf6 5. c5 KL2: Advance Variation 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 EG: Advance Variation 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 French Defence 1. e4 e6 KL1: (can't remember) KL2: Advance Variation with 5. Be3, 6. Qd2 EG: Advance Variation with 5. Nf3, 6. Be2 Nimzovitch Defence 1. e4 Nc6 KL1: (can't remember) KL2: (transpose into main system after 2...e5) EG: 1. e4 Nc6 2. d4 e5 3. dxe5 Nxe5 4. Nc3 and 5. Bf4, 6. Qd2 Pirc/Modern defence 1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6 KL1: Byrne Variation 4. Ng5 KL2: Byrne Variation 4. Ng5 EG: Austrian Attack 4. f4 Sicilian Defence 1. e4 c5 KL1: Alapin Variation 2. c3 KL2: Alapin Variation 2. c3 EG: Grand Prix attack 2. f4 HTH -- May your pieces harmonise with your Pawn structure and your sacrifices be sound in all variations D _ / "()/~ Dave Regis &8^D* Exeter Chess Coaching Page etc.: || \_/| = DrDave on BICS http://www.ex.ac.uk/~dregis/DR/chess.html ~\ / "...what else exists in the world but chess?" _|||__SHEU ~/sheu.html -- NABOKOV "Contribute!" -- Doug Attig From info!dregis Mon Feb 3 12:25:15 GMT 1997 Article: 5327 of rec.games.chess.analysis