Colle-Zukertort System: Attack & Enjoy!

How to play the Colle-Zukertort System? Is it a sound opening choice for an attacking chess player? Is it a good option for a beginner or it works better for a club level player? How to attack with white in this opening? What is the best defense for black against it? Is there a good model game to help me understand the Colle-Zukertort System? - those and more questions this video is trying to answer!

In this video, for the first time, I got the opportunity to say something about Magnus's attitude towards his opponents, for which he is generally perceived either as a true gentleman or justified as a genius. While I can agree that he certainly possesses extraordinary intellectual and creative power, especially in our chess world, the way he is treated as a person is a strange phenomenon to me, to say the least.

However, that part is only related to the game model, in which 1. e3 can be found, taken as a possible way of underestimating the opponent. But the story was presented to the audience only to show that one could play the Colle-Zukertort system using a different order of moves, even starting with move 1. e3.

Here you can find the basic setup for White and Black and how White's attack usually develops. There is the typical Ne5, followed by f4 and the rook lift, but also the move Qf3 followed by Qh3, which is known from the Susan Polgar's opus.

This is not a system that can be taken from a pawn-structure strategy perspective, as there is one unique structure, which later develops into a kingside attack by playing f2-f4 (possibly f4-f5 later). But the higher-level strategy is non-existent, as the game quickly takes a tactical turn after the opening. That's why I'd suggest it to those players of beginner/intermediate and club level. (In the beginning of the video I am mentioning that the system helped me to get my FIDE master title.)

💡 THEMES

- Introduction: why to play the Colle-Zukertort?
- How it can be reached?
- Main features of the Colle-Zukertort:
a) c2-pawn does not move (the reason is provided)
b) Ne5 and the attack starts
c) f2-f4 or Qf3-Qh3
d) in case black captures on e5, should it be recaptured with the d- or f-pawn?
e) best option for Black
f) the model game and "guess the move" moments
- Takeaways/guidelines from the model game
- The model game's background
- Alternatives to get to the Colle-Zukertort
- When we shouldn't use the System?

🔥 CHAPTERS

0:00 Introduction
0:48 Move order
2:10 The c2-pawn stays!
2:59 Nf3-e5 starts the attack!
3:20 Be careful with f2-f4
3:50 Attack from the model game
5:16 Find the winning move (1)
5:57 Find the winning move (2)
7:20 Find the winning move (3)
7:53 Take-aways (key points, guidelines)
9:22 When the Colle-Zukertort doesn't work?
10:45 The story behind the model game
12:02 Alternatives to get into the System

🔍 MODEL GAME

Aleksandar Kekenj [YUG] (2215) - Nicolas Templier [FRA] (2145)
Oropesa del Mar, 1998
(Colle-Zukertort System)
1.e3 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. b3 c5 4. Bb2 Be7 5. d4 O-O 6. Bd3 Nc6 7. O-O d5 8. Nbd2 b6 9. a3 Bb7 10. Ne5 Nxe5 11. dxe5 Nd7 12. Qg4 a6 13. f4 g6 14. f5 exf5 15. Rxf5 b5 16. Raf1 Qb6 17. Rh5 Bc8 18. Bf5 Qc6 19. Rf3 Nb6 20. e6 Bxe6 21. Bxg6 fxg6 22. Qxg6+ 1-0

Level of chess understanding required: Beginner/Intermediate.

#collezukertort
#chessopenings

🔊 JOIN THE CONVERSATION

[ReflectionOcean]

- Utilize an attacking setup to simplify development and gameplay (0:00).

- Develop your pieces consistently within the system for familiarity (0:08).

- Embrace the ease of learning this setup to avoid heavy opening theory (0:30).

- Respond to opponents' threats like C4 with specific movements such as B3 (1:33).

- Keep the C2 pawn stationary to maintain a strong center during attacks (2:16).

- Begin kingside attacks with the move Knight E5, aiming to advance the F pawn (2:58).

- Prefer to recapture with the F pawn after trades on E5 to open the F file (3:13).

- Watch for Black's E4 square usage to counter it effectively (3:22).

- Involve heavy pieces like the queen and rooks in the kingside attack (4:21).

- Recognize optimal moments to deviate from the setup against certain strategies (9:22).

[DauntlessTony]

This is my dream opening! At age 65 I guess it's not too late for me to employ it in my games!! Thank you so much for sharing it! 🙏😊!!

[chrismacleod]

I can highly recommend this system. I got my rating from around 1800 to over 2000 in around 2000 to 2002 by abandoning the mainline 1d4 openings and going for this. My mainline ideas are still useful when my opponent goes with Grunfeld, KI, or Bf5 Bg4 early lines. Summerscale "Killer Chess Opening Reperoire" is very good on this and the 150 attack which I also play against 1.. d6.

[gambapuirida]

Thank you very much for this great explanation of the Colle-Zukertort opening as well as for the warnings about which black setups it can be used against — which was very helpful + a good refresher for me.
Even if I loved that this opening leads most of the time in some kind of Pillsbury attack — which is so much fun for white —, I ended to stop using it because I happened to feel stuck in some cases — eg when black used some of the setups you mentioned —, and couldn’t find any solution.
Now that I know in which cases to go on with the plan or when to stop or to push the c2 pawn, I will give it a try again! Thanks!

[alexmiller]

Can't wait for more content on Colle-Zukertort System! Make more videos please!

[JustMe.]

Again, great content 🔱 And the same goes for the format of the clip. It really supports the understanding.

Looking forward for more!

[stefanmatijevic]

Well, that's what I call an instructional video! Very simple and straightforward. I know it's a system without so many variations, but too many things are described very well in this video. You just gave me so many ideas in this short video to be added to my d4 plan. Love it!

[AllenProxmire]

best colle z vid I've seen. would love more. no one has explored it in depth

[kesetokaiba]

Nice video. I knew about this system by name and little else; it was good to see some of the attacking motifs in action and the 1. e3 move order was an intriguing addition as well.

[SEAKPhotog]

I really enjoy playing this.👍🏻 Merry Christmas!

[DavidKerr-xy]

I play the Zukertort a lot. Very easy dynamic system. This is not one of those gimmicky trick openings. This is solid and I get very good play out of it.

[alisteringlis]

Another great video. Very clearly explained. Thank you!

[maricacavaldini]

i've only discovered this system yesterday but this is definitely the best video explaining it i found<3 thank you

[Grandcapi]

Great game and video. Thanks for sharing. I used to play this system with good results. Your tips are easy to memorize and helpful.Please continue the series.

[lew]

Move order d4 d5; Nf3 Nf6; e3 c5! looks really challenging to face as can't get the usual setup, especially the 3rd c5 move. Otherwise seems like a great setup, loved the explanation.

[Jomacchess]

2:00 I believe we can also develop Bishop, as if Nb4 we can drop back to e3, kick knight next move and develop, no?

[eclecticexplorer]

I have paused my playing to look for some new additions to my opening repertoire. The Zukertort Opening looked promising at first glance, especially given that most players at my level (1300) won't know how to play it. This video was very helpful, particularly for the list of pointers given at the end of the video. I have made note of them. One thing that I am noticing is that there is no mention of what happens if black plays cxd4. It is the second most common move for black on move 5 (19%) and the most common on move 6, so it would be good to know the proper continuation.

I did see the win at 6:00. Would I have seen it if I didn't know there was a winning move available? Maybe not, although I did have it in mind since Rh5 was played. I did not see the following one.

[kn_ow]

This presentation is simply gold. My friends are used to my London. Time to open a can of Colle Z! Thank you for this. ")

[juanpablosulaiman]

Excelent video. I would like to see more about this sistem y the nexts videos

[philtaylor]

Please, more content on Colle-Zukertort System!