Koltanowski George - Colle System 1990.pdf

COLLE

SYSTEM

12th Edition

by

G EO R G E

K O LTA NOW S K I

International Grandmaster

1 990 Chess Enterprises, Inc. Coraopolis, Pennsylvania

©

Copyright ISBN

1990

by Chess E nterprises, Inc.

O· 931462

Editor:

•

98· 3

B. G. Dudley

Cover Design: Proofreaders:

E. F. Witalis, Jr. Frank Cunliffe Louis Blair

All rights reserved.

I ntroduction This 1 2th ed ition of The Col le System is arranged i n fou r parts. The i n itia l section of the boo k is written i n the form of a series of lessons designed to thorough l y fa miliarize the reader with the sound pri nci p l es of this openi ng system. Each lesson i n corporates a grou p of questions to permit the student to test h i mself on comprehension of the ideas' in that lesson before pro­ ceed ing to new material. The second part of the book comprises 27 fu l ly annotated games to perm it the student to see how the author uti l ized the open i n g to win or d raw against a l l levels of playing strength, i n­ cluding a world cha mpion! Part Th ree exam i nes White's play when confronted by an op­ ponent who e lects to play a King's I ndian Defense stru cture against you r Co l le System. In Part Four, the author summarizes the pri nci pa l l ines of the Col le System in resu me form as a val uable review and further orientation i n this d u rable and sol id open ing system. The author cites half a hundred games to further i l lustrate the pri ncipa l features o f th is versati l e open ing, including n u merous examples of Col le's treatment of h is open ing.

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EDGARD COLL E Edgard Colle is one of those chess masters of whom we will never know his full potential because he died before reaching his prime - like Morphy, Pillsbury, Noteboom, Charousek and Junge. He was born in Ghent May 18, 1897 and was a contemporary of Belgium's best known chessplayer, George Koltanowski. They met in many chess battles during Colle's brief life. Colle suffer­ ed from poor health most of his life. Sir Harry Golombek says of Colle: He possessed "enormous combinational ability" and "produced a flow of beautiful brilliancies." Fred Reinfeld pro­ duced a collection of his games, "51 Brilliant Chess Masterpieces" to record for posterity the sparkling ideas of this youthful genius. He is especially remembered today for his opening system which is the subject of this book, an opening with which Colle scored many tournament victories. Colle began his tournament record by winning the champion­ ship of his home city in 1917. He opened his international ca­ reer with an exceptional eight out of ten points and equal Third with Maroczy and Reti at Scheveningen 1923. In his first ap­ pearance at the annual Christmas tournament at Hastings 1923/ 24, he was equal 3rd with Yates. 1924 was a busy year, starting with an equal 7th with Opocensky and Steiner at the very strong Meran tournament; a third place at the Paris Olympiad (played on an individual, not team, basis); and matches with Euwe and Koltanowski. Colle scored a number of his finest tournament results in 1926, beginning with a First at Amsterdam ahead of Tartakower and Euwe. He placed Second to Euwe at Weston-super-Mare; 4th at Bartfield; and equal 7th with Reti in Budapest. He capped the year with a First at Meran ahead of such greats as Spielmann, Grunfeld, and Tartakower, a true Grandmaster result. At the end of the year he was Second at Hastings 1926/27. Other notable tournament results included a 3rd at Neindorf 1927; equal First with Frank Marshall and Takacs at Hastings 1928/29; 3rd at Barcelona 1929; First at Scarborough 1930 ahead of Maroczy, Rubinstein, Ahues, Sultan Khan and Grun­ feld; and a 3rd place tie with Nimzowitsch and Ahues at Liege 1930. Colle might have been more successful in tournament play had he not been compelled to play so frequently. He participated in more than fifty tournaments in ten years! His last tournament was at Rotterdam 1931 where he placed second. This was fol­ lowed by more ill health. He died at Ghent on April 20, 1932 5

after a n operation for a gastric u l cer. Hans K moch's tri bute to Co l le in the Wiener Schachzeitung depicts the d i fficu lties wh i ch he overca me i n ach ieving these fine results: - "I knew him for exactly seven years. I made his acquaint­ ance at Baden-Baden 1925. From then on we met at countless tournaments, and my admiration for him increased more and more. During these numerous tourneys I saw, heard and exper­ ienced a great deal. When it is a question of struggling for mon­ ey and fame, for honor and achievement, the best of men often gIve way and follow the instinct for self-preservation. That is natural and not ugly. But this was never true of Colle: it was impossible for him. For his courtesy, his kindness, his chivalrous unselfishness-these qualities were not acquired, they were innate. In victory and in defeat he remained a cavalier. "Poor Colle was sick--I never saw him in any other condi­ tion. His brilliant spirit and sunny soul were fettered to a fee­ ble, bloodless little body, always trembling with a cold, always bent with pain. Rarely was he able to taKe any solid nourish­ ment. And to play in this state? Colle played. I never heard him complain; I never heard him use the excuse that he was ill. On the contrary: he would always assure us that he felt quite well; and when he lost, he always explicitly attributed thIS to bad play. And this while he was usually under a doctor's care! "Colle was not sentimental. He bore his sufferings as some­ thing quite private and of minor importance. He asked for no specIal conSIderation, he was always in good humor and a boon companion in company; but at the board he was a relentless fighter guided by a really ideal sense of duty and sportsmanship. All his games were hard-fought, and lengthy, difficult and tiring games were part of his style. Only his stupendous willpower carried him through these games. His spirit ruled his body."

Despite the n u merous games of th is master al ready included i n the text, it seems most appropriate to present here Colle's most famous game.

Wh ite : 1 . d4

2.

Nf3

3. e3 4. Bd3 5. Nbd2 6.

6

().O

E. Colle N f6 e6 b6 Bb7 c5 Be7

Berl i n 1 926 1 st B ri l l iancy Prize Bla c k : 7. S. 9. 1 0. 1 1. 1 2.

b3 exd Bb2 c4 Rc1 Re1

E. Grunfeld cxd d6 N bd7 ().O

R eS Qc7

1 3. 1 4. 1 5. 1 6. 1 7. 1 8. 1 9. 20.

Qe2 Nfl N g3 N g5 ! N xf7 ! Qxe6 t d5 Nf5t ! !

R ac8 Qb8 Qa8 g67 kxf7 Kg7 N c5 Kf8

21 . 22. 23. �4! 25. 26. 27.

Qe3 ! Qh6t B xf5 ! Rxe7 ! Qxf6 t Qh8 t Bxc8 !

gxf5 Kf7 Bxd5 R xe7 Ke8 Kf7 R esigns.

When asked by F ra n k Marsha l l to se lect h is best ga me for i n­ clusion i n the book " Chess Masterpieces", Col le chose th is ga me.

Edga rd Co11 e

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Part O n e Lesson Number One This is an open ing that perm its a so l id development. This open ing at the sa me t i me a l lows, i n fact it b u i lds for, co mbina­ tions, and does not spoi l our end ga me chances. I t is one of the very few open i n g systems wh ich can accompl ish a l l of these th i n gs, and is the o n l y opening wh ich gives Wh ite good chances of not losi ng agai nst a stronger p layer ! This is the Co l le System. Experience has proven that once you know one open ing thor­ ougly i n a l l its strong and weak poi nts, a l l other open i ngs be­ come much easier to u n derstand and play correctl y. Thus when you once have a good understand i ng of the Co l le, with practica l experience i n playing it, y o u wi l l b e able to switch to any other open ing with success. I n chess, as in any other game in which you wish to advance, it is practice that cou nts. Many wi l l te l l you that the Col le System i s very ta me and does not give W h ite max i m u m chances. We l l, they are right in a way. The Col le is ta me o n l y at the sa me ti me it does not perm it you r oppon­ ent to spri ng any open ing surprises. The Co l le does not let your opponent make the s l ightest m i stake without h is gett i n g a serious positiona l disadvantage. The Co l le a l so gives you exce l lent end game chances, and th i s, together with a safe, sou nd open ing, gives you more chances in genera l. Don't forget that, as an aver­ age player, you must a l so be able to ga i n an advantage over p lay­ ers of you r own abi l ity. The open ing begins as fol l ows: d5 ( or Nf6) 1 d4 2 Nf3 The idea of the second move, the d i sti ngu ish i n g characteristic of the open ing, is to prevent someth i n g l ike 2 ... e5, wh ich, after such a move as 2 c4, wou ld give an inexperienced player of the Wh ite pieces a lot of trou b le. The Col l e System is based on one si mple idea - the deve lop­ ment of you r pieces. The p layer of the Wh ite pieces a i ms at a so l id development wh ich, u nl ike any of the open ga mes, does not have to be rushed ! The order of moves m ight be ( after d4 and Nf3 ) e3, Bd3, N bd2, 0-0, and, o n l y after a l l this has been ach ieved, the development of the queen bishop by e4. Play these moves out on you r board and note how easily a l l of the White pieces can come i nto p lay. The Co l le is the perfect ex­ ample of the slow and carefu l execution of a plan. •

•

.

The move e4 is of the greatest i mportance, and m u st be played at j u st the right moment, not a move too soon and not a move too late. If B lack manages to prevent e4, without compro-

worries on th is score.

m ising h is position, then it is he who wou ld ga i n the i n itiative. This being the case, you must ask, "Why play e3 fi rst if we are going to play e4 later?" This is done because we do not wish to give ou r opponent any advanced pawn agai nst which he can di rect h is attack. Thus, because of the fact that we have not advanced ou r pawns u p too far, we have no

It is we l l known that th ree pawns are superior to two in the end i n g. But when ou r opponent has fou r on the ki ngside to ou r th ree, as is usu a l ly the case after he has exchanged h is d-pawn for the pawn wh ich we advance to e4, h is majority is not a great advantage. This is so because ou r ki ng is ava i lable to aid in stop­ ping the pawns. Let us fi rst of a l l look at the fol lowi ng end ing. I n the d ia­ gram on the left the material is even, three pawns on each side, but B lack's majority is on the ki ngside, and Wh ite's extra pawn is on the qu een­ side. The Wh ite ki ng is in position to b l ock the passed B lack ki ng pawn. What is the resu lt i n this position? No matter whose move it is, Wh ite wi ns. The farthest pawn is the one that decides the game. The B lack king wi l l have to go after the free pawn of Wh ite and permit the Wh ite k i ng to enter and win the k i n gside pawns and with them the game. • • .�. This � s easy but what has this got to � rr� �t?0' do with the Col le System? A lot . 1'-" t�'��% - �.© � � t �!al • '. Because the second position is what we strive for when we play the Co l le. ,. • • • t t ite .now plays f4 and permits R••�,. •••• Wh B lack If he wants to to mak � a !r@ .z' .,)!f� ."'A -% . passed pawn on e5. The White • n 11 • ki ng goes to e4 and holds the B l ack it �i • n it �� pawn in tow and then proceeds to. � � II � get . a passed pawn on the queenslde, � • which shou ld lead to advantage. Take my advice and study these end-game phases very carefu l ly. I n playing the Col le they wi l l become very usefu l for you r move

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decisions later on i n the game. To su m marize ou r objectives: 1 . We deve lop our m i nor pieces on good squares without giv i ng our opponent many chances. 2. We get our king i nto safety. 3. After ga i n i ng a good hold on e4 we pysh our pawn to that square, threaten ing to advance it further, where it wou ld be dan gerous to B lack.

Setting the b l i ndfold record - 34 games Edinb urgh, Scotland, 1 937

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Lesson Number Two I mportant note to the student: Any move that is u nder l ined, means that it wi l l reappear in the Questions, so pay special atten­ tion to them. The answers to the Questions wi II be fou nd at the end of Part One. d5 1 d4 1 . . . N f6 wi l l be considered later. 2 Nf3 B lack now has a nu mber of different moves at his disposal, of wh ich o n l y fou r are worthy of study : 2 . . . Bg4; 2 . . . Bf5 ; 2 . . . c5; and 2 . . . Nf6. 2 Bg4. Th is early deve lopment of the QB weakens the queenside. White can p lay against this weak ness by p laying 3 c4. I f now 3 . . . Bxf3, we p lay 4 exf3, fol lowed eventu a l l y by f4 with the better outlook, or 4 gxf3 and eventu a l l y e4, or even better e3, B g2 and 0-0. (Study th is position carefu l ly. ) B lack has without reason given up an active bishop for a less va luable k n i ght. I t is especia l ly i l logica l to give u p th is bishop when h is queenside is weak and soon u nder attack. The fo l lowing open­ ing play, wh ich often occu rs in my exh i b itions of simu ltaneous play, is a typica l examp le of the trou b l e B l ack can get i nto. •..

1 d4

e3 Be7 (a) cxd !.x,JJ ( Q 1 ) Bb5t Bd7 ( Best) Nxd7 N bxd7 10 Bc6, ,and Wh ite wins a pawn and with it the game. If 6 . . . Bd6 7 cxd5 Bxe5 8 dxe5 Nxd5 9 Qa4t wins the bishop.

2 Nf3 3c4 4 Qb3 5 Ne5 (a)

d5 Bg4 e6 b6 Nf6

6 7 8 9

We are j u stified i n rej ecting 2 ... Bg4 because it weakens B lack's queenside without compensation.

2 .. B15. This move is si m i lar to Bg4. It is aga i n a prematu re development of the QB, and a l lows Wh ite to attack i n much the same manner as before. Wh ite's rep ly wou ld be 3 c4. N ever hesitate to get away from the Co l le System if you can get an advantageous conti nuation. .

Bxb 1 wou ld be a n i l logica l continuation for B lack. It wou ld mean a loss of ti me, since the bishop is deve loped and then ex­ changed. F u rthermore, the bishop is exchanged for a k n i ght. Th is latter poi nt requ i res some exp lanation. The prob lem of the relative val u e of the bishop and the k n ight is as old as the game 11

itself. The truth is that there is no steadfast ru le that can be drawn or appl ied, but that in practice the bishop tends to be the more active piece and therefore the more va l u a b l e. I t is true that there are some masters who prefer the knight, usu a l ly be­ cause their ind ividual sty les make kn ight maneuvers su ccessfu l. Modern tou rna ment p lay has shown, however, that most masters prefer and are more su ccessfu I with the bishop, and I wou Id reco m mend that you fo l low the i r exa m ple. After 3 c4, the move 3. . . dxc is not to be recom mended. White can easi l y rega in h is pawn (for exa m p le, by Qa4 t) , and wi l l obta i n a strong hold on the center of the board. N ote that he wi l l have two pawns, the e-pawn and d-pawn, in the center, wh i l e B l ack wi l l have only one. Cont rol of the cent er is i mpor­ tant because it si mp l ifies your major opening task -- the develop­ ment of your pieces ! Su ch contro l gives you more of your own territory, and more of you r opponent"s territory, in wh ich to operate. The more territory you contro l, the easier your game becomes. I n th is sense, let us consider 3c4 Nc6. Wh ite wou l d p lay 4 cxd5, and if 4 ... Qxd5, then 5 Nc3 wi l l drive away the B lack queen and a l l ow e4, after wh ich White easi l y domi nates the center. After 1 d4 d5 2 Nf3 Bf5 3c4 c6, we have the S lav Defense to the Qu een's G a m b it Decl ined. I t is comparative l y passive in that B lack is on l y su pporting h is center pawn and is not setting up any new bars to Wh ite's development. Wh ite must therefore try to attain a rapid deve lopment. Thus: 4 cxd5 �x.sJ'§' ( Q2) 5 Qb3 g�Q. ( Q3) 6 Bf4, and Wh ite has the better devel oped game. He shou l d continue w ith Nc3 and Rc1. The S l av Defense in the form shown above cannot be consid­ ered as p l ayabl e for B lack. A better move wou l d be 3 ... e6, when we cou ld have the fo l lowing position: 4 O b3 Nc6 5 Qxb7? N b4 ! Rb8 6 Na3 7 Qxa7 Ra8, and B lack can take the draw by repetition of moves or try for a win with Rxa3 and Nc2t. I n view of this l ittl e trap, Wh ite p lays 5 c5. N ow the threat of

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captu re at b7 is real. B lack must p l ay S R b8, and after 6 Bf4 Wh ite h as the better game. H e can com p l ete his deve lopment qu ickly by Nc3, e3, and Be2 or BbS. The pawn at c5 wi l l re­ mai n a thorn i n B lack's side. ••.

The move 2 BfS can therefore be considered prematu re. We sha l l , however, see it as a third move when it is somewhat strong­ er. Th is l esson, in addition to investigating possible B l ack moves agai nst the Co l le open i n g, shou l d have made one fact very clear. I n learning an openi ng for White, we must know it thoroughly for B lack, too ! .••

Questions -- Lesson N u mber Two The qu estions on Lesson Two are not very difficu lt, the an­ swers bei n g i n most cases qu ite obvious. H owever, you shou ld be o n you r toes, and shou ld see the answers i n a matter of seconds! 1 . 7 . . exd What shou l d White play i n answer to 7 . . Qxd5? 8 ---- ---- 9 ---- ---1 0 ---- ---.

.

2. 4 cxd What is White's best reply to 4 OxdS? ..•

3. 5

. . •

..•

Qc8 What does B lack threaten after, say, 6 e3 or 6 NeS?

Lesson Number Three 1 d4 dS 2 Nf3 cS Th is is p l ayed very often but it is stronger when preceded by . . . Nf6. Wh ite agai n p l ays to weaken B l ack's queenside and con­ tinues 3c4. Shou l d B lack now p lay 3 . . . e6, we get the Tarrasch Defense to the Queen's Gambit Decl i ned in wh ich Wh ite has not yet p layed N c3. Wh ite wou l d cont i n u e with cxd5 and B l ack gets a weak d-pawn. 3 c4 ��C! ( Q 1 ) Nf6 ( Q2) 4 cxd If here 4 ... QaS t, then Wh ite wi l l gai n i n devlopment through some su ch l i ne of p l ay as the fo l lowi n g : Q!.@ ( Q3) S Qd2 OhS 6 Nc3 Bd7 7 Nxd4 Nc6 8 e4 9 f4 to be fo l lowed by Qf2. 13

S 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 pawn .

NxdS Nxd4 e4 �!!4.. ( 04) N (b8) e6 Be3 a3 Nxd4 axb4 Ne6 Oxd8t Kxd8 bS N b4 Rxa7, and White has won a

Many weaker opponents wi l l play 1 d4 dS- 2 Nf3 N c6; appar­ entl y u nder the i mpression that they a re playing a R u y Lopez. The ch ief disadvantage of B lack's second. move is that it leaves the c- pawn backward, thus preventi n g the normal development of the queen. Let us exa m i ne a game played i n a b l i ndfo l d exh i bi­ tion with 8 others i n Kreu z l i ngen, Switzerland, i n October 1 937. Wh ite : G . Koltanowski

B lack :

N. N .

Th is ga me i l lustrates j u st one method of hand l ing the open i ng, a l though there are other l i nes which are j u st as good. dS 1 d4 14 Ba2 Nce7 N c6 2 Nf3 l S Qd3 Neg6 e6 3 Bf4 1 6 N h4 �x.I!..-t. ( 05 ) 1 7 Rxh4 Ne7 4 e3 Bd6 S Bg3 1 8 Ba4... (06) �a6... ( 07 ) Bxg3 6 hxg3 ( a ) Nf6 1 9 0-0-0 Qe7 7 c4 dxe 20 Nf6t gxf6 21 Rxg6t fxg6 8 Bxc4 0-0 22 Oxg6t Kf8 9 a3 a6 23 exf 1 0 N c3 h6 Qf7 1 1 e4 Re8 24 Oxh6t Kg8 2S Bh,l ( 08 ) Resigns. 1 2 eS ( b ) NdS bS Ne4 13 ( a ) Note wel l : When you have the choice of captu ring with either of two pawns, captu re towards the center. By doing so you strengthen you r own center. This is a genera l ru le, and so, always remember that exceptions are rare but possible. (b) This closes i n the B l ack OB. N ote that I have not cast led on the k i ngside for I have an open h-file. Therefore, I prefer to castle on the queenside and start a k i n gside attack. Questions -- lesson Number Three 1 . 3 . . . cxd

14

H ow shou l d Wh ite answer 3 . . . dxc? With what idea ?

2 . 4 . . . N f6 3. S . . . OxdS 4. 6 . . . N b4 S. 1 6 . . . Nxh4

6. 1 8 R g4 7. 1 8 N g6 ...

Why not 4 . . . 0xdS? : 4 cxd OxdS S ---- --What shou ld White play after: S . . . Oxd 2 t 6 Bxd2 N f6 7 N xd4 N xdS 8 ---- ---What is B lack's threat? 6 . . . N b4 7 ---- ---8 -- -- ----, w i n n i n g a piece. This move a ids the White attack by removing th is k n i ght fro m the defense of the k i n g. Better wou ld have been 1 6 N h 4 ---With what threat? With what threat?

8. 2S R h 1 ! , and B lack resigned. Why?

Lesson Number Four 1 d4 d5 2 Nf3 It.2 e6; continue norma l ly with 3 e3. N i ne ti mes out of ten you wi l l fa l l back i nto the origi n a l defense to the Co l le. I f you r opponent shou ld try anyth i n g fancifu l h e wi l l on l y get a n i nferior position. There i s o n l y one l i ne wh ich we must look i n­ to -- the Stonewa l l Variatio n : e6 2 ..... f5 3 e3 Wh ite does best by try i n g to p l ace h i s p ieces i n the fo l l owi ng man ner: c4, N c3, Bd3, 0-0, N eS (or Nd2), f3, and e4. This l i ne wi l l give B lack p l enty to worry about. Play the moves out on you r boa rd, and observe how Wh ite is able to obta i n h i s prime obj ective -- the development of h i s pieces. We now come to B lack's second move aga i n st the Co l le. d5 1 d4 Nf6 2 Nf3 3 e3 B lack now has practica l ly the same choices that he had after h is second move. For exa m p le, he m i ght p lay 3 . . . BfS. As before, we wou ld continue 4 c4. The open inQ of the game I p layed at Margate, 1 936, again st Master Conde, Il l u strates one of the ava i l ­ abl e conti nuations for Wh ite : d5 1 d4 Nf6 2 Nf3 Bf5 3 e3 c6 4c4 cxd 5 cxd e6 6 Nc3 Oc8 7 Ob3 Be7 8 Bd2 N�6_ ( 0 1 ) 9 Rc1 15 ...

10 NeS �.Q (02) Bd6 1 1 Na4 BxeS 1 2 ab S (03) 13 dxeS ��I ( 04) 14 Bb4, to be fol lowed by 8d..tL (aS) *

*

*

*

*

1 d4 2 Nf3 3 e3 4 e4! This is even more forceful than in the earl ier l i nes, for the Wh ite K B is more active.

dS Nf6 Bg4

*

*

*

*

*

1 d4 dS Nf6 2 Nf3 3 e3 e6 Wh ite has a simple task after this passive move. The best play wou ld conti nue a l ong these l i nes: Nbd7 4 NeS NxeS S f4 6 fxeS Ne4 7 Bd3, fol lowed by 0-0, with a good game.

A l so very stron g is 4 e4. This move is very good to be played whenever B lack weakens h is queenside in the openi ng. *

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*

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The move 3 . . . eS was for some time considered the best move for B lack. Wh ite shou ld not answer it with 4 dxe, for B lack may then ga i n qu ick contro l of the center and a rapid development of his pieces. Here is an exa m p l e : 1 d4 eS 1 0 Bd2 dS Nf6 Be7 2 Nf3 1 1 Qe3 1 2 b4 c5 0.0 ( 06) 3 e3 1 3 Rg 1 Ne6 4 dxe d4i S a3 as 14 O�_ ( 07) axb4 NdS 6 BbS Bg4 1 S Bxb4 bxe6 7 Bxe6t 16 Bd2 BxeS Qb2, 8 Qd4 Bxf3 17 OxeS 9 gxf3 Qb8 and B lack wi ns. Note that B lack wins because of h is early su periority in the center, wh ich ga ins severa l moves for h i m and does not give Wh ite the opportu n ity to free his cram ped queenside. The theoreticians then tried to prove that after 3 eS, the best l ine is el, and after 4 . . . Ne6, we get back into the norma l Col le. H owever, after 4 ... N bd7, B lack may p lay his qu een to c7, and eventua l l y free h i m­ self by the move eS. ...

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The natu ra l question must be answered here. I state that after 1 d4 dS 2 N f3 Nf6 3 e3 cS 4 c3 N bd2 B lack is th reaten ing Qc7 with an eventu a l eS. You may wonder why this is th reaten­ ed when the kn i ght is p laced at d7 and yet not threatened when it is at c6. The po i nt is that at d7 this kn ight j u st as we l l pre­ pares for eS as at c6, wh i le at the same time it re l i eves the B l ack bishop of the job of watch i n g his pawn on cS. Th is b ishop is now free to be developed at g7 to assist the move eS. T h i s is B lack's strategica l plan. As indicated ear l i er, B l ack wi l l get the better game if he ca n p l ay eS fi rst, and wi l l get a good game even if he p lays it later. The best defense aga i nst the Co l le, therefore, is that wh ich invo lves the moves N bd 7, g6, Bg7, and eS. The best play is: 1 d4 d5 Nf6 2 Nf3 c5 3 e3 Nbd7 4 c3 Why is the move 4c4 not the best for B lack ? I t ho lds back the Wh ite bishop from com i ng to d3, so he m ight have d ifficu l­ ties getting to p l ay e4. After 4... c4 B lack rel i eves the pressu re on Wh ite's d-pawn a nd gives White a good chance to get a good game right away. Wh ite fol­ lows up with S b3, putti ng p ressu re on the B lack c-pawn. I f B lack takes on b3 then 6 axb, and Wh ite has an open rook's fi le and pawns in the center and wi l l have a far better position . I f B l ack i ntends to hold on to the pawn on c4 then he MUST cont i n u e with S... bS. There then fo l l ows : 6 a4, and now let's look at the possib le l i nes for B lack : .••

a) b) c) d) e)

6... a6? 7 axbS a n d wi ns. 6... Bd7 7 axb5 Bxb5 8 bxc dxc 9 Bxc4 Bxc4 1 0 O84t, etc. 6... bxa 7 bxc, etc. 6 cxb 7 Bxb5, etc. 6 .. 085 ( best) 7 Ba3 (7 Bb2 is a lso p layable) 7 ... e6 8 axb Qxb5 9 Bxf8 Rxf8 1 0 bxc dxc 1 1 Ne5 and Wh ite has the advantage. f) 6... 085 7 Ba3 Ne4 8 Bb4 086 9 Nbd2, a nd Wh . ite has the advantage. Now back to the better continuation 4... N bd7 : •••

.

17

d5 Nf6

1 d4 2 Nf3 3 e3 4 c3 5 Nbd2

c5

Nbd7 g6

I fi rst met this defense i n a game with Kob lenz, i n Madrid, 1 936. I conti nued with 6 Oa4, and after . . . Oc7, was able to ach ieve l ittle i n the open ing. I was, i n fact, l u cky to win the ga me. I bu rned a great dea l of m idn ight o i l in studyi ng the l i ne, and, when Perl mutter played the same defense aga i nst me in the Antwerp, 1 938, tou rnament, I conti nued with : Position after 5 . . . g6

E • .t.. �
r.·�Jt

4> �

W'a

1R

.

.

wa

4> .!1.

��

�� � . �� �� r,� �'"'' 'WI ��RF1'�"mr(R' •

'

�g

,6' Bd3 7 0-0 2 �: 10 Nxe4 11 Re1 12 Neg5.I

Bg7

'

�.,!;!,. l:::l

0-0

�::

:

b6 e8 _�6_

(08 ) forced

13 Ne5 14 15

Nxe5 Nd5

dxe f4, with a

ga me.

(a)

very fine

( b)

( a ) 9 . . . e5, gives B lack good drawing chances. ( b ) Black's 10th move was n ot his best. He shou ld have p layed

1 0 . . . N xe4 1 1 Bxe4 N f6 with a fa i r game. Note that i n spite o f th is " best" defense, Wh ite sti l l obta i n s a safe, sol id game. This is of prime i m portance when playing aga i nst a stronger p layer. And shou ld you r opponent be weaker than you are, then the advantage of a good end ing can n ot be overesti mated. Sti l l, I wou ld recom mend that you adopt the ... Nd7, ... g6 defense aga i nst the Col le whenever possible, for it does give B lack the greatest opportu n ity to take the i n itia­ tive. We retu rn to th is later.

I n ou r next lesson we wi l l retu rn to the " normal" l i ne in the Col le. Questions - Lesson Number Four

1 . 9 . . . N c6

What was Wh ite's threat after 9 . . 0-0?

2.

1 0 . . . 0-0

A poor move. B lack must drive away the k night at e5. H ow?

3.

1 2 B b5

B lack's next move ... Bxe5, is forced. Why?

4.

1 3 . . . Nd7

If 1 3 ... Ne4, then the knight is lost after 1 4 B b4, R moves, 1 5 ---- ---- 1 6 ---- ----

18

.

White th reatens to win a pawn. H ow? 1 5 ---- ---- 1 6 ---- ----1 7 ----

5 . . . . fol lowed by Bd6

-

6. 1 2 . . . 0-0

Wh ite simpl ifies easi l y after 1 2 . . . axb. H ow?

7. 1 4 Oc4

Why not p lay 1 4 exd ? ---- 1 5 �--- ---1 4 exd ------16 1 7 ---- , to B lack's advantage. What does White p lay after, say 1 2 . . . Bb 7 ? 13 ---- ---- 14 ---- ---1 5 ---- ----

8. 1 2 . . . e6

Lesson Number Five d5 Nf6 e6

1 d4 2 Nf3 3 e3

B lack has now entered the normal l i ne of play. I n general it is a bad tactic to copy you r opponent's move, but B l ack wi l l soon vary. 4

Bd3

Wh ite sticks to his origi nal plan. H e wi l l castle, develop his ON to d2, and then attempt e4. c5

4 .....

Th is is B lack's best move. B lack can, of cou rse, attem pt to "fo l l ow the leader" . Let u s see what m ight happen then :

4 Bd3 5 Nbd2

6 0-0

7 e4 8 Nxe4 9 Bxe4

Bd6 Nbd7

0-0

dxe Nxe4 e5

10 11 12 13

dxe Nxe5 Bxh7t Qh5t, and

Nxe5 Bxe5 Kxh7

Wh ite rega ins his bishop and remai n s a pawn ahead.

B lack's o n l y chances m ight lie in an exchange of the heavy pieces and an attempt to draw the resu lti ng bishop end i n g. That wou l d not be easy. 1 2 3 4 5

Another attempt to "fo l low the leader" m ight be the fol lowing: 9 Ne4 Ne5 d5

d4 Nf3 e3 Bd3 Nbd2

6 0-0

7 e4 .8 exd

Nf6 e6 Bd6 Nbd7

0-0

e5 exd

10 11 12 13 14 15 16

Bg5 Bxf6 Bxd8 Nxd6 Rfxd1 Rxd3 Rxd4

Bg4 Bxf3 (a) Bxd1 Nxd3 Rfxd8 Rxd6

(b) 19

( a) I f 1 1 . . . gxf6 1 2 Be2, etc. (b) And the copy-cat can't copy any further! With good p l ay this should be an easy w i n . And here is o n e more l i ne, where B l ack tries for a n early . . . e5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

d4 Nf3 e3 Bd3 Nbd2

0-0 e4

d5 Nf6 e6 Bd6 Nbd7

0-0

dxe

8 Nxe4

9 10 11 12 13

Nxe4 f5 e5 ( a ) Kh8 Qe8 (b) Nxe5 (c)

Bxe4 Bd3 Bc4t Ng5 dxe

( a) Looks l i ke B l ack has obtai ned h i s goa l. I f 1 0 . . . e5 is good then he has at least an equal game. But we can prove that Wh ite gets the advantage in every variation from now on. ( b ) Wh ite th reatened 1 3 N f7 t and 1 3 N x h 7. The text move is the only method of stopping both th reats. (c) I f 1 3 . . . Qxe5, then : 1 4 Qh5 Nf6 1 5 Qh4 Qe7 ( best) 1 6 Bd2 h6 1 7 R ae l N e4 18 Qh5, and Wh ite wi ns, as after 1 8 ... N f6 1 9 Qg6 decides. ( 1 ) 14 Re1 Qg6 Position after 1 3 . . . N xe5 15 Rxe5 16 Nf7t 17 Qd8t

(d) With terrific pressu re on the open queen and ki ng f i l es, Wh ite's game is superior.

( 2)

14 15 16 17 18 19

Re 1 Bf4 Bxe5 Rxe5 Qd5 Qd4

(3)

14 Re 1 15 Qd4 16 Bxf4 17 Qxf4 18 Qxg5

Bxe5 Rxf7

leads to mate. h6 hxg5 Bxe5 Qg6 c6

(d) f4 h6 ( e) Rxf4 hxg5

(f)

(e) I f 1 5 . . . Qg6 1 6 R xe5 Bxe5 1 7 Qxe5 R f5 1 8 Qxf5 ! Qxf5 1 9 Nf7t, etc. (f) Aga i nst 1 9 Qh4t or 1 9 f4, B lack has no answer. (4) 14 Re 1 f4 15 Qd4 Qh5 N ow how does White conti nue i n the position of the d iagram at the top of the next page? 20

Position after 1 5 . . . Qh5

16 RxeS QxeS

17

BxeS

N ow B lack has two l i nes of p lay he can consider: (a) 17... Qd 1t 18 Bf 1 Bg4 (th reatens 1 9 . . . R ae8) 19 Be3 Qxa 1 20 Bd4 Rf6 (20 . . . R gB 2 1 N f7 mate) 21 Qe7 R g6 22 Nf7t �g8 23 NeS Rf6 ( if 23 . . . R e6 24 Qf7 t Kh8 25 Nxg4 R g6 26 N h6 and there i s no way of stopping 27 QgBt and 28 N f7 mate without fu rther loss of material) 24 Nxg4 and wi ns. After 2 1 Qe7, possibly B lack's best cont i nuation is 2 1... Be2; forcing 2 2 Qxe2 f3 ( if 22 ... R g6 23 QhS decides) 23 gxf (the rook is sti l l attacked by the bishops) 23 R g6 24 f4 and Wh ite threatens 2S QhS or 2S Qe4 depend i n g u pon what B lack pl ays. Th is l i ne of play shou ld be advantageous for Wh ite. A lso good for wh ite after 17...Qd 1t 1 8 Bf 1 Bg4 (or Bf5), is 1 9 b 3 Rae8 2 0 Bb2!, etc. ...

(b) 17 RfS 1 8 Qe7 (th i s stops 1 8 . . . QxgS 1 9 Qe8 t or 1 8 . . . RxgS 1 9 Qf8 mate) 18 Qd 1t 1 9 Bf1 Bd7 threatens Bb5 ) 20 Nf7t Kg8 (20 . . . R xf7 2 1 Qxf7 B bS 22 c4, etc. ) 2 1 NeS BbS ( i f 2 1 . . . R xeS 22 Qxe5 R e8 23 QcS R e l 24 Qc4t Kh8 [ 24 . . . Be6 25 Qd3 Qxd3 26 cxd BfS 27 b3 Bxd3 28 B b2, with advantage] 25 Qd3 is good enough or even 2S Bd2 Qxd2 26 R x e l Qxe l 27 Qxf4, etc.) 2 2 Qe6t Kh8 2 3 Nd3 ( not 23 c4, as R xe5 wins for B lack) 2 3... Bxd3 2 4 cxd RgS 2S Qe2 Qa4 (2S . . . Qxe2 26 Bxe2 ReS 27 B f l R e l 28 f3 Rae8 29 Kf2 cS 30 b3 R d l 3 1 Be2 R h l 32 h3 fol lowed by 33 Bb2 or even better 33 Bfl ) 2 6 Qe4 Qxe4 27 dxe ReS 28 f3 with advantage to Wh ite. After 4. . c5, White has h is choice of two l ines of play. The fi rst is real ly a change in h i s plans, and shou ld be looked at fi rst. H e wi l l p l a y without the i ntention of the move e4. I nstead, the QB wi l l go to b2, the kn ight to eS, and the center wi l l be held by f4. Thus: S b3 N�6... ( Q l ) 6 0-0 Bd6 (Q2) ..•

•.•

.

7

Bb2

8 il:t.. (Q3)

0:.0h.6.. ( Q4)

21

The text move is i ntended to prevent B lack's freeing h i mself, after, say, 8 N bd2 with some such maneuvers as . . . Oe7, . . . cxd, and the devel op ment of the rook. Play these moves for B lack and try to "see h i s plan.

9 NeS illY ( OS ) 1 0 Nd2 Qe7 1 1 f4 Rfd8 1 2 Rf3 N ote how Wh ite tries to get h is pieces into action i n such a way as to a l low an attack aga i nst the B lack k i ng. 12 Ne4 ( best) 13 Bh3.. (06) fS ��� ( 07 ) 1 4 Bxe4 Il�e� ( 08) 1 S QhS B l ack's idea with this move is to w i n the qu een for two rooks. I n this case he misjudges Wh ite's endgame possib i l ities. You shou Id now be able to answer two questions: What wou Id be Wh ite's best move now? What shou ld be h i s p lan of action ? We sha l l consider these questi ons in the next lesson, but fi rst let us review some information which has a most i mporta nt bearing on these issues. The u nderstanding of any endgame req u i res a knowledge of the relative value of the pieces. We have al ready discussed the bishop - k n ight problem, and wi l l now try to put a l l of the pieces on a sca le. Please understand that the va lues I assign have two l i m itations; they a re general val ues, and a re the va lues wh ich wi l l be most effective i n the p lay of the average player. Shou ld you r game i mprove to the master level, position-sense rather than pre­ determ ined va lues wi l l be you r gu ide. H owever, the sca le given below wi l l serve most pu rposes of over-the-board play : Pawn B ishop

1 point 3 poi nts

Kn ight R ook

3 poi nts S poi nts

Oueen

1 0 poi nts

These va l u es shou l d be your genera l gu ide in endgame p lay. With their aid, it shou ld be easier to answer the two q u estions above, before tu rn ing to the next lesson.

Questions -- Lesson Number F ive 1 . 5 . . . Nc6 2. 6

.•.

Bd6

H ow does Wh ite answer S . . . cxd 6 exd Bb4t 7 ---What wou ld be White's reply to . . . N b4, th reaten­ ing 7 N xd3? .•.

3. 8 a3

What is the pu rpose of this move?

4. 8 b6

Th is a l lows 9 Ne5. H ow cou ld B lack have pre­ vented th is move?

••.

22

5. 9 . . . Bb7

Why not 9 ... Bxe5?

6. 1 3 R h 3

Wh ite can a pparently w i n a pawn b y N xe4 and Bxe4. H ow wou ld B lack regai n this pawn? 1 3 N xe4 dxe4 14 Bxe4 ----

7. 1 4 . . . dxe4

Th is is better than fxe4. Why? 1 4 . . . . fxe4 1 5 ---- ---- 1 6 ---- ---1 7 ---- ---- 1 8 ---- , with a won position

8. 1 5 . . . Bxe5

As we sha l l see, th is is n ot the best. Better wou ld have been 1 5 . . . . . ---- .

Lesson Number Six The relative va lue of the pieces wi l l become clearer as you gai n experience. You wi l l f i n d them true for a l l b u t exceptiona l posi­ tions, such as combinations. R emember that these va lues are most appl icabl e to the endgame, when it is possib l e for each piece to uti l ize its fu l l mob i l ity. Thus, a queen is preferable to two rooks in the open ing and middle game, where its great mo­ b i l ity perm its it to get i nto action qu ickly. We wi l l find th is to be the case in the game we are studying. The k i ng is present i n a l l endga mes, and it is i mportant to u n­ derstand that, when active, it is a valuable p iece. Despite its in­ vu l nerabi l ity to captu re, it may both defend and attack, and has a fighting va l u e equ iva lent to that of a kn ight or a b i shop. But then, let us retu rn to ou r game, wh ich was played between D r. Max Euwe and Akiba R u b i nstein i n the Mahrisch-Ostrau Tou rna­ ment of 1 923. Position after 15 . . . Bxe5

1 6 Oxh7t Kf7 Rh8 1 7 f!<.!§. (01) B lack wou ld lose quickly after 1 7. . . cxd 1 8 N xe4 ! fxe4 1 9 Oh5 t g 6 2 0 R f 1 t Ke8 2 1 Oxg6 t Kd7 22 R h7! S i m i larly 1 7 . . . N xe5 a l ­ lows Wh ite t o obtai n a won posi­ tion by 1 8 Oh5 t Kf8 1 9 d5 ! Rxd5 20 N c4 N f7 2 1 R g3 g5 22 Og6 fol l owed by Bf6 ! 1 8 Oxh8 Rxh8 19 Rxh8 Ba6 20 Nf1 Od7 21 Rd 1 ! Nxe5? This is a vita l m istake, and su rprising for a player of R u b i n­ stein's strength. Ak i ba R u b i nstein was, at the ti me this game was played, one of the finest chessmasters. H is forte was the 23

endgame, i n wh ich h i s profound knowledge was everywhere recog­ nized and feared. 2 1 . . . B xf 1 22 Kxf 1 cxd ! wou ld have given h i m plenty o f cou nterp lay. As i t is, Wh ite takes the i n itiative at once, and most of B lack's remaining moves are forced.

22 �� ( 02 ) 23 dxet

Ng4 Oxe6

24 R hd8 25 c4

Bb5 Be8 If 25 . . . Bc6, then Rd 1 d6 Oe7 (forced ) wins throu gh 27 h3 N f6 28 Bxf6 gxf6 29 N� ( 03) . 31 Nf4 f4 Oe7 26 Rd 1 d5 32 Rxg6 fxe ( 04) 27 h3 Nf5 ( 07) 33 Rf6t 28 Na3_ ( 05 ) e2 Kg8 29 Nxe2 34 Rxe8t Oxe8 Ne3 35 Rxf5 g6 30 Bgp_ ( 06 ) e3 36 Re5, and B lack resigned, as after 36 . . . 0f8 37 R g5 t leads to his execution. This ga me is a good exa mple of the l ittle-played and u n u su a l 5 b3. I wou ld advise t h e pu pi l t o p lay t h i s move occasiona l ly, but o n l y after he has become fam i l ia r with the m a i n l i ne of the Col le, which we sha l l now exam i ne in Lesson 7. 1 . 1 7 fxe5 2. 22 d5 !

Questions .- Lesson N umber Six Why not 1 7 Oh5 t ? W h y is th is a good move?

3. 29 N g3

How m ight 29 N g3 30 ---3 1 ---32 ----

4. 27 . . . fxe

Why not 27 . . . Nxe3? 28 ---- ---- 30 ---- , and B lack is lost. 29 ---- ----

5. 28 N g3:

Why not 28 hxg4?

6. 30 R g5

Wh ite threatens mate. H ow? 3 1 ---- , mate. Why not 32 . . . Qxd8? 33 ---- ---- 34 ---- , mate.

7. 32 . . . N f5

24

Wh ite conti nue after Kg6 33 ---- ------- 34 ---- ------- 3 5 ---- , w i n n i ng the ---- queen or mat i ng next move.

Lesson Number Seven d5 1 d4 2 Nf3 Nf6 3 e3 e6 4 Bd3 c5 5 c3 Position after 5 c3 This is the orthodox l i n e i n the Col le, i n wh ich Wh ite tries to ach ieve a good deve lopment, a pos­ sible attack, and does not compro­ m ise h is end game chances. B lack may decide to prevent the th reaten­ ed e4 at once. Shou ld he p lay 5 . . . cxd then after 6 exd, White's prob­ lems of devel opment are over, and his pieces natu ra l ly bear down u pon the B lack k i ngside. And shou ld B lack try to prevent e4 by occu py­ it by . . . N e4, he wi l l soon be driven away by 6 Ne5, 7 0-0, and 8 f3. The fact is that B lack has no d i rect method of hol d i n g his e4 squ are. I nd i rect methods may therefore be i n order. Nbd7 5 Th is move serves two pu rposes. F i rst it prevents Wh ite from play i n g dxc, for then the k n ight wou ld captu re and hold the e4 square secu rel y. Second, it prepares for the eventua l B lack cou nter-th ru st . . . e5. Bd6 6 Nbd2 7 0-0 0-0 8 Re1 I a l so p lay 8 e4 i m med iately here, a l lowing B lack to p lay 8 . . . cxd 9 cxd dxe 1 0 Nxe4, a n d t h e isolated pawn is not weak. R emember that you must develop as fu l l y as possible before p lay­ ing e4. This move usua l ly a l l ows B lack to exchange severa l pieces. Shou ld you r rema i n i n g pieces be better developed, you wi l l have the better endi ng. B l ack, i n the present position, can­ not develop h i s queenside. Any attem pt on h is part to force matters shou ld therefore be u n successfu l . F or exam p l e : 8 Re1 e5 1 1 Nxe4 Nxe4 9 e4 cxd 1 2 Bxe4 exd 1 0 cxd dxe 1 3 Nxd4 and Wh ite's development is more nearly com p l ete. Si nce . . . N bd7 does not succeed in either of its aims, B lack may simply decide to develop h is pieces. Thus: ....•

25

1 2 3 4 5

d5 6 N bd2 Bd6 Nf6 7 0-0 0-0 8 dxe e6 Bxe5 9 e4 e5 c5 Nc6 c3 9 . . . 0c7 as wel l as 9 . . . dxe are covered below. Re8 1 0 Oe2 White has ach ieved h is goal playing e4, but B l ack has good develop in g chances too. What is Wh ite's best continuation here? d4 Nf3 e3 Bd3

Wh ite does best to p lay 1 1 exd ( he has the th ree pawns aga i nst two on the queenside i n m i nd ) . B l ack can now conti n u e with :

(a) " ... Nxd5 1 2 Ne4 Bb6 13 Rd1 Nf4? 1 4 Bxf4 exf 1 5 0c2 is recommended. You i ntend t o p lay 1 6 Nd6. I f 1 5. .. 15, 1 6 Bc4t wins the B lack queen. (b)

" ... Qxd5 12 Ne4 Nxe4 13 Bxe4 Od8 1 4 Ng5 h6 ( i f 1 4...

g6 1 5 Nxf7, etc. ) 1 5 Nxf7 Qe7 ( 1 5 . . . Kxf7 1 6 Oc4t and 1 7 Qxc5 ) 16 Qh5 Rf8 1 7 Ng5, etc. or even 1 7 Nxh6, etc. Position after 5 c3

5 6 7 8 9

Ne6 Bd6 �.Q ( 0 1 ) Bxe5 007 The exchange of queens wou Id give B lack the worst of the endi n g. Let us stop to see why. 9 e4 dxe 1 0 Nxe4 Nxe4 1 1 Bxe4 Qxd 1 1 2 B�ct1 ( 02 ) Wh ite's pieces are more active, control l i n g more squares than do those of B l ack. Bf4 wi l l complete h is develop ment, a nd his queenside pawns wi l l soon advance. B lack is sti l l cram ped, and wi l l find it hard to get h is pieces i nto play. N ow, let us retu rn to ou r position after 9 . . . d.c7, as shown i n the d iagram a t the top of the next page. 26

N bd2 0-0 dxe e4

1 0 Oe2, prepari ng the later de­ velopment of the O R , is the strong­ est conti nuation in the d iagram med position. I n a game between Col le and Kashdan, pl ayed i n the B led tou rnament, 1 93 1 , Col le made the error of a l l owing B lack to devel op qu ite eas i l y by : exd 1 0 exd Bb6 1 1 Nb3 12 Oc2 Re 8 1 3 Bg5 Ne4 14 Rae1 BfS 1S Be3 Bg6 Nxf2 ! ! 1 6 Nh4? 1 7 e.�1 ( 03) Bxf2t 18 Kxf2 Ob6t 1 9 .K9.� ( 04) Re3t 20 Rxe3 Oxe3t OgSt 21 Rf3 22 Kh3 NeS 23 Rg3 gn6.. (05 ) 24 BfS (a) Re8 2S Nd4 BhS 26 Of2 g5 Kf8 27 Bxh7t gxh4 28 BfS Re7 29 Re3 Bg4t 30 Re1 Nd3 3 1 Bxg4 Nf4t 32 Oxh4

33 . /34

3S 36 37 38

39 40 41 42 43 44 45

46 47 48

49

Kg3 Oxh4t Kxh4 Nxg2t KgS Rxe 1 h4 Ne3 Bf3 Nc4 Rg1 t NfS Kf4 Rf1 Ne3 Rf2 Nd 1 Rh2 hS Nxb2 Nd3t Ne3 Kg3 Rxa2 R b2 NxdS NeS h6 Ng6t Kf4 b6 KgS KfS Ne7t - (06) Wh ite resigns-:-

(a) This is not good. Better wou ld have been 24 Bxg6 Nxg6 25 R xg6 hxg6 26 Kg3, and B l ack wou ld have to try for a d raw by perpetua l check. N ow, B lack wins i n a fine manner.

Ouestions

.•

Lesson Number Seven

1 . 7 . . . 0-0

What shou ld Wh ite play if 7 . . . e5 ?

2.

1 2 Rxd 1

Getting h is pieces i nto p lay. What shou l d Wh ite play after 1 2 . . .f5 ? 1 3 ---- ---- 1 4 ----

3.

1 7 Bxf2

4.

1 9 Kg3

What is B lack's repl y to 1 7 Kxf2 ? 1 7 Kxf2 ---- 1 8 ---- ---- , and wi ns. Why not 1 9 Nd4? . 1 9 Nd4 ---- 20 ---- ---- 2 1 ---- --- . and wi ns. 27

5.

23 . . . Qh6

What is B lack's th reat?

6. 49 . . . Ne7t And Wh ite resigned. Why? Lesson Number Eight Position after 1 0 Qe2

White has just p layed 1 0 Qe2. H is idea is to be able to p lay e5, wh ich wou ld make it d i fficu lt for B lack to deve lop h is queenside. B lack must prevent th is move, and continues with : 1 0 Qe2 Bd6 ( Q 1 ) 1 1 Re1 N94- . B lack cou nter-attacks in a n attem pt to decide matters before Wh ite can uti l ize h i s su perior development. The h-pawn is now th reatened. Nge5 Nxe5

1 2 h3 1 3 Nxe5 1 4 exd 1 4 Bc2 is on ly a loss of ti me, wh i le B lack cannot now captu re the piece without l osing a pawn . exd 14 1 5 Nf3 Wh ite now has a defi n ite advantage, and it wou ld be wise to consider wherein it l ies. Both sides appear to have com p leted the devel opment of their pieces, and yet Wh ite's position is sol id wh i l e Black has one lasting weakness -- his exposed d-pawn. U n­ less B lack is wi l l i ng to give u p h is pawn, he wi l l have to uti l ize h is pieces for its defense. These pieces, tied to the defense of the pawn, wi l l not be read i l y ava i lable for the defense of other points wh ich Wh ite may attack. Thus, White's p lan of action shou ld be, first, the concentration of h is p ieces u pon the B lack d-pawn . Th is m i ght be ach ieved by Be3, Rad 1 , Bc2, and B b3, and perhaps the dou b l ing of his rooks on the d-f i le. Then, and th is wi l l depend u pon the manner in wh ich B lack a rranges his de­ fense of the pawn, Wh ite shou l d attack on either the queenside (with h is th ree pawns) or on the k i n gside (with pieces and pawns). H avi ng an advantage does not a lways mean that you are goi ng to win, but it does mean that you r game wi l l be easier to play. Merely getting the better position does not make you a better player, but experience i n uti l iz i ng ideas wi l l . The knowledge to be gained from these lessons wi l l not i m prove you r ga me u n less you seriously apply it -- the more the better. H owever, DO N OT PLAY "Skittles" . One seriou s game wi l l teach you more than .....

28

twenty rap i d o nes ! We have been studying the orthodox l i ne i n the Col le, and be­ fore conti nu i ng with it, we wi l l look at another idea for B lack. Wh ite's development seems to be d i rected towards h is opponent's k i n gside. Why shou ldn't B lack castle on the queenside? Let us see what m ight happen. 1 d4 d5 1 0 Oe2 0-0-0 ( a ) 1 1 Ne5 Be8 2 Nf3 Nf6 1 2 Ndf3 Nd7 3 e3 c5 4 c3 e6 13 Bd2 Nf8 5 Bd3 Nc6 1 4 c4 ( b ) f6 6 N bd2 cxd 1 5 cxd exd 1 6 Nxc6 bxc6 7 exd Bd6 Oc7 8 0-0 1 7 b4 ( 02 ) and White 9 Re1 Bd7 has avery strong game.

( a ) Th is was played aga i nst me by A. R eynolds i n the B i rming­ ham Tou rna ment of 1 937. It seems to me as if B lack is i nviting attack with h is last move. Watch ! ( b ) Th is move opens the B lack queenside for the attack to fol low. B l ack may p lay any one of a n u m ber of i rregu lar defenses to the Col le. You shou ld be fam i l iar with a few of these. After 1 d4 N f6 2 N f3 g6, Wh ite does best to continue as he wou ld i n t h e regu lar Co l le. Thus, e3, Bd3, N bd2, (}O, R e 1 , with the even­ tua l e4. Wh ite can play more strongly aga i n st this defense, and you wi l l be able to do this after you have a good dea l of exper­ ience with the Col le. The l i ne sketched above shou ld enable you to give a good accou nt of you rself. The best l i ne aga i nst the Ki n g's I ndian is 3 g3, which is the fash ion today, and is discu ssed i n Part Th ree of th is book. If 1 d4 N f6 2 N f3 c5, then Wh ite can continue with either e3 or d5. I n the latter case, the advanced d-.pawn wi l l give B l ack so me d ifficu lty. A sti l l more i rregu lar defense is the Benon i Cou nter Gambit.

1 d4 c5 2 d5 ! Wh ite's advantage wi l l l i e i n the fact that he can su pport this advanced pawn by e4 and c4, permanent ly restricting the develop­ ment of the B lack pieces. A game between Alekhine and Tarta­ kower in the 1 926 D resden Tou rnament continued : 2 d6 8 93 f5 9 095 0-0 3 e4 e5 1 0 Qxd8 Rxd8 4 Nc3 Be7 1 1 N 95 5 Bd3 B95 96 1 2 f§ ( 03 ) , with the 6 Nf3 Bxc1 better position. Nh6 7 Qxc 1 L9

1 . Oe2 2.

1 7 b4

3.

1 2 f4 !

Ouestions -- Lesson N umber E i ght e5 loses a pawn. H ow? 1 1 ---- ---- 1 2 -- .:...- ---1 3 ---- ---- 1 4 ---- ---Wh ite has a very strong game. H ow wi l l he pro­ ceed with h is attack ? What shou ld Wh ite p lay after : (a) 1 2 . . . a6 13 ---(b) 12 . . . fxe 13 ---(c) 1 2 ... exf 13 ---Lesson Number N ine

We are cont i n u i n g i nvestigation of the i rregu lar B lack defenses in the qu een pawn open ings.

6 Ne3 1 d4 c5 0-0 7 Be2 a6 d6 2 d5 8 a4 ( 02 ) b6 g6 3 e4 9 0:0 Bb7 .Bill.. ( 0 1 ) 4 f4 1 0 Nd2 Nf6 5 Nf3 Wh ite's prospects are better, as he wi l l be able to p lace th is k n i ght i n a command ing position at c4 and conti nue with a k i n gside attack. Thus, . . . c5 is not to be recom mended. 1 . . .e6 is occasion a l l y d ifficu lty. 1 d4 e6 2 Nf3 c5 3c4 �� 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 Bb4 6 Ob3 .e�_ 7 Nf3 b.4i Bb7 8 BgS Ne6 9 e3 h6 1 0 Be2 1 1 Bh4 Oe7 12 a3 gS Nh5 13 Bg3 Nxg3 14 0-0-0 1 5 hxg3 0-0-0 Kb8 1 6 084 Bxd4 1 7 Nd4 1 8 exd4 R eS 1 9 Kb1 Na5 30

p layed, but shou ld give White l ittle

(03) (04) (05 )

20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38

c5 exb Ob� (a) Rhg1 '. d5 Nxd5 Rxd5 Rxd7 Oxe6 Bf3 Bxe6 Rxf7 Bd.1_ ( 06) Re1 Kxe1 Rf5 Kd2 Ke3 a4

Bxg2 axb Od6 Bb7 exd Bxd5 Oe6 Rhe8 Nxe6 g4 Rxe6 Re2 Ke8 Rxe 1 t h5 Re1 t Rh1 Rh2 Kb7

39 40 41 42

b4 h4 Kxa5 45 Rf4 Rxh4 gxh Rf6 46 Rxg4 bxa a5 Kb5 47 Rd4 bxa Rh6 48 f4 Kc5 43 Kf4 Rg6 49 Rd8, and B l ack Ka6 44 Kg3 resigned ( b ) (a) Note how each Wh ite move is d i rected aga i nst the same tar­ get -- the exposed B lack k i ng. (b) B lack's k i n g can never approach the Wh ite pawn, and his rook cannot prevent it from advanci ng. The k i n g and pawn wi l l move onwards to the eighth rank, and B l ack wi l l fina l l y have to sacrifice h i s rook for the pawn. He is thus hopelessly lost. Some Swed ish p layers answer the move 1 d4 with . . . e5, wh ich gives Wh ite no choice but to captu re the pawn. Thus:

3 f4 f6 1 d4 e5 4 exf Nxf6 2 dxe Nc6 5 Nc3, fo l lowed by N f3, e3, Bd3, and (}O, and B lack has p layed a gambit which is u nsou nd because it has given h i m a s l ight ad­ vantage in devlopment without good attack i ng chances. The master Bogo l yu bov someti mes p layed, after 1 d4, Ne6 Wh ite shou l d have no d i fficu lties after:

Nc6 e5 4 e4 1 d4 Ne5 2 d5 5 f5 N6e7 Ng6 6 �_ (07) 3 f4 The Dutch master Prins once tried a n i nteresting defense against me i n one of the Hastings tou rnaments. 7 dxe N�f!tL (08) 1 d4 d6 8 Nxe5 Bxd 1 2 Nf3 Ne6 3 e4 Bg4 9 Bxf7t Ke7 1 0 Ne6t Kxf7 4 Bb5 a6 1 1 Nxd8t Rxd8 b5 5 Ba4 e5 6 Bb3 1 2 Kxd 1 , and Wh ite won The Dutch Defense, 1 . . . f5, is one of the most plausible of B l ack's possi b l e repl ies to 1 d4. I n my opinion the move is p l ay­ able for B lack, but not as a first move. B lack shou ld fi rst play e6 and then f5. f5 1 d4 B lack's move has two pu rposes; fi rst, to prevent or make d i ffi­ cu lt White's eventua l e4, and second, to prepare for a possible k i n gside attack. Wh ite may cou nter B lack's p lans with one of 31

th ree ideas. 1 . H e may play 2 c4, i nten d i ng to assu me contro l of the center without p laying e4; 2. H e may play 2 g3, to p lace the KB on the long d iagona l and prepa re e4; 3. H e may p lay e4 at once. B l ack's better choice is 1 . . .e6, and 2 . . . f5. P layed aga i nst the Col le, th is form of the Dutch Defense forces Wh ite to a lter h i s plans. Wh ite's mai n idea, the completion o f h i s development by e4, now i nvo lves a serious drawback -- the open ing of the B lack f;fi le. Wh ite must therefore plan to contro l both the e-fi le and the f-file before he enforces e4. A very carefu l development is ca l led for, lest B lack become dangerous on our k ingside. Thus :

7 Nc3 c6 1 d4 e6 2 Nf3 f5 8 b3 Qe8 9 Oc2 Qh5 3 g3 Nf6 1 0 Bf4 Nbd7 Be7 4 B92 0-0 5 0-0 1 1 Rad 1 , to be fol lowed d5 ( a ) 6c4 by N e5, f3, and e4. ( a ) B lack must develop qu ickly. H e does not have ti me to pre­ pare for e5, which Wh ite may i n any case prevent. We have now seen most of the i rregu lar l i nes B lack ca n adopt aga i nst 1 d4 and have fou nd that, a lthough they may be p layab le for B lack, they cause Wh ite l ittle d i fficu lty, and usu a l ly give him positiona l advantages. The basis of ou r study, the Col le, may seem tame, but note that i n studying it we have a lso studied many other i m portant l i nes as we l l . Once you know the Col le, and can u se it, you shou l d be more than a match i n other open­ ings as wel l . I n Part Two of this book we sha l l examine nu mer­ ous examples of the play of the Co l le System. 1 . 4 . . . Bg7

Questions Lesson N umber N ine What is the key move of the Wh ite attack after 4 . . . N f6?

2. 8 a4

Why?

3. 3 . . . cxd

H ow sho u l d Wh ite conti nue after 3 . . . N f6 ? 4 ---What does Wh ite play after 6 . . . Bxc3? 7 ----

••

4. 6 . . . Bc5 5. 7 . . . b6 6. 32 R d 1 7. 6 Bg5 8.

32

7

.•.

N xe5

H ow does Wh ite answer 7 . . . 0-0? 8 ---With what th reat? 33 ----

What shou ld Wh ite p lay after 6 . . . f6? 7 ---What if 7 . . . Bxf3 i n stead?

Answers 1 . 7 exd 8 Bb5t 9 Nxe6

a6

2. 4

Qxd5

3. 5

Qc8

Qxd5 c6

Lesson Number Two 1 0 Nxe7 Qxb5 1 1 Qxb5t axb5 1 2 Ne8 wi ns. 5 Nc3 (best)

6 e3? Qxe 1 t Lesson Number Three 1 . Wh ite shou ld p lay 4 d5, and shou ld try to ma i nta i n that ad­ vanced pawn by e4, N c3, and Bxc4. 2. 4 exd 5 Nc3 ! , and 6 Qxd4 Qxd5 3. 8 e4, with great adva ntage i n development. 4. 6 7

Nb4 Qxd4!

8 Qxd4 Ne2t w i n n i n g a p i ece.

5. Better wou ld have been 1 6. . . Nde7. 6. Wh ite th reatens 19 Nf6t , w i n n i n g a rook for the k n ight. 7. B l ack th reatens 19 ... Nxe5 ! 8. 25 Rh 1 ! B l ack can not meet the th reat of Qh8 mate, or if 25 ... Qd7 26 Qh8 t Kf7 27 Qg7 mate.

Lesson Number Four 1.

1 0 Nxd5 !

2.

1 0... Nd7, and if 1 1 f4, f6 !

3. Wh ite th reatened to win a pawn by 13 Nxe6 bxe6 14 Rxe6. 4. 1 3 1 4 Bb4 5. 1 5 Bxe6

Ne4 R moves

1 5 f3 1 6 h4

bxe6

6.

12 1 3 axb 7. 1 4 exd ? 1 5 axb

axb Rxa 1 axb exd

8.

Bb7 12 1 3 Nxf7 ! Kxf7

1 6 Qc3 1 4 Qxa 1 , fo l l owed by 086 Rxa 1 1 6 Qxd4 Qxh2, to 1 7 Qxa 1 B l ack's advantage Kf8 1 4 Qe6t 1 5 Ng5

12 1 3 Nxf7 1 4 gxf3

Bb7 Bxf3 Kxf7

or

1 5 Qe6t 1 6 Bc4

Ng5

Kf8

33

Lesson Number F ive 1 . 7 e3, to be fo l lowed by 0-0. 2. 7 Be2 , to be fo l lowed by a3, and the bishop can return to d3. B lack wi l l have lost as much time as Wh ite. 3. As Wh ite's development conti nues, he wi l l want to avoid any interru ption i n his attack by ... N b4 and the threat of ... Nxd3 or ... N c2. 4. 8oo. Be7 wou ld prevent Wh ite's N e5. 5.

If 9oo . Bxe5, Wh ite wi l l rema i n with two active bishops bearing down u pon the B lack k i ngside. 6. 13 Nxe4 dxe4 1 4 Bxe4 Bxe5 and the pawn wi l l be rega ined because of - the p i n of the Wh ite queen by the B lack rook. 7. 1 4 1 5 Oh5 1 6 Nxe6 8. 1 5

Bxe5 17 dxe 1 8 Rg3 ! , with a won position.

fxe4 h6 Bxe6 h6

Lesson Number Six 1 8 Qh7t

Bg7 1 . 1 7 0h5t g6 2. 22 d5! opens the bishop's d iagona l , attacks the k n ight, and frees the second Wh ite rook for action. 3. 29 Ng3 30 RgSt 3 1 Nxf5

Kg6 Kh7 Oe5 ( forced )

4. 27 28 Re5

Nxe3 0g6

5. 28 hxg4 6. 31 Rxg7t. 7. 32 33 Rg7t

e2 Oxd8 Kf8

32 Rg7t Kh8 33 Rd8t Be8 34 Re7, w i n n i n g the queen, or mati ng next move. 29 Nxe3 fxe3 30 R8xe8, and B lack is lost.

34 Ne6 mate.

Lesson Number Seven e5 1. 7 8 e4, and Wh ite wi l l be able to use the open k i n g file fi rst. 2. 1 2 f5 1 4 Ne5 wins a pawn. 13 Bxe6 bxe if 14 Bb7 1 6 Bg5 wi ns the ex­ 1 5 Nd7 ch nage. 34

3.

1 7 Kxf2

Rxe3

1 8 Rxe3 and wins 2 1 any

Qf4t,

1 9 Nd4 Nxd4 Bxd3 wins Oxd4t 20 cxd4 5. B lack th reatens . . . Bxd3, fol lowed by . . . g5 ! 6. B lack must win the end i ng. After 50 N xe7 Kxe7 Wh ite's h-pawn wi l l be stopped by the B lack's k i n g or rook, wh i le the B lack a-pawn wi l l be able to queen without much d i ffi­ cu lty, wi n n i ng the Wh ite bishop in the process.

4.

lesson Number E ight Nxd5 1 3 Qe4t any 14 Oxd5, and Wh ite is Kxh7 a pawn up. 2. Wh ite's attack wi l l consist of R ec l , R ab l , a4, b5 and the fu rther open ing up of the B lack queenside. 1.

1 1 exd 1 2 Bxh7t

3.

(a)

1.

2.

3. 4. 5. 6.

1 3 a4, preventing t h e advance of B lack's queenside pawns. ( b ) 1 3 Ncxe4, p i n n i n g t h e B l ack rook t o t h e defense o f the d-pawn. (c) 1 3 N b5, threate n i ng N c7.

lesson Number N ine Wh ite wi l l try to enforce e5. A proba b l e l i ne of p lay i s : 8 fxe N g4 5 N c3 N bd7 6 Nf3 a6 9 e6! dxe 7 e5 8 a4 is necessary to prevent B lack from playing . . . b5, with cou nter-attacking chances on the queenside. It a l so secu res c4 for a k n i ght. 4 d5, and B lack's position i s s i m i lar to that he obta i n s in the Benon i . 7 Oxc3. 8 Bg5 ! Rd8t ! R c8 34 Rxc8 t Kxc8 35 R f6 Kc7 36 Rxh6 and if 36. . . R xf2 37 R g6.

7. 7 Be3 ( best ) . 8 . 8 Oxf3 9 Qe2

Nxe5

35

Part Two Practical Play of the Co l le System As you see, we have treated the second part of the Col le System completel y different than the first part. The ana lysis is a l l there, but we have added the complete score of the games to i l lustrate, so that the pu p i l m i ght get a better pictu re on how to continue if and when he does obta i n some of the objectives he is a i m i ng for. Let us now make a q u i ck resu me of the different phases in the Col l e System. The Co l l e is p layed as sort of a sem i-Stonewa l l . Slow- motion deve lopment with the first obj ective e4. Achieving th is we get an open f i l e for the rook and free the work i ng of the q u een bishop. We always have the bishop sacrifice on h7 i n m i nd. We concentrate on gett i n g contro l of the center with R ad l and R fe l . F in a l ly, we have good chances i n the end i n g with ou r th ree pawns aga i nst two on the queenside. Assu m i n g that you know a l l th is and even know how to obta i n most o f you r objectives, t h e chances are very h i g h that you r op­ ponent k nows these th i n gs as wel l as you and thus he has to find cou nter- measu res and you can bet you r bottom dol lar that he wi l l come u p with thi ngs you least expect. I t wou ld be a great and a l most a l l the possible ways B lack m ight serious chess is you r best weapon adopt. Let us speak about a few

i m possible task for me to find p lay aga i n st the Col le. Playing aga inst most l i nes B lack might herewith :

1 . I f B lack plays . . . b6 and B b7, the Queen' s F ianchetto. I don't l ike this too we l l for B l ack. See games No. 1 3, 2 1 , 23, and 24. For . . . b6 played later on in the game see nu mbers 1 , 8, 1 2, a nd 25. 2. For B lack to fo l l ow the leader must be bad. A good example is game No. 1 0. 3. Where B lack adopts the dou b l e fianchetto, he must be a very strong player, otherwise he rea l ly can get i nto trou ble fast. See game 1 4. 4. For the l i ne i n which B lack plays . . . a5 and . . . N c6 see game N o. 1 5, which is very we l l annotated and shows Wh ite getting a s l i ght edge most of the time. 5. I f B lack plays a n eventual Dutch Defense aga i nst you see game No. 22. 6. I f B lack plays . . . Bf5, then we quit p laying the Col le and con36

tinue with c4. See game No. 1 9. I t is very i mportant for you to rea l ize that you play the Col le as long as you r opponent stays with you. The moment he switches, you too sho u l d switch to the l ine of continuation that is most favorab l e to you. This is wel l explained i n Part One. N owadays you find that most strong p layers p lay 2 ... g6 i m med iately aga i n st any queen pawn open i n g. Thus the K ing's I nd ian Defense can be played aga inst anyth i n g Wh ite cou ld p l ay. My advice for White is that you start off with 1 d4 N f6 2 N f3. Now you in­ tend to p lay the Co l l e and thus you have no idea what defense B lack is going to adopt. I f B lack p lays 2 . . . g6, you r th i rd move i s 3 g 3 a n d develop you r bishop on g2. T h e R u ssians now even p lay the doub l e fianchetto against the K ing's l nd ian Defense. I wou ld suggest that you stay with the l ine I recommend to you (2 ... g6 3 g3) u nti l you are more experienced in it, before adopt­ i n g any other l ine of play for White. See game 27 and Part Three. I n a modern U. S. Championsh i p, B i sguier p layed successfu l l y against Lombard y : 1 d4 N f6 2 N f3 c S 3 e 3 e 6 4 c 3 dS S N bd 2 N bd 7 6 NeS! ( Here's an idea worth wh i le toyi n g with ! I t shows a sort of sem i-Stonewa l l set-up. ) 6. . . N xeS 7 dxe Nd7 8 f4 f6 9 Bd3 g6 10 exf Oxf6 1 1 e4 c4 1 2 B c2 Oxf4 1 3 Nxc4 0c7 1 4 0d4 R g8 1 S exd Bg7 1 6 Oh4 N f6 1 7 d6 Oc6 1 8 B gS bS 1 9 Bxf6 Oxc4 20 Bd4 (th reatens mate on e7 ) 20 . . . B f8 2 1 Oxh 7, B lack resigns. I n giving this modern exam­ ple, I am o n l y trying to d raw you r attention to the fact that new continuations are a lways there. Maybe you wi l l find some­ thing new and strong! At least I hope so !

1 2 3 4 S 6 7 8 9 10 11 (a)

Game 1 Played i n the Comta l Chess C l u b Tou ran ment, J u l y 1 934 Wh ite : G . Kolta nowski -- B lack : Catala Ke7 (1) 12 BeSt d4 d5 N b7 (g) Nf3 Nf6 1 3 b4 Qe7 1 4 Nd4 e3 e6 Nd8 1 5 0h5 c5 Bd3 f6 ( h ) e3 Nbd7 1 6 b5 eS (j ) Nbd2 Bd6 (a) 1 7 Re1 ( j ) Bxe5 (k) 0- 0 b 6 ( b) 1 8 Rxe5t ! ! Bd6 dxe 1 9 Ba3t e4 (c) Ne6 20 Re1 t Nxe4 (d) Nxe4 Resigns ( I) Bxe4 Rb8 2 1 Nf5t Nxc5 (e) dxe! F o r t h e l i ne o f p l a y that B lack adopts, 6 . B e 7 was more i n l i ne. 37 . .

(b) Making loopholes before being cast led, always leads to trouble. (c) And now one can rea l ize why the last moves of B lack had no fundamenta l ideas beh ind them. Wh ite now threatens e5. ( d ) The bishop shou ld have gone back to e7, but B lack prefers h i s wi ld pol icy. (e) What can B lack do otherwise? I f 1 1 ... Bxc5, then 1 2 B f4 wi ns. (f) I nterposing wou ld mean l oss of a bishop. (g) The k n i ght is rather bad l y p laced here. ( h ) B b7 was better, although Wh ite sti l l has the pu l l after 1 7 Bxb7.

(j) Threatens mate in two. ( j ) And now B lack gets a shock I ( k ) I f . . . fxe5, 1 9 Bg5t KfS and 20 QeS mate. ( I ) I f . . . KfS 22 QeS mate; and on . . . KdS, 22 Bxd6 wi n s the q ueen.

Game 2 P layed i n the Premier R eserves Tou rnament, Hasti ngs, 1 933-34 White : G. Koltanowski -- B lack : E. M. Jackson 15 Bd2 e5 1 d4 d5 16 Ng5 h6 ( f) 2 Nf3 Nf6 1 7 Oh5 hxg5 ( g) 3 e3 e5 4 e3 Ne6 1 8 Oh7t Kf8 1 9 Oh8t Ke7 5 N bd2 (a) Qe7 f6 ( h ) 20 Bxg5t Bd7 6 Bb5 (b) 7 0-0 e6 (c) 2 1 Oxg7t Kd8 8 Re1 Bd6 22 Bxf6t Be7 9 Bd3 0-0 23 dxe Bxf6 1 0 e4 exd 24 Oxf6t Re7 1 1 exd dxe (d) 25 e6 Od6 ( j ) 1 2 Nxe4 Nxe4 2 6 Bxe6 Rxe6 (j ) 1 3 Bxe4 Rae8 27 Rad 1 Qe7 (k) Rfe8 1 4 a3 ( e ) 28 Oxe7t Resigns ( I) (a) dxc i s probably correct here, fol lowed by b4. The game thereafter wou ld have the character of the Queen's Gambit Ac­ cepted with colors reversed. ( b ) 084 is u sual . B lack shou ld not be a l lowed to p lay . . . e5. ( c) ... a6 was better, forcing the exchange of bishop for kn ight. Wh ite wou ld then form a stonewa l l by S Bxc6 Bxc6 9 Ne5 and f4. ( d ) N b4 wou ld have given more play. Wh ite now gets a domi­ nating position. (e) To stop B lack's N b4 and ... N c2. ••.

.•.

3S

(f) Best; if 1 6. . . g6? 1 7 Nxh7 Kxh7 1 8 0h St Kg7 1 9 Oh6t Kg8 ( not ... Kf6 20 BgSt 1
•••

..•

•••

Game 3

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

P layed i n the Mo"et Tournament, Spain, J u l y 1 935 White: G. Koltanowski -- B lack : Cherta 088 d4 Nf6 17 b4 Ba8 Nf3 d5 18 Rab1 Bxe5 19 Rb3! ( h ) e3 e6 20 dxe5 Qe6 Bd3 Be7 21 f3 Nh5 ( i ) Nbd7 Nbd2 0-0 g5 (j) 22 Be3 0-0 b6 (a) 23 b5 082 Qe8 (k ) 24 f4 ! ( I) Nxf4 dxe e4 gxf4 25 Bxf4 Bb7 Nxe4 26 Og4t Kh8 Nxf6 Nxf6t ( b) f5 27 Oxf4 Od5 (d ) Rd 1 ( e) Kg8 28 Oxh6t h6 Bg5 Rxd 1 t 29 Be2 085 e4 30 Bxd 1 f4 Bf4 Bd6 (e) Resigns ( m ) 31 Qg5t Rad8 Ne5 (f) ) ( 084 g a3!

(a) A conti nuation that has been tried on me many a time since then, but I doubt if it is the best for B lack. (b) I had thought of conti n u i ng with N g3, but then it struck me that it wou ld be best to get my opponent away from the books. Since then, I k now that the text move is the best contin uation for White. (c) This protects the pawn on d4. I f now Oxd4? 1 3 Bxh7t, etc.

.• .

Bxf3 1 2 Oxf3

( d ) This looks very strong, since he threaten s to go to hS with 39

his queen, but Wh ite is now able to gain a lot of tempi. (e) ... Qh5 wou ld not give much now, si nce he loses the pawn by that move. (f) And now we see that the early sortie of the queen was not o n l y use less, but wi l l sti l l cause anxiety. (g) B lack must beware of b4, as then h is queen wou ld be shut in after b5. ( h ) This rook is qu ickly entering into a k ingside attack. ( i ) 21 ... Nd7 wou ld have stopped the retreat of the q ueen. 21 ... N e8 wou ld have p laced the kn ight u n happi l y. Best wou ld have been 21 ... N h7, but Wh ite wou ld then have continued i n a si m p le but sure manner, i.e. 22 Be3,- fo l lowed by b5. (j ) As g4 was threatened, B lack had no other way of saving h i s kn ight and t h e pawn a t t h e sa m e t i me. Wh ite now fin ished the game i n a simple manner.

H;) Qb7 was better. ( I) This breaks the position. (m) Mate i n a few moves can not be stopped.

Game 4 P layed i n the Championsh ip of the Barcelona C l u b d' Escacs December 3, 1 934 Wh ite : G. Koltanowsk i - B lack : Cabestany 1 d4 d5 13 Rc1 Od6? (f) 2 Nf3 Nf6 14 dxe Qxd2t 3 e3 Nbd7 1 5 Kxd2 Re8 4 Bd3 (a) 1 6 Rhe1 a5 (g) c5 ( b) 5 c3 Qc7 1 7 Rc7 Rb8 6 Nbd2 ( c) e5 (d) 18 Bd5 Kf8 7 e4 (e) dxe 1 9 Bxf7 ! (h ) Re7 8 Nxe4 Nxe4 20 e6 Nf6 9 Bxe4 cxd 2 1 Rxe7 Kxe7 1 0 cxd Bb4t 22 Nd4 Nd5 1 1 Bd2 Bxd2t 23 Re5 Kd6 1 2 Qxd2 ().O 24 Rxd5t (j) Resigns (a) 4 N bd2 wou ld have been better here, so that after 4 . . . c5, the bishop cou ld go to b5, without loss of ti me. (b) B lack profits now by Wh ite's last move. ( c) P layed without reflection. 6 Qa4 was now necessary, so as to prevent the text move. (d) B lack now has a good game. 40

[ e) This has to be p layed now if Wh ite does not want to lose a l l i n itiative. [f) This loses i m med iately. Qb8 was the on l y move that avoid­ ed loss of a pawn. [ g) B lack cannot take the pawn, as he wou ld lose the exchange. [ h ) F i n ishes B lack's hopeless ga me rather qu ick ly. I f 1 9 . . . Kxf7 20 e6t Rxe6 2 1 N gSt, etc. ( i ) I f now KxdS, then 2S e7 t wi ns easi ly.

1 2 3 4 5 S 7 S 9 10 11 12 13 (a)

Game S P layed i n the Tournament of Zurich, N ovember, 1 936 Wh ite : G. Koltanowski -- B lack : Leu d4 14 Re1 dS Oc7 1 S Bf4 NfS Nf3 Bb4 (c) eS e3 1 S Re3 RfdS ( d ) cS Bd3 1 7 Rg3 (e) BdS (f) 1 S Rc1 N bd7 c3 ObS Nbd2 Be7 1 9 082 (g) gS 20 BgS 0-0 Be7 (h ) 0-0 dxe e4 (a) 21 BxgS ! ! ( i ) fxgS (j ) 22 NxgS cxd Kf7 (k) Nxe4 23 Ne5t cxd KfS ( I ) Nxe4 24 BhSt NfS Bxe4 KeS 25 RgSt Bd3 ( b) Resigns ( m ) bS Ne5 Bb7 R e 1 or Qe2 fi rst is better.

( b ) This is better than Bc2. (c) Looking for troub le. BdS was the move. (d ) B lack has planned to p lay N d S, but then White wins through 1 7 Bxh7t Kxh7 1 8 QhSt Kg8 1 9 Rh3 and mate fol lows. (e) This stops B lack fro m advancing his k ingside pawns. (f) Not 1 7 . . . R xd4 because of 1 8 Bxh7t, etc. (g) To enable B gS to fol low. ( h ) I f 20 N h S, then 2 1 Qxh S gxhS 22 Be7 t Kh8 23 B f6 mate. •.•

( i ) The bishop sacrifice after a l l ! ! (j ) I f 2 1 hxg6 22 Nxg6 gives the B lack king no loopho le at a l l . .•.

( k ) I f 2 2. . . hxg6 23 Qxe6t Kf8 2 4 Bxf6 Qd6 (forced ) 2S Bxe7 t Qxe7 26 Qxg6 wins.

( I ) I f now 26 Ke8 there fo l lows 27 Bxf6 B xf6 28 QhSt. .•.

( m) If 2S . . . Bf8 26 R xf8t 1
I n addition, 25 . . . N xg8 is not possible because of 28 Oh5 mate.

1

2

3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

Game 6 P layed i n the match, D u b l in, 1 937 Wh ite : G. Ko ltanowski -- B lack : Q' Han lon Bb6 ( i ) 12 Nb3 d5 d4 1 3 Bf4 (j) f6 Nf6 Nf3 e6 e3 1 4 Rae1 Nexe5 (k) Nxe5 1 5 Nxe5 c5 Bd3 Kf8 ( I ) 1 6 Bxh7t Ne6 ( a ) e3 1 7 Bg6! ( m) Rd8 Bd6 ( b) Nbd2 Ke7 ( n ) 18 Oh5 ().O ().O (e) Bd7 19 Nd4! Bxe5 dxc (d ) 20 Rxe5 ! fxe5 ae7 (e) e4 2 1 Bxe5 Resigns (0) 082 (f) Re8 (g) Nd7 e5 ( h )

(a) N bd7 is a l so good. There then cou ld fo l low 6 0-0 Bd6 7 N bd2 0-0 8 R e 1 ( if 8 h3 Oc7 ! 9 e4 dxe4 1 0 Nxe4 N xe4 1 1 Bxe4 N f6 fo l lowed by g6 and Bg7 or i m med iately 8 e4 cxd4 9 cxd4 dxe4 1 0 N xe4 N xe4 1 1 Bxe4 Ob6 ! with a strong game) 8. . . e5 9 e4 cxd4 1 0 cxd4 dxe4 1 1 N xe4 N xe4 1 2 Bxe4 exd4 1 3 Oxd4 as in the game Co l le Sir George Thomas, at Carlsbad, 1 929. ( b ) Better is to place the bishop on e7. I n a game Alekhine F lohr, Berne 1 932, B lack p layed 6. . . 0c7. There fo l l owed 7 0-0 Be7 8 Oe2 0-0 9 e4 dxe4 1 0 N xe4 cxd4 1 1 N xd4 N xd4 1 2 cxd4, and Wh ite has a good game. If 1 2 ... N d 5 1 3 O h 5 is very strong, a n d on 1 2 ... 0d8 1 3 N xf6t Bxf6 1 4 0e4. I f 1 2 . . . N xe4 1 3 B xe4 is good enough. (c) N ot os good here is 7 e4, as there wou ld fol low 7 ... cxd4 8 cxd4 dxe4 9 N xe4 N xe4 1 0 Bxe4 B b4t, etc. mak i ng the game easy for B lack, as Wh ite has not much left for a possi­ b l e attack, and the pawn on d4 is weak. (d) N ow 8 e4 is bad. Just see: 8 ... cxd4 9 N xd4 N xd4 1 0 cxd4 dxe4 1 1 N xe4 N xe4 1 2 Bxe4 Bxh2t 1 3 Kxh2 Oh4t, etc., leaving B lack with the i n itiative. (e) I n a match game with Domenech, Barce lona, my opponent p layed here, 9 ... d4, and soon had a lost ga me after 1 0 N b3. I f 9 ... dxe4 1 0 N xe4 N xe4 1 1 B xe4 0xd 1 1 2 R xd 1 , Wh ite has more contro l of the position, and the mai n threat, b4, fo l lowed closely by a4, does not look too good for B lack. If 9 ... e5 1 0 exd5 Nxd5 ( if Oxd5 1 1 Oe2 R e8 1 2 Be4 ! Od7 1 3 N g5) 1 1 N e4 Be7 1 2 N b3, with a fine position as in the game C ol le - Euwe, i n their match, 1 929. 42

(f) Thi s is better than 1 0 exdS exd S 1 1 N b 3 Bb6 with lots of cou nter chances for h i s weak pawn on d S, as i n the game Co l le - Kashdan, Veldes, 1 93 1 . ( g) The theoretical continuation here is 1 0 . . . Bd6, so as to sto p t h e k ing's pawn from advancing. ( h ) N oth i n g can be wrong with a move l i ke that; it gives B lack someth ing to worry about. ( i ) Bf8 wou ld have been better, then Wh ite wou ld have conti nued with N bd4, Bf4 or B bS. (j ) Defense and development. ( k ) Loses i mmed iately . . . . Rf8 was better. ( I ) I f . . . Kxh7

1 7 QhSt wi ns the excha nge.

( m ) Cuts off a l l escape for the k i ng. ( n ) Qh8t was threatened.

(0) B lack must lose the queen or be mated by 22 Qh4t, etc.

I f at 20. . . R h8, then 2 1 NfSt wins. Game 7 Played i n the Sitges Tou rnament, 1 934 Wh ite : G . Koltanowsk i -- B lack : Cherta 17 Rae 1 Nf6 ( I ) Nf6 1 d4 Qh6 ( m) 1 8 Bf2 dS 2 Nf3 1 9 NgS c6 (a) Rfe8 3 e3 Bg4 (c) 20 Be3 Bd6 4 Bd3 ( b) 21 h3 Bh5 N bd7 5 N bd2 22 f5 ! Ng4 ( n ) e6 ( e ) 6 c4 (d ) 23 hxg4 (0) Be7 Bxg4 7 a3 (f) 24 Nh3 B h5 Qh4 8 Qc2 25 Bf4 Bxh3 Rc8 (g) 9 b4 Bd6 Qxd4t 26 Bxd6 1 0 Ne5 Ng4 Bxf5 (p ) 27 Kh 1 1 1 f4 28 Bxf5 Qxd6 Bxg4 1 2 Nxg4 29 Bxh7t Kh8 Qh4 ( i ) 13 0-0 ( h ) dxe g6 30 Rf3 1 4 e4 ! (j ) fxg6 Be7 ( k ) 3 1 Bxg6 1 5 Nxe4 0-0 Resigns (q) 32 Qxg6 1 6 Be3 ( a ) This idea is fro m Alekhine. ( b ) F i rst N bd2 is better here. (c) And B lack plans a l ready to play . . . eS. Had my kn ight been on d2, I cou ld very wel l have contin ued now with S c4, and though that wou ld be a loss of tem po for me now, I sti l l wou ld have played that move. 43

( d ) I must p lay this now, so as to have so me kin d of a game if B lack sho u l d play . . . e5. (e) ... e5 was su re l y more forcefu l. If 6 . . . dxc4, then 7 Nxc4 Oc7 8 0-0 B xf3 9 Oxf3 e5 10 dxe5 N xe5 1 1 Og3 Nfd7 ( best) 1 2 Bf5 ! with strong pressu re for White. Let us see what cou ld happen after 6 ... e5 7 cxd5 N xd5 ( not 7 . . . cxd5 because of 8 dxe5 N xe5 9 B b5t Bd7 1 0 Bxd7t I'b
(0) Not the best, 23 N xf7 ! won i mmed iatel y, for if then 23. . . N xe3, 2 4 Nxh6t.

( p ) If 27 . . . B xg2t 28 Oxg2 Oxd6 29 f6 g6 30 Oh3 h 5 3 1 Bxg6, etc. ( q ) The odds are too heavy. Game 8 P layed i n the Sitges Tou rna ment White: G . Koltanowski -- B lack : D r. Sunyer 1 d4 1 2 14 d5 N16 2 Nf3 1 3 R13 3 e3 14 exd e6 1 5 Rh3 4 Bd3 b6 (a) Ba6 ( b) 1 6 bxe 5 Nbd2 1 7 Bxh7t 6 c4 Bd6 (c) 7 0-0 0-0 18 Rxa3 8 b3 e6 19 Rxa7 9 082 20 Ra3 (g) Re8 10 Bb2 Nbd7 21 Rg3 1 1 Ne5 (d ) Re8 22 Ng4 44

c5 (e) exd N18 dxe Ba3 (1) N16xh7 Bb7 Re7 Qd6 16 Kh8

26 Nxf6 ! 23 Nf2 gxf6 Ba6 27 Og4 Rec8 24 Oh5 Resigns 25 Nde4 Oc6 (h ) (a) A system l i ke any other, o n l y as the B lack pawn is a l ready on d5, the bishop on b7 wi l l have l itt le sco pe. ( b ) Wishes to exchange bishops, but in rea l ity loses a lot of t i me. (c) I f . . . dxc, 7 N xc4, etc. ( d ) This defi n ite ly stops the advance of the B l ack pawn . (e) H e wishes to break the shack les. (f) A far-fetched combi nation that loses a pawn. I t was o n l y good if White happened t o take t h e bishop, b u t . . . (g) " Der M a u r hatt sei n P l i cht getan, der Maur kan n gehan . . . " ( h ) I n great t i me pressu re. . . . Oxf4 was needed a lthough Wh ite sti l l remained with great attack ing possi bi l ities. Game 9 Played i n the Sitges Tournament, 1 934 Wh ite: G. Koltanowsk i -- B lack : R. Spiel mann Nxd2 (b) 8 Of3 1 d4 d5 Oh4 t 9 Bxd2 2 Nf3 Nf6 3 e3 e6 1 0 g3 (c) Oh3 b6 1 1 Bf 1 4 Bd3 Of5 Bb7 1 2 Bd3 5 N bd2 Oh3 6 Ne5 (a) 1 3 Bf1 Bd6 Of5 Ne4 7 f4 1 4 Bd3 Oh3 (d ) Draw (a) Playing for the Stonewal l variation. (b) . . . f5 was not p layable because of 9 Oh 5t. ( c) Qc2 was a lso good �ere to get i nto a safe endga me. ( d ) What's that you say? The game has o n l y started ? You may have thought that a chess game was a fight to the fin ish. You are right ! Both cou ld find a way of cont in u ing, but then you must take i nto consideration the state of the scores in tou rna­ ment p lay. I f I can get a draw eas i l y and a d raw serves my purpose, why shou ld I continue "for better or ... worse ! " Game 1 0 P layed in the Sitges Tou rnament, 1 934 B lack : G o l mayo Wh ite : G . Koltanowski Nf6 4 Bd3 1 d4 N bd7 5 Nbd2 d5 2 Nf3 Bd6 e6 6 0.0 3 e3 e5 (a) 45

7 S 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 lS 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 2S 29 30 31 32 33 34 (a)

Re6 35 Rd6 dxe (b) e4 ! Re l 36 Rd7 Nxe4 Nxe4 Re6 37 · Rd6 0-0 (c ) Bxe4 Re7 3S RdS Nxe5 dxe gxf 39 gxf Bxe5 Nxe5 Rf7 40 RfS Kxh7 Bxh7t Rh7 41 Re8 Kg8 Oh5t Rf7 42 Rf8 ReS Oxe5 (d) Kg7 43 RhS c6 Og3 Kg6 44 ReS Bf5 Be3 Rh7 45 Kg4 Of6 c3 Be6t 46 Rf8 Og6 Bd4 Rf7 47 Kg3 Bxg6 Oxg6 (e) Kf5 4S RhS b6 Rfel Rg7t 49 h5 Rxel t b4 Bd5 50 Kf2 a5 Rxel Rf7 51 Be3 axb a3 Bc4 52 Rh6 b5 axb Bd5 Bd3 (f) 53 Rg6 g4 Rf8 54 Kg3 Bc4 Kg2 Rf7 Ra2 55 Kf2 Kg3 56 Rg4 RfS Kh7 ReSt Rf7 Bd5 57 h6 ( i ) ReS h4 5S Bc5 ! (j ) Ral Be6 Rel Kf4 Bc4 59 Bd6 60 Ke3 Re2 Rd8 Ke6 ( k) 61 Rh4! Kg6 Resigns ( I ) g5 (g) f6 f3 ( h) This is too early, and endangers B lack's ga me. 0-0 is better.

( b ) . . . exd, 8 e5 wins a piece. (c) And now B lack loses a pawn, in a wel l-known trap of the Co l le open ing. ( d ) And voi l a ! Wh ite is a pawn u p. B lack's o n l y hope now is to p lay for a d raw, by trying to exchange the heavy battery and remai n ing with bishops of opposite co lors. Even if this shou ld succeed, it wou ld mean constant vigi lance and, as i n this game, m i stakes are eas i l y made i n an inferior position. Therefore the loss of a pawn is i n no way justified. (e) This is to avoid com p l i cations. (f) I f B lack can now achieve the exchange of rooks, then he has a certai n draw. (g) Threatens h5 and h6. ( h ) He wishes to p lay h5t and Bxg7. 46

( i ) The pawn advances, slowly but su rely. (j ) And now it becomes noti ceable how dangerous the position rea l l y is. I f Wh ite can get h i s b ishop on g7 the game is won. (k) This hastens the end. ( I ) Somewhat too early, but he must lose someth i ng here a l l the sa me. If 6 1 ... R h 7 62 BfB fo l lowed by 63 Bg7 sh uts out the rook completely. Game 1 1 P layed i n the Sitges Tou ran ment, 1 934 White : G. Ko ltanowski -- B lack : Domenech 1 d4 1 3 Bf4 f5 (b) Nf6 2 Nf3 1 4 Be2 e6 Of6 3 e3 1 5 Rad 1 Rfd8 (e) c5 4 e3 Ne6 16 Bg5 Of7 5 Bd3 1 7 Bxd8 Rxd8 d5 (a) Bd6 6 Nbd2 1 8 b4 Bb6 0-0 1 9 b5 7 Qe2 Nb8 8 dxe 20 Ne5 Of6 Bxe5 Be8 9 e4 21 Bb3 dxe Bxd8 1 0 Nxe4 22 Rxd8t Nxe4 1 1 Bxe4 Bd7 23 0c4 (d) Oxe5 Re8 1 2 0-0 24 Oxe8 Resigns (a) And we have a normal Co l le aga i n . ( b ) Weakens h is k i ngside. (c) Loses the exchange. Wh ite's ga me was, a l l the same, su perior. ( d ) This finishes matters.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

Game 1 2 Played i n the M o l let Tou rnament, 1 935 Wh ite : G. Ko ltanowski -- B lack : D r. Va l ive b5 14 Qe2 d4 Nf6 1 5 e5 (d) Nd5 b6 Nf3 1 6 Ne4 Bb7 f5 e3 1 7 exf e. p. Bxf6 e5 Bd3 1 8 Ne5 Oe7 (e) Ne6 Nbd2 e6 1 9 g3 Rce8 c3 Oe7 20 Ne5 Be8 (f) a3 (a) exd 2 1 Oe4 g6 e4 Be7 22 Nxg6! Rf7 (g) exd 0-0 23 Ne5 Rg7 0-0 24 Nxe6 Rae8 Rxe6 b4 ! ( b) Kh8 25 Oxd5 a6 Bb2 Bxe5 26 Bf5 Of4 Re1 ( e ) 47

Resigns ( i ) 29 f4 Rge7 ( h ) 27 dxeS Rxe6 28 Bxe6 ( a ) For fu l l annotat ions o n this l i ne, see the next ga me. ( b ) An origi nal move. I have si nce played this move very often i n in master tourna ments with very good success. (c) Th reatens 1 4 dS exdS l S B xf6 Bxf6 1 6 exdS. (d ) Cutting the B lack q ueen off, and making room for the knight. (e) Protecting and mak i n g room for h i s kn ight. (f) If ... d6 2 1 N xb7 dxeS 22 Na5 wins. (g) I f . . . hxg6 23 Qxg6t B g7 24 0h7t Kf7 2S Bg6t Kf6 26 N e4t, wins. ( h ) H ad the rook on e6 gone away, then e6 wins. ( i ) The th reat of fS is too strong.

Game 1 3 Played i n the Barce lona Tou rna ment, 1 935 Th is ga me received the B ri l l iancy Prize Wh ite : G . Ko ltanowsk i -- B lack : B . Rei l ly 16 eS NdS ( g) Nf6 1 d4 b6 (a) 1 7 Bxh7t Kxh7 2 Nf3 1 8 NgSt Kg6 ( h ) Bb7 3 e3 1 9 Qg4 ( i ) fS c5 4 Bd3 Ne6 20 Qh4 Nf6 (j ) S Nbd2 e6 21 exf6 Kxf6 (k) 6 e3 22 Rxe6 ( I) Bxe6 Qe7 7 a3 eS 23 dSt exd 8 e4 (b) 24 dxe6 Rxe6 ( m) Be7 9 exd 2S f4 g6 ( n ) 0-0 1 0 0-0 exd4 26 Nd4 (0) 1 1 b4 (c) Rae8 Bg7 27 Qh7 (p ) d6 1 2 Bb2 ReS (q) 2 8 Bxd4t 1 3 Re1 Qb8 (d ) Rfe8 29 Nf3 Resigns ( r) 14 Qe2 Bf8 (f) l S Nb3 (e) ( a ) Accord ing to V. Kah n in h i s book " La Defense F ianchetto Da me" this move is the best aga inst the Co l le System, but on l y if co mbined with the fianchetto on the ki ngside as wel l. Aga i n st the l i ne adopted by R ei l ly i n this game, I was partic­ u larly happy as I had had to meet s i m i lar tactics from S. F lohr i n the Antwerp Tou rnament, 1 933. Aga i n st F lo h r I p layed the sa me 1 1 b4, an origi n a l l i n e of my own . I won that game. R e i l l y and so me of my later opponents had stud i ed Kahn's boo k, but were u nacquainted with my way of hand l ing the attack. 48

( b ) B est, so as to be able to play, if 8 . . . e5, 9 d5, putting B lack's queen bishop to sleep. ( c) The move that was not to be fou n d in "the books" ; a very good one in this position. It gives the queen's bishop a good square . . . . a5 by B lack wou l d be answered by b5 lock ing u p B lack's queenside forever. ( d ) The q ueen had to move as Wh ite th reatens not o n l y b5, but d5 as wel l. J u st see : 1 4 ... exd5 1 5 B xf6 Bxf6 1 6 exd5 win­ ning a piece as the kn ight is pinned. The square chosen for the queen is an u n happy one, however, putting her q uite out of p lay. B lack was hau nted by R eti's idea of putting the queen beh i nd the bishop on a8, not a bad idea, had B lack more space to work in. Actua l ly d8 was the best square. Who cares to p lay a piece back to its origi na l square? B ut that's j u st what must be done i n cases l i ke this! The game's the thing -- noth ing else cou nts beside it. (e) Wh ite's i ntention is to play N fd2 and f4, but after B lack's next move a l l that is not necessary. (f) Strange as it may seem, the losing move ! . . . h6 is essential. The idea is, of cou rse, to get the ki ng's rook i nto p lay. (g) ... d xe5 wou ld have opened up White's game sti l l more. 1 6 ... N d 7 wou ld have been fol lowed by Bxh7t as in the actual game, and on 1 6 ... N h 5 cou ld fol low 1 7 N g5 g6 1 8 Nxh7 N f4 ( . . . Kxh7, Oxh5 t ) 1 9 N f6t . ( h ) I f 1 8 . . . Kg8 1 9 Oh5 wins i m med iately. On 1 8 . . . Kh6 fo l lows 1 9 Og4 threaten ing N xf7t and a l so 20 Oh4t Kg6 2 1 Oh7t Kxg5 22 h4t, etc. This last l i ne rema ins B lack's great i n­ secu rity. ( i ) The th reat is 20 N xe6t Kh6 2 1 Og5t Kh 7 22 Oh5t Kg8 23 N g5. (j ) B lack has to stop Oh 7t . ( k ) . . . gxf6? 22 Oh 7 t Kxg5 23 f4t Kg4 24 Oh3 mate. ( I ) 22 d5t Ne5 23 f4 or dxe5t wou ld win as wel l but Wh ite is out to smash B lack's defenses at once -- and he succeeds ! ( m ) Otherwise b5 fol lows, leavi ng B lack hopeless. ( n ) I f . . . R c7, then 26 fxe5t dxe5 27 Nf3t, etc. (0) A n i ce fin ish i ng stroke; the kn ight must be taken, since if the rook moves away, N ge6t wou ld start a lot of trouble for B lack. ( p ) After the bruta l move, a q uiet, problem- l i ke one; fu l l of danger. O n l y . . . Bg7 can stop the mate wh i ch is th reatened 49

i n two ways. ( q ) What else is there? After the rep ly, this rook must be lost and the bishop as we l l, wh ich spe l ls -. F i n is. ( r) I f 29 . . . Ke6, then 30 fxe5 Bxe5 31 Bxe5 dxe5 32 Qxg6t 1
the Col le ; though the most popu lar is 5 e6 6 B d 3 N c6 7 a3 0c7 8 e4 cxd4 9 cxd4 Be7 1 0 0-0 0-0, but now the move I introduced i n my ga me against F lohr at Antwerp i n 1 932 ( b4) gives Wh ite the advantage. . • •

(e) Not o n l y to stop N b4 but a l so in the hope of playing b4, but Alek h i ne cuts across this plan. (f) This move, ced ing the sq uare b4, wou ld have been very dan­ gerous before, as the repl y N b4 wou ld have forced my bis­ hop to ret i re to b 1 . B ut now that my opponent has h i mself p layed a5, my bishop, i n stead of retreating, can advance (to b5) . (g) Try i n g to foce my K N back to d2, where it wou ld cra m p t h e OB terri bly. (h) There is a specious a l l u re i n 1 5 ... N xe4 1 6 Oxe4 B xd 5 1 7 Oe3 ( forced to protect the kn ight) N c2 1 8 Od3 Bxf3, so as to answer 1 9 Oxf3 with N xa 1 . But 1 9 R b 1 , and B lack has noth ing satisfactory. ( i ) I f 1 6. . . fxe, then 1 7 N g5 Oe7 and B lack's central pawns are weak. (j ) A rea l surprise. I f now 1 7 ... N xg5 1 8 e7 wins a rook. I f 1 7 . . . f5, then 1 8 f3 wi ns. ( k ) A desperate attem pt to bambooz le me, wh ich parti a l l y su c­ ceeded !

( I ) The simple l i ne, w i n n i n g a pawn and leaving

an excel lent posi­ tion. But there were at least two com plete l y decisive l ines. 1 8 R a3, or even better, 1 8 N xe4 Bxb3 1 9 Bg5 (threateni ng e7) f6 20 N xf6t Bxf6 21 e7 w i n n i n g with ease.

( m) I wished afterwards that I had played the king's roo k here i n­ stead, because the q ueen's rook mi ght co me i nto excel lent play on the k i ng's side later via a3. ( n ) 23 Od2 was the move, for Wh ite's pieces com mand a l l the squares fro m which the B lack rooks cou l d offer any cha l lenge. This i l l-considered exchange practica l ly converts a won game i nto a d raw.

(0) Forced; if the kn ight moves away, 3 1 Nd6 wins. ( p ) I f 33 R ab3, then 34 N b2 wins, since i f 34. . . R xb2 35 Rxb2 Nxb2 36 Rd8t Bf8 37 Bh6! ( much better than Bd4t ) . ( q ) I s this t o be won with best p lay? I doubt it. B lack wi l l be able to avoid exchange of either rooks or bishops u n t i l the moment is propitious. 51

Game 1 S Played i n the Belgian Championsh i p, 1 936 This game received the B ri l l iancy Prize Wh ite : G. Ko ltanowski -- B lack : M. Defosse 1 6 . Oxf3 Be6 1 d4 Nf6 17 Be3 Rad8 2 Nf3 dS 18 Bc2 bS (f) 3 e3 e6 1 9 Bd4 Bc5 (g) 4 Bd3 cS 20 Rad 1 b4 S c3 Nc6 Bd6 ( i) 21 BeS ( h) Bd6 6 Nbd2 22 Bxh7t (j ) Kxh7 7 0-0 0-0 23 OhSt Kg8 8 dxc BxcS Kxg7 ( I ) 24 Bxg7 ! ! (k ) Oc7 9 e4 (a) 2S OgSt K h7 1 0 082 Bd6 1 1 Re1 Ng4 26 Rd4 Bh2t 27 Kh 1 Of4 12 h3 NgeS NxeS 1 3 NxeS ( b) 28 Rxf4 Bxf4 14 exd exd (c ) 29 Oxf4 Rg8 30 ReS Resigns Nxf3t (e) 1 S Nf3 (d ) (a) Here the boo ks give with unani m ity 9 Qc7 as the best move for B lack. I f instead 9 . . . dxe 1 0 Nxe4 N xe4 1 1 B xe4 Oxd l 1 2 R xd l and Wh ite has an appreciable pu l l . . . . eS was fol­ lowed by 1 0 exd N xd5 1 1 N e4 Be7 1 2 N g3 with advantage in the first match game Col l e vs Euwe, 1 929. I n this last variation 1 0. . . OxdS leads to 1 1 0e2 R e8 ( 1 1 . . . Bg4 1 2 N e4) 1 2 Bc4 Od7 1 3N gS. I t seems therefore that 9 0c7 is best. Now if 1 0 exd exd 1 1 N b3 Bg4 as in the game Col le vs Kashdan, and B lack stands wel l. Wh ite p l ays instead 1 0 Qe2 as i n the text. .•.

.•.

( b ) I n th is position the invariable play has been 1 3 Bc2. F lohr vs A lekh i ne, Kecskemet, 1 927, conti n ued 1 3 . . . h6 14 N xeS NxeS 1 5 N f3 N xf3t 1 6 Oxf3, etc., but I propose instead the l i ne of play wh i ch fo l lows. ( c) Forced since after 1 4. . . N xd3 l S Oxd3 wou ld win a pawn. (d ) Wh ite a l lows the bishop to go but plans to put the weak d-pawn u nder pressu re. (e) I f . . . Nxd3 1 6 0xd3. B lack must decide how to protect h is d-pawn. I f Rd8 1 7 Oxd5 Bh2t 1 8 Nxh2 Rxd5 1 9 R e8 mate. I f . . . Be6 1 7 N g5. Therefore, there must come 1 6 . . . Oc4 1 7 R d 1 Oxd3 1 8 Rxd3 R d 8 1 9 Be3 ( not R xd5 be­ cause of Bh2t ) Be6 ( if here . . . Bf5 20 Rd2 Be4 as in the game Ko ltanowsk i vs Al meda, Mol let, 1 935, then 2 1 Rad l and the B l ack d-pawn is lost by (a) N moves, ( b ) f3. I n this last, if Bxf3 the doub led pawns do not matter) 20 Rad l •..

52

( Ko l tanowski vs Sou ltan beieff, B russels, 1 935. ) (f) With the i ntention of breaking u p the queenside. (g) Forced si nce 20 Oh5 g6 21 Oh6 is th reatened. ( h ) The fi rst step of the wi n n i n g combination. ( i ) If ... Ob6 22 Og3 fo l lowed by Bc7, etc. ( j ) Col le sti l l l ives ! ( k ) The ideas beh ind the twentieth and twenty-fi rst moves now become apparent. The rook comes q u ickly i nto the game and the B lack bishop has been l u red to d6. ( I ) B lack's last practi ca l a lternatives are: ( 1 ) ... f6 25 0h8t Kf7 26 B xf8 Bxf8 ( R xf8 Oh7t wi ns) 27 Oh5t Ke7 28 Oh7 t Kd6 29 R xe6t wi n n i ng the q ueen. ( 2 ) . . . f5 25 0h8t Kf7 26 Oh7 ! Od7 27 Rd3 f4 28 R xd5 Bxd5 29 Bd4 mate. Game 1 6 Played i n the Paris TO'Urnament, 1 929 Wh ite : G . Koltanowski B lack : D r. S. Tartakower Nf6 1 d4 26 Rxa4 Be5 Bxe3 2 Nf3 b5 (a) 27 Ra3 3 e3 28 bxe3 (k) a6 Re2 4 Bd3 Bb7 Rb8 29 Rel 5 Nbd2 e6 30 g3 Rbb2 Rec2 6 a4 ( b) b4 3 1 Rn 7 a5 c5 Kf8 32 Kg2 8 0-0 Ne6 33 Kf3 Ke7 9 N b3 (e) d5 (d) 34 Ke4 Kd6 ( I) Nd7 1 0 dxe Ke6 35 Rd l t 1 1 Nfd4 Nxe5 36 f4 Rxh2 Bxe5 1 2 Nxe5 37 Kd4 Ra2 1 3 Nxe6 Bxe6 38 Ral Rad2t 1 4 0e2 Qe8 (e) 39 Ke4 R he2 1 5 Bd2 (f) e5 (g) 40 Rgl g6 dxe 41 Raa l 1 6 e4 Re4t 1 7 Bxe4 0-0 42 Kb3 Kb5 Oxe6 1 8 Bxe6 Rxe l 43 Rae l 19 Oxe5 ( h) Bd6 44 Rxel Rd3 20 Qel Rfe8 Ke6 45 Re5t Rae8 2 1 Qel 46 Re7 ( m) Rd7 22 e3 bxe 47 Re8 Rd5 Rd7 Re6 23 Bxe3 48 Re7 24 Qd l h5 ( j ) 49 Re8, and draws by Oxa4 (j ) 25 Qa4 repetition of moves. 53

(a) A most pecu l iar answer, rea l Tartakowerian. ( b ) Simply 6 e4 and not worrying about the q ueenside wou ld have been more to the po i nt. ( c) N ot the best. (d ) Sacrifices a pawn on ly temporari l y. (e) The roo k's pawn needs protection. (f) H ere 1 5 e4 was better. (g) N ow B lack takes the in itiative. ( h ) Wins a pawn, but B lack has more l i ne contro l, which makes the position very dangerous for Wh ite. ( i ) I f . . . R g6 then f3. Of cou rse Wh ite ca nnot take this pawn because of . . . R h6. m B lack decides on the ending. ( k) 28 R xc3 wou ld have d rawn easi l y. ( I ) Better than exchangi ng a rook and a l lowi ng Wh ite to have a dangerous passed pawn on the queenside. ( m) To attack is Wh ite's best cha nce of forcing the d raw. Game 1 7 P layed i n the B ir m i ngham Tou rna ment, January, 1 937 B lack : J. Si lverman Wh ite : G. Koltanowsk i h6 d5 15 Ng5 1 d4 Nf6 16 Bf4 (e) Ne4 (f) 2 Nf3 Nxd6 e6 3 e3 1 7 Bxd6 e6 (a) f4 18 Qh5 4 Bd3 1 9 Rad 1 N bd7 Bf5 5 N bd2 Bxe6 Bd6 6 0-0 20 Ne6 Nf5 (g) 0-0 21 Rxe6 7 Re1 Rad8 22 Rde 1 8 e4 dxe Nd6 Nxe4 23 R 1 e7 9 Nxe4 24 Qg6 Qe8 1 0 Bxe4 Qe7 25 Be2 f5 ( e) 1 1 e3 ( b) Nf5 e5 (d ) 1 2 Be2 Kg8 26 Rxf5 Nxe5 1 3 dxe 27 Qh7 ! Resigns Kh8 14 Bb3t (a) Too slow, 4 ... c5 is much better. ( b ) This is to a l low the bishop to go to c2 if B lack attacks the b ishop with h i s kn ight. (c) This is bad ; 1 1 ... N f6 or even 1 1 . . . b6 wou ld have been bet­ ter. After the text move it is a constant struggle for B lack, j ust see. 54

( d ) A l l the fau lt of the eleventh move; . . . Nf6 was sti l l the best. (e) This i s the wi n n i n g move, as B lack cannot play . . . f4 ( . . . hxg5? 1 7 Qh5 mate). (f) Otherwise he loses the exchange. (g) I f . .. R ad8? then 22 Qe5 N b 5 23 Rxh6 mate.

Game 1 8 Played a t Hastings, 1 935-36 Wh ite : G. Ko ltanowsk i -- B lack : R. F i ne

Nf6 27 Bb3 28 Rd3 e6 c5 29 Red l 30 Rd7 (g) Nc6 31 Ba4 d5 32 Rxe7 Bd6 0-0 33 Rd7 e5 (a) 34 Bxd7 Bxe5 35 c4 36 b4 Bg4 37 b5 Oxd5 Qd7 38 Be6 �5 � �5 40 Bg8 Nxe4 41 Bf7 Qe7 Ne7 42 Kg2 43 Kg3 Kh8 44 Kg4 Bxe7 45 Kf5 ( h) g6 46 Kxf6 Bd6 Oxe4 47 Bh5 Bxf3 (f) 48 Kf5 49 Be8 Rae8 50 Bd7 b6 51 Ke4 Be7 52 Be6 Bf6 (a) B lack does not wa it to free his q ueen.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

d4 Nf3 e3 Bd3 e3 N bd2 0.0 Qe2 dxc (b) e4 exd Be4 (c) h3 Ne4 Oxe4 Nh4 B 95 Bxe7 Bd3 Nf3 Qc4 (e) Bxc4 gxf Bd5 Rad l Rfe l

Re7 Kg7 Re8 Re2 Bg5 Rxe7 Rxd7 Kf6 Bel Ba3 Ke7 Kd6 ffi

h6 g5 Ke5 Kd4 Kd3 Ke2 Bb2 K d3 ( i ) Kxe4 Kd3 Ke2 Kxf2 Drawn

( b ) The best rep l y here as it gives Wh ite p lenty of cou nter play. (c) Ne4 f irst seems better. ( d ) Why not simply 1 3 N xe5 w i n n i n g a pawn : if 1 3. . . Bxe2 1 4 Nxd7 Bxf1 ( if . . . N xd7 1 5 Bxe2, or . . , Bxc4 1 5 N xf6t gxf 1 6 N xc4) 1 5 N xf6t gxf 1 6 Bxf1 and Wh ite is the exchange down. (e) Wh ite seeks to excah nge queens so as to avoid d i fficu lties. 55

(f) This move is forced since Wh ite th reatens g4. I f 22 f5 then 23 N g5, etc. After the exchange of this bishop, the chances of drawing have i ncreased. (g) And now the second rook must be exchanged ; the ga me sho u l d be d rawn, but B lack wishes to conti n ue. ( h ) This ensures a d raw i n a clear way. ( i ) I f 47 ... e4t 48 Kf5 exf 49 Ke4 d raws.

Game 1 9 P layed at Margate, 1 936 White : G. Ko ltanowsk i -- B lack : A. G. Conde 22 Od1 ( j ) Ne4 1 d4 d5 23 f3 Nf6 2 Nf3 Nf6 24 0d4 Ree8 3 e3 Bf5 (a) 4c4 ( b) e6 25 b3 Ne8 5 exd exd 26 0e5 Rab8 (j ) 6 Ne3 e6 27 g4 Bg6 7 Qb3 Qe8 28 Rxe6! Bf7 (k) 29 Re7 Qb5 8 Bd2 Be7 9 Re1 Ne6 (e) 30 N c3 Qb4 31 Bxb8 Rxb8 1 0 Ne5 0-0 (d ) 32 Ne2 Rd8 1 1 Na4 Bd6 1 2 Bb5 Bxe5 33 Kf2 Ga3 13 dxe5 Nd7 ( e ) 34 Re2 Kf8 35 Rb7 Kg8 ( I ) 1 4 Bb4 Re8 36 Qe7 Qxe7 1 5 Bd6 Od8 (f) 37 Rxe7 Ra8 1 6 Bxe6 bxe 38 Nd4 Kf8 1 7 0-0 ( g) f6 1 8 exf Nxf6 39 R b7 a6 19 Rxe6 Ne4 ( h ) 40 Re6 h6 41 Rbb6 Ke7 20 Be7 Od7 42 Rxa6 Resigns 21 Rfe 1 Nd2 (a) A l i ne of play aga inst the Co l le advocated and pract iced by D r. Max Euwe. ( b ) The sharpest cou nter play. Wh ite's who le plan of campa i gn i s based on the weakness of B lack's q ueenside due to the absence of the bishop. I n the norma l Queen's Gambit, B lack's great trouble is the development of his Queen's bishop. If the problem cou ld be so lved in this simple way by its develop" ment on the 4th move before . . . e6, then the queen's pawn opening wou ld have no terrors for B lack. B ut this isn't so. (c) 1 0 Nxd5 was, of cou rse, threatened. U p to here the game has fo l lowed one of the match games between Euwe and Boglju­ bov. A subsequent ga me i n the last great Euwe-Alekh ine match 56

a l so opened in this manner. ( d ) The move 1 0. . . N d 7 m ust be p layed here. F rom now on Wh ite's advantage is perceptib le. (e) I f 1 3 . . . N e4 then 1 4 Bb4 fo l lowed by f3, etc. wi ns materi a l . I f 1 3 ... N e8 then 1 4 B b4 w i n s t h e exchange; wh i le after 1 3 . . . N g4 1 4 f4, t h e kn ight wou ld su bseq uent l y b e d riven t o a bad square by h 3. (f) 1 5 . . . a6, i n an attempt to get out of the pin, ach ieves noth­ ing, for 1 6 Bxc6 bxc 1 7 N b6 Oc7 1 8 N xd7 Oxd 7 1 9 0-0, and Wh ite can double rooks on the fi le and pick up the c­ pawn at h i s leisu re. ( g) 1 7 R xc6 at once m ight lead to difficu lties because of 1 7 . . . Oa5t a n d B lack can prevent Wh ite's castf ing b y R a 6 o r Bd3 accord ing to the rep l y. The c-pawn is dead anyway. ( h ) Appa rently forci ng 20 B b4, but Wh ite has something better.

( j ) The poi nt of Wh ite's twentieth move. I f . . . N c4 23 R xc4, for the d-pawn i s p i nned.

(j ) Trying to free h i mse l f by R b7, but Wh ite does not give h i m ti me. ( k ) I f 28 . . . R xc7 29 R xc7 Oxc7 30 R xe8t wins. I f 29 . . . N xc7 30 Re7. I f 28 . . . Kf8 29 N c5 Oxc7 30 R xe8t Bxe8 3 1 N e6t . ( I ) Forced because 36 R cc7 was th reatened.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

Game 20 P layed at R amsgate, April, 1 929 Wh ite : G. Ko ltanowsk i -- B lack : Sir G. Tho mas 1 9 Rc3 Bxd2 Nf6 d4 b5 20 Rxd2 e6 Nf3 21 Re3 (d ) Nb6 d5 e3 Nd5 22 c3 Nbd7 Bd3 23 Re1 b6 Rfd8 Nbd2 24 Ne5 Rd6 Bb 7 Qe2 25 g3 f6 Ne4 0-0 26 Ng4 Rad8 Bxa6 Ba6 (a) 27 Ne3 Nb6 Nxd2 Qxa6 Kf7 28 Rc2 Bd6 Bxd2 29 f4 g5 c5 ( b) Rae1 30 Kf2 Nd5 dxe e4 (c) 31 Nxd5 Rxd5 0-0 Rxe4 R8d6 32 Rce2 Qd3 Of6 33 a3 Qg6 a5 Rd 1 Rc6 34 Rc1 Oxd3 Re3 35 Ke3 Rd8 c4 Rxd3 Rb8 Bf4 Re3 36 Kd2 57

Rbd7 41 Ke4 Reb6 Ke2 Kd8 42 Red2 R8b7 Kd2 Draw 43 Rel Rd6 Re2 Ke7 Ke3 c4 fo l lowed by b3 and b2 was more logica l. ( b) This frees B lack's queenside. (c) Before it's too late. ( d ) Must move away before the B lack kn ight gets to d5.

37 38 39 40 (a)

Game 21 P layed i n the Antwerp Tou rnament, March 1 9, 1 932

This gam e has a do uble value; first th e sta le m a ting of th e B lack p o sitio n and th en the righ t m o m en t fo r th e final a t tack. To me it has a great value because a win aga inst Salo Flo h r, considered b y m an y a challenger fo r th e wo rld title, is so m e thing to rem e m b er. It helped m e win th e tourn a m en t.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

Wh ite : G. Ko lta nowski -- Biack : Salo F lohr Qb8 20 Rel Nf6 d4 Ne8 (g) 21 Qe2 e6 Nf3 Kg7 22 Qd2 (h ) 83 c5 (a) 23 Re2 h6 ( j ) c3 b6 Rh8 24 Bel Bd3 Bb7 Nf8 N e6 25 h4 N bd2 26 Qf4 Be7 ().O Qd8 ().O Bc8 27 Re3 (j ) Ge2 Bd7 a3 ( b) Rel ( e ) 28 Nal (k ) 29 Ne2 a4 exd e4 30 N b4 ( I) d6 cxd Bxb4 ( m) 3 1 axb Nh5 KgB b4 (d ) N e7 g3 g6 32 Qd2 (n ) Bb2 d5 (e) Be8 (0) 33 Qe2 Qd7 Ng7 e5 34 Nh2 Nb3 a5 (f) 35 Ng4 Nh7 (p ) b5 Nb8 36 Bxh6 Qe7 (q) Rfel Nd7 Res ign s ( r ) 37 Qe2 Qxel Rxel

(a) This as second move i s considered stronger nowadays. ( b ) To permit e4 without getting the B lack kn ight on b4, wh ich wou ld force the exchange of the strong Wh ite bishop. (c) . . . d 5 comes strongly i nto consideration. ( d ) Wh ite a l ready has more breathing space than B lack. The bishop on b2 is going to support the center. 58

(e) A bit late now, because the Wh ite pawn does more da mage on e5. (f) B lack is do ing h i s best to create some weakness in White's position, but slowly loses co mplete contro l of the position. The White pawns take com manding positions on the fifth ran k. They act as thorns in B lack's side. (g) I f R c8, then Wh ite wou ld play 22 Qd2, ta k i ng contro l of the square h6. ••.

( h ) Then the move without gai n i n g t i me. B lack's pieces are sta lemated anyhow.

( j ) This stops the threat B c 1 as B lack can then p lay R h8. (j) Hoping to get the rook over to f3. ( k) This t i me the plan is to get the kn ight to g4. Wh ite is de­ veloping many plans, wh i ch is making the defense for B lack d ifficu lt. ( I ) Wh ite changes plans aga i n . There is a loophole on c6. ( m) There's noth i n g else B l ack can do. ( n ) The a-pawn ? (0) Wishes to play Qd7, getting som9 cou nter p lay. ( p ) B lack must stop Nf6t. (q) 36 N xb5 is not good, as there fol l ows 37 Bxb5 Qxb5 38 Qxb5 Bxb5 39 R c8t wi n n i ng. . • •

( r) As after 37 . . . N xb5 38 Bxb5 Bxb5 39 Rc8+ Be8 40 Qc6, etc.

Game 22 Of th e man y gam e s I p layed in in tern a tio nal tourn a m e n ts, I . don 't th in k tha t m a n y can b e a t this ga m e again st Pau l Keres. was p layed in th e Osten d To urnam en t, 1937, in which Fin e, G rob, an d Keres all tied for first p lace. Keres wan ted to win th is gam e; it w o u ld h a ve in sured h is first prize alo n e. Keres sh o u ld ha ve won - yet fa te decided o th erwise.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

It

Wh ite: G. Koltanowski -- B lack : Pau l Keres b6 9 Ne2 (e) e6 d4 f5 ( b) 1 0 Bf4 Bb7 Nf3 (a) Na5 1 1 Nb5 Nf6 g3 ( c) e5 (d) 1 2 b3 a6 Bg2 1 3 Be7 (f ) Qe8 exd e4 14 Bd6 BXQ2 hd Be7 Nxd4 Ne6 1 5 Kxg2 0-0 0-0 Ne6 1 6 Ne3 b5 ( h) Ne3 59

17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44

45 46 47 48 49 50 (a) (b) (c)

Ke6 5 1 e3 Bxd6 exb Kd5 52 h3 axb Oxd6 ( i ) Nd4t (p ) 53 Rd3t (0) Qb7 Nb4 Ke4 54 Kf2 Rfe8 (j ) Nxe6 Ne2 (q) 55 Nb4 Rxe6 f3 Nxb4 56 Rd2 Rae8 Qd2 Ra3 57 axb b4 Rfe 1 Rxe3 58 Rb2 ( r) 086 Nd 1 Ra3 59 b5 Rxe6 Rxe6 Ra8 60 b6 Re3 Ne3 ( k) R b8 61 Rb5 Qb6 Ne2 Kd4 b7 62 ) Rxb3 I ( a3 d5 63 Kf3 087 Nxb4 e4t 64 g4 Qd4 Qe1 fxg 65 Kf4 . Re3 Rb1 h4 (s) 66 hxg 093 Qb2 h3 ReS 67 g5 Nd3 e3 (t) 68 Kg3 087 Qe5 ( m ) Ke3 69 R b 1 h6 Rb3 d4 70 Kf3 Rb8 Re3 h2 ( u ) 7 1 Ke2 Ra8 Qe7 Kb4 72 Re1 t Rxa7 Oxa7 ( n ) Rxb7 73 Kd3 Kf7 N b4 Kc5 74 Rh 1 (v) Ne8 Kf2 Kd5 75 Rxh2 Nd6 Ke1 R b3t 76 g6 (w) Ra4 N e2 Rb2t 77 Ke2 ! Ra5 Rb3 R b7 78 Kf3 (x ) Ke7 Ne3 Rg7 79 Rg2 g5 Kd2 Ke4 80 Rg5t h5 Ne2 Ke3 8 1 Ke2 Nb5 Rb4 Kb4 82 Re5t g4 Rb3 Ke4 83 Rd5 gxf Ke3 Draw (y) e5 Kxf3 84 Rg5 Wh ite can turn it i nto a F rench Defense with e4. This move is better as a second move than as a first, as after 1 d4 f5, White gets a strong attack with 2 e4. F ia nchetto i n R the ki ng's bishop is considered the best l ine of play for Wh ite aga i n st this form of the Dutch Defense.

( d ) Keres had a great l i k ing for playing on the open c-fi le. (e) Playing on the backward d-pawn. (f) A very dangerous continuation. Nd6 cou ld have been tried. (g) The o n l y move that saves B lack - and this o n l y because the Wh ite king comes under a possi ble check. 60

( h ) N icel y p layed, as it breaks u p White's q u eenside pawns. ( i ) I f 1 8 bxc6 Oxb6t 1 9 f3 Oxc3 wi ns a piece. ( j ) A l l this because the White king is u nder a pin. (k) If 26 Rcl Rxc1 27 Oxc l Oxa2 wins. ( I ) Gets more freedom. ( m ) Wh ite seeks the exchange of queens. ( n ) At last this, but trou ble i s sti l l loo m i n g ahead.

(0) Wishes to d rive the B lack k i ng back. ( p) What a nasty surprise !

I f 54 exd e4t wins.

( q ) Attack and cou nter-attack with each move. ( r) White decides to give up the k ing's pawn . H e i s lost anyway. ,

(s) Those passed pawns are eyed with sorrow. B ut the game must go on. There is too much at stake for some of the other play­ ers. On, then, with the battle. (t) What is Wh ite goi n g to stop first? ( u ) Th reatens . . . Rxb7. (v) Maybe ! (w) The position merits a close study. B lack cou ld have won be­ fore probably i n more than one way. N ow it is more d i fficu lt. Wh ite's threat is R h5t. (x) I t comes off. I f . . . Rxh2, then 79 g7 and Wh ite cannot lose ! ( y ) A ga me fu l l o f thri l ls and ch i l ls. B ut i t gives a constantly pleasant memory of one of my hardest tou rnament battles! Game 23 P layed i n exh ibition at Col u m bus, O h io, October, 1 957 White : G . Koltanowski - B lack : Tim Anderson 1 d4 Nf6 12 Bb2 Rfd8 (d ) 2 Nf3 b6 (a) 1 3 Re1 (e) Ob8 14 Oe2 Ca8 (f) 3 83 Bb7 1 5 d5 ( g) N b8 4 N bd2 e6 5 Bd3 e5 1 6 d6 ( h) Bf8 Ne8 (j ) 1 7 e5 ( j ) Be7 6 e3 18 Bxh7t (k) Kxh7 7 0-0 0-0 1 9 Ng5t Kg6 8 84 Ne6 9 a3 ( b) exd 20 Og4 f5 2 1 Oh4 Resigns ( I ) 1 0 exd Oe7 Rae8 1 1 b4 ( e ) (a) Ti m is one of the strong players of Co l u mbus and as many good players, feels the Co l le System is too tame, and felt 61

that the Queen's F ia nchetto was the strongest l i ne for B lack. I differ i n this idea. (b) And this move, wh i ch I i ntroduced i n my games with Sa lo F lo h r, Antwerp, 1 932, and B rian R e U l y, B arcelona, 1 934, is the key move aga i nst the l ine adopted by B lack. It stops 9 ... cxd 1 0 cxd b4 1 1 Bb 1 Ba6, etc. (c) Wh ite need not fear 1 1 . . . N xd4 1 2 N xd4 Qc6 1 3 N d 3 b3 , etc. The text move permits the development of the bishop, wh ich strengthens the center position of Wh ite. ( d ) R ei l ly tried 1 2 . . . d6 here. (e) Threatens to win a piece by b5 or d5. (f) P laci ng the q ueen beh i nd the bishop so as to have the long­ range th reats is nothing new. R icha rd R eti p layed it success­ fu l ly i n a n u mber of master games. I n th is game it serves no purpose -- and Wh ite now ta kes over com p l etely. (g) H its hard and h u rts. If 1 5 ... exd 1 6 exd N xd 5 ( ... N b8 1 7 Qxe7) 1 7 Qe4 N f3 1 8 Bxf6 ( B xf6 1 3 Qxh7t Kf8 20 R ce l , etc. ) ( h ) Pawns to the fore ! I f 1 6 . . . Bxd6 1 7 e5 and B lack loses a piece. ( i ) O ne's mouth waters when he can get a position l i ke this one ! ( j ) Seven of the eight pieces are on the first rank -- and the loss stares h i m i n the face. ( k ) The Co l le rides h igh today ! ( I ) The threat is 2 1 Qxh 7 t Kxg4 23 f4t Kg4 24 Qh3 mates. I f 2 1 . . . N f6 22 exf gxf 23 Qh7 t , etc, or 2 1 . . . Bxg2 22 f4 and mate fo l lows. I f 2 1 . . . f4 22 Qh7t Kxg4 23 h4t Kg4 24 f3+ Kg3 25 Qg6t Kxh4 26 Qg4 mate. Game 24 P layed i n a simu ltaneous at To ledo, O h io, October, 1 957 Wh ite : G. Koltanowski - B lack : N. N . 13 0e2 1 d4 Red8 (b) Nf6 b6 1 4 Rae1 2 Nf3 Qb8 Bb7 3 e3 15 d5 (e) exd 1 6 exd 4 N bd2 e6 Nxd5 Be7 5 Bd3 1 7 0e4 Nf6 (d ) 1 8 Bxt6 6 0-0 e5 Bxf6 1 9 Oxh7t 7 e3 Ne6 Kf8 8 a3 0-0 20 Rce1 g6 exd 9 e4 Bg7 (e) 2 1 Ng5 1 0 exd Qe7 22 Bxg6 fxg 1 1 b4 23 Oxg6 Rae8 Qf4 (f) 1 2 Bb2 Bte8 (a) 24 g3 Ne5 (g) 62 ..•

25 Rxe5

26 Rf5t Rc6 Resigns (h ) (a) Here's where the ga me changes to the above game.

( b ) Losi ng a move now turns out to be very costly. (c) N ow the u pward swi ng of the pawn is more forcefu l sti l l . The attacked kn ight has no place t o go. ( d ) I f 1 7 g6 1 8 Qxd5 Nxb4 1 9 Qd4, etc. (e) Can not take the knight as then Qh8 mates. •••

(f) H ere B lack thought he was out of the woods, o n l y to fi nd that White's next move rea l l y k i l ls. (g) The B lack queen has no p lace to go. I f 24 . . . Qf6 25 N h7 t , etc. He shou Id have resigned here. ( h ) I f 25 . . . Qxf5 26 Qxf5t Kg8 27 Qd5t, etc. Another power­ fu l example of the move a3 for Wh ite against the Queen's F ianchetto. Game 25 One of two games played b l i ndfo lded in Macon, G eorgia N ovember, 1 957 Na6 ( b) Nf6 25 a3 1 d4 Ra8 ( e) 26 Ne6 d5 2 Nf3 27 Rd 1 N c5 e6 3 e3 Ne4 28 b4 Bd6 4 Bd3 29 Rd7 a6 b6 5 Nbd2 30 f3 Nf6 dxe 6 e4 b5 3 1 Rb7 Bb7 7 Nxe4 axb 32 cxb Qxd6 8 Nxd6t Re8 33 Ra7 Nbd7 9 h3 (a) 34 Ra5 Kf8 0-0 1 0 0-0 Nd5 35 Rxb5 Nd5 1 1 e3 Rxb8 36 Rb8 Nf4 12 Re1 Ke8 37 Nxb8 Bxe4 13 Be4 Kd7 38 Na6 Nd5 1 4 Rxe4 39 Kf2 K c6 N7f3 1 5 Ne5 40 g3 f6 Rad8 1 6 Re1 N e3t 41 Ke2 17 Qf3 c5 42 Kd3 Na4 Qxe5 1 8 dxe 43 Ke4 N b6t h6 19 Bg5 e5 44 Kb3 Nxf6 20 Bxf6 Kd5 45 Nc5 Rd5 21 Rad 1 46 a4 g6 Qxd5 22 Rxd5 Ne8 47 a5 Nxd5 23 Qxd5 48 Nd7 f5 Nb4 24 c4

63

gxf 55 gxf Nxb6 Nb6t ( d) Kc6 56 Kd4 Kc6 axb Kd6 57 Kd3 g5 Kc4 58 Ke2 Ke5 Kxb7 b7 h5 59 Kf3 e4 Kd5 Resigns (e) 60 h4 fxe f4 I f 9 . . . 0-0 1 0 N g5, etc. The endga me technique now d isp layed is worth go i n g over very carefu l ly. (c) 26 . . . R c8 is not possible as Ne7t fo l lows. ( d ) F i n ishes the game q u i ck ly.

49 50 51 52 53 54 (a) (b)

(e) B lack ad m its that the b l i ndfo lded p layer '�saw" what he was doi n g. Game 26 P layed at Hastings, 1 928 B lack : V. B uerger Wh ite : E . Co l le Nf6 Bxe5 1 1 dxe ( b) 1 d4 1 2 B g5 Be7 d5 2 Nf3 1 3 Qe2 (c) Oc7 e6 3 e3 Be7 Rd8 1 4 Racl 4 Bd3 0-0 15 Ne5 5 N bd2 Bd7 (d ) N bd7 1 6 Bxh7t Kxh7 6 0-0 17 Bxf6 dxe 7 e4 Bxf6 (e) Nxe4 1 8 Oh5t 8 Nxe4 KgB Nf6 (a) 19 Oxf7t 9 Bxe4 Resigns (f) c5 1 0 Bd3 (a) He m ight have tried 9 . . . c5 i mmea iatelYi so as to bring the kn ight to c5. ( b ) Th is gives Wh ite the th ree pawns against two majority on the q ueenside. This may w i n if it ever gets to the end i ng. (c) Stops 1 3 ... b6 1 4 Bxf6 Bxf6 1 5 Oe4, etc. (d) Leads to trou b lel 1 5 . . . h6 was needed. (e) Loses fast. 1 7 . . . Be8 wou ld hold out. (f) Wh ite wi l l fo l low up with Rd3 and R h 3 mate. A good exam­ ple of the Co l le System. Game 27 Played in a si mu ltaneous exh i bition in Ok lahoma City Wh ite : G. Ko ltanowski -- B lack : Dale R uth 1 d4 Nf6 3 g3 (a ) Bg7 4 Bg2 0-0 2 Nf3 g6 64

5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 (a)

0-0 Na6 d5 ( b) 1 4 Ne5 c4 Bxe6 (f) 1 5 Ne6 e6 (e) Qb3 b6 1 6 dxe Ne7 1 7 Bf4 (g) Re8 Ne3 dxe 18 Bxe7 Oxe7 Oxe4 Bb7 Re 1 Nfd7 (d ) 1 9 N b5 Od8 e4 e5 (e) 20 e7 Rxe 1 t d5 exd 21 Rxe 1 Qd7 exd Nf3 22 082 Resigns I f B lack adopts the K i n g's I nd ian Defense early aga inst the Co l le set-u p, then I prefer to conti n u e with 3 g3 for Wh ite. It gives Wh ite a good game.

( b ) Cont i n u i n g with 5 . . . d 6 (the rea l K i ng's I nd ian Defense) is best. ( c) Preferable is 6 . . . c6. ( d ) Loses a lot of t i me. Correct is 1 0. . . N e4. (e) Permits Wh ite a passed pawn. (f) H e hasn't much cho i ce. (g) Simple and neat.

Game 28 Played by correspondence White : G . Koltanowsk i -- B lack : H a ro ld Tower

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

d4 Nf3 e3 Bd3 N bd2 0-0 (a) exd Re1 Nf1 Ne5

d5 Nf6 e6 Nbd7 e5 exd ( b) Bd6 0-0 Re8 Qe7

11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

f4 g4 Ng3 c3 g5 fxe gxh Qg4t Bxh7 Nh5

b6 Bb7 h6 Nh7 Nxe5 Bf8 gxh Kh8 Kxh7 Resigns (e)

(a) The correct move for Wh ite here is 6 c3 but, as my opponent wrote on h is move card, "if 6 (},O then cxd", so there was no need to play c3. ( b ) Better is 6 c4. (c) There is not much to do against 2 1 N f6t .

65

Game 29 Fo rm er wo rld c h a m p io n A lexan der A lekhin e p layed th e follo w­ ing gam e in th e D usseldo rf, G erm an y, to u rnam en t in 1908. In it h e a dop ts th e "Co lle Syste m " -- lo ng b e fo re it was ca lled th a t.

White: A. A.ekhine -- B lack : H. Koehn iein 9 0-0 fS (a) dS 1 d4 eS 10 Bd3 Nf6 2 Nf3 Oe8 1 1 BgS (b) e6 3 e3 NxeS 12 dxe N bd7 4 Bd3 1 3 Re 1 OhS (c ) Bd6 S Nbd2 OxgS 14 NxeS dxe 6 e4 1 S Bc4 t Kh8 Nxe4 7 Nxe4 1 6 Oxd6 ! Resigns (d ) 0-0 8 Bxe4 (a) Better i s 9 . . . N f6 1 0 Bd3 g6. ( b ) I give 1 1 Bc4t Kh8 1 2 N gS. After 1 1 BgS, B lack does best to p lay Be7. ( c) Leads to trouble. H e shou ld have tried 1 3 ... N xf3t 1 4 0xf3 Og6. (d) A fine fin ish ! I f 1 6 . . . cxd6 1 7 Nf7t R xf7 1 8 R e8t leads to mate; and after 1 6 . . . cxd6 1 7 N f7 t Kg8 1 8 N xgSt, etc. Game 30 P layed in A l bany, Ca l ifornia, May, 1 979 Wh ite : G. Koltanowsk i - B lack : Dave Pugatch 1 3 BbSt Nd7 1 d4 dS 1 4 BgS Ob6 2 Nf3 N e6 1 S Rfe 1 Nc4 ( a ) 3c4 Nf6 4 cxd NxdS 1 6 Bf6 Rg8 17 Rxe7t Bxe7 S e4 Nb6 1 8 Re 1 oeS 6 dS NaS 19 Bxe7 Oxe7 ( b) 7 Ne3 Bg4 8 h3 Bxf3 20 Rxe7t Kxe7 21 Bxd7 Kxd7 9 Oxf3 c6 1 0 Be2 cxd 22 Oxf1t Kd6 1 1 exd Re8 23 Oxb7 Resigns (c ) 1 2 0-0 g6 (a) I f l S . . . R xc3 1 6 Oxc3 or even 1 6 Bxd7 t . ( b ) Best, a s otherwise t h e q ueen wou ld b e lost with a d iscovered check. (c) If 23. . . N b6 24 f4 Rfe8 2S N bSt KcS 26 N xa7 R b8 27 Oc7 t Kd4 28 N c6t KxdS 29 N xb8, and it's al l over.

66

Game 31 Two o f th e stro ngest players in Berm u da are Pa u l Yerb ury (fo rm er Un iversity Champion o f Engla n d) and L aios Pagon y, o f Hu ngary, p ian o - o rgan artist, singer and en tertainer. Yerb ury has n o t lo st a gam e on th e islan d sin ce arriving there, three years ago. Th e fol­ lo wing gam e was p layed in th e sim u ltan eo us aga inst th e Berm uda O lymp ic team .

Wh ite : G . Ko ltanowski - B lack : P. Yerbury

1 2 3 4 S 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 1S 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 2S 26 (a)

d4 dS Nf3 c5 Nf6 e3 e3 g6 Bd3 Bg7 Nbd2 Qc7 NeS 0-0 f4 Ne6 0-0 BfS gxf BxfS e6 Rf3 NxeS Rh3? Ng4 ! fxe Rg3 Kh8 h3 Nh6 f6 QhS (a) fxeS Nb3 Rae8 NxeS b6 Rf3 e4 Nb3 eS? Rf4 OxeS dxe Re7 Bd2 Ref7 Ran Rf6 Nd4 Kg8 Be1 Th reatens R xg7 and QgSt .

27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 3S 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44

4S 46 47 48 49 SO S1

Bh4 NxfS RxfS OxfS RxfS Bg3 BeS RxeS Kf2 Re8 Rg8 Ke2 RgS Rg7 Rxf7 g3 Kd2 Ke2 Kb3 a4 exb Ke2 Kd 1 gxh Ke2

Rg6 NxfS RxfS OxfS Rd6 Rd7 BxeS Kf7 Kf6 Rf7 Ke6t hS RfS Rf7 Kxf7 Kf6 KfS bS as b4 d4 dxe h4 Kf4 Resigns ( b)

( b ) There are too many Wh ite pawns !

67

Part Three The Col le vs. the King's I ndian I t is h igh ly fash ionable today to p lay the K i ng's I nd ia n Defense against the Co l le System. Many of the stronger players wi l l adopt this defense aga i nst you, and you must therefore be prepared to meet it. After the open ing moves 1 d4 NfS 2 Nf3 gS, we rec­ o m mend 3 93 as White's best try for a sma l l but lasting advan­ tage. The fianchettoed king bishop wi l l exert pressu re on the center and on B lack's queenside, which wi l l be augmented even­ tua l ly by c4 and N c3. This is q u ite d i fferent from the Co l le Sys­ tem proper. H ere Wh ite a l most never p lays for an early k i ngside attack, but i nstead contents h i mself with a slow - bui ld-u p and gradua l ly i n creasi ng pressu re. The next two moves fo l low nat­ u ra l l y for both sides: 3. . . 8 97 4 8 92 0-0 5 0-0. Now B lack must choose between two com p l etel y different systems: 5. . . d5, the G ru enfeld Defense; and 5 . dS, the K i ng's I nd ian Defense. A thorough exam i nation of these much- p layed o peni ngs wou ld re­ q u i re hundreds of pages and lose the student in a maze of variations. For ou r pu rpose it wi l l be suffi­ cient to poi nt out the mai n ideas for both sides, i l l u strating these with a few carefu l l y selected games. It shou ld be noted in passing that B lack can a lso play c5 on h i s fifth move. H owever, 6 dxc Na6 7 N c3 gives Wh ite an easy ga me with sl ightly superior development. . .

After 5 ... d5 White must strike at B lack's center if he hopes to gai n an advantage. S c4 is the most d i rect way of do ing this. • N ow B lack can choose between cou nterattack with S.. . c5, givi ng u p the center with S. . dxc, and supporting it with S. . . cS ( 6 . . . e6 a l so su pports the center but is less good as it b locks the queen bishop and retards B lack's development ) . After S.. cS B lack's position is s l ightly cram ped but very secu re. D i rect methods lead to noth i n g for Wh ite (7 cxd cxd 8 N c3 N e4 and B lack equa l izes) . Patient play is requi red to keep B lack fro m freeing h i s position, and with this i n m i n d w e suggest 7 N bd2, which serves the d u a l purpose of developing the kn ight and protect i n g the q ueen bishop pawn. .

.

W ith 5... dS B lack avoids sym metry and prepares either a pawn 68

beachhead i n the center or cou nterplay with h is pieces. This move genera l ly leads to a more com p l i cated and dangerous type of game than 5 d 5, in wh ich both sides wi l l have more opportun ity to go astray. Again Wh ite's most pro m ising plan is to i ncrease his pressu re on the centra l squares with 6 c4, and now B lack has two good rep l ies: 6... Nbd7 and 6 Nc6. 6 c5 is a l so p layable, but Wh ite has a s l i ght edge after 7 dxc dxc 8 Ne5, fo l lowed ( after a ... Oc7 or a ... Nfd7) by 9 Nd3. •••

••.

•..

After 6 Nc6 7 Nc3 B lack aga i n has three choices. W ith 7 Bg4 he can cha l lenge White's con tro l of the centra l squares. With 7 85 he can d i spute Wh ite's o ccup a tio n of the centra l squares. And with 7, . . a6 he postpones a decision, preparing q ueenside counterp lay without i mmed iatel y com mitti ng hi mself i n the center. He can a l so play 7,. . Bf5, but this move, though tricky, is not very sol id. White gets the advantage after 8 b3 Ne4 9 Bb2 Nxc3 (or 9o o . 0d7 1 0 R c l N b4 1 1 N xe4 Bxe4 1 2 Od2 a5 1 3 a3 N c6 1 4 d5 Bxf3 1 5 exf� Donner-Spassky, Gothenbu rg 1 955) 1 0 Bxc3 Be4 1 1 Rc1 d5 1 2 83 a5 1 3 0e2 86 1 4 Rfd 1 a4 1 5 Bf1 axb 1 6 axb 0e7 1 7 Ne1 ( N ajdorf Spassky, G othenbu rg 1 955) . ..•

•.•

••.

Carefu l study of the games which fo l low wi l l make these ideas clearer. Bear in mind that White cannot expect a q u i ck wi n u n­ less his opponent p l ays weak ly. Against carefu l defense a l l he can hope for is a sl ight in itiative or a sl ightly freer position. Sma l l advantages of this type are the hardest to preserve, and the abi l ity to make the most of them is one of the th ings that d isti ngu ish the master from the a mateur. I mportant Note : Many roads lead to R ome. The games which fo l low i l lustrate the positions we have been d i scussi ng, but the open ing moves vary in each case. We reco mmend the sequence given i n the i ntroduction, but the games have been given i n the i r origi n a l form s o that the reader wi l l b e aware o f t h e m a n y possi­ bi l ities of transposition. P layed at F e l ixstowe, 1 949 Wh ite: W. A. Fairhurst - B lack : H. G. R hodes 9 d5 Nf6 e6 1 d4 1 0 B95 f6 (c) 2 c4 96 Na6 1 1 Be3 B97 3 93 exd 12 Nc3 d5 4 B 92 Nxd5 1 3 exd Re8 (d ) 5 cxd5 14 Nd2 15 (e) 0.0 6 N f3 c5 (a) 1 5 Qb3 Kh8 7 0.0 N b6 ( b) 16 Rfd 1 Bd7 8 84 69

17 18 19 20 21 (a) (b) (c) (d)

(e) (f)

Ob7 (g) 22 Nb5 Ob8 a4 Re4 ( h ) N c8 23 d6 a5 24 Bxe4 fxe4 b5 Ne4 (f) 25 Ne5 axb axb e.p. h6 Resigns 26 Of7 Oa7 Bf4 7 . . . c6 and 7 . . . N b6 are p layable but passive. 8 . . . N f6 is a fa i r a lternative, but Wh ite has the edge after 9 e5 N d 5 1 0 0e2. 1 0. . . 0d7 is a better try. Or 1 3 . . . N c4 1 4 Bcl Rea 1 5 b3 Nd6 1 6 Bf4 with some advantage for Wh ite ( Fairhurst - F lohr, G reat B rita i n vs. U.S.S. R . , 1 947 ) . T o keep the kn ight off e4, but now the B lack position is fu l l of holes. Stopping 1 9 . . . Nd6 and leaving B lack without a good move.

(g) No better is 22 . . . Bxb5 23 Oxb5 R da 24 d6. ( h ) Or 23. . . Bc6 24 d7, wi n n i n g. P layed i n the 1 957 H u ngary- Estonia team match Wh ite : G ideon Barcza -- B lack: Pau l Keres

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 (a)

d5 Nf3 g6 g3 Bg7 Bg2 d4 Nf6 0-0 0-0 dxe (a) c4 Ne6 ( b) Na3 Nxe4 Be6 a5 b3 Bd5 Bb2 Re1 Oe8 (e) e3 Rd8 a3 (d) 086 h6 Oc2 Rfe 1 (e) Ne4 Red 1 (f) Nd6 Ne1 a4 Bxd5 Oxd5 b4 Na7 Ne5 Nab5 N 1 d3 084 6 c6 doesn't su it Keres' sty le.

22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34

35 36 37 38 39 40 41

082 Nc5 e4 (g) Ned3 f4 d5 fxg5 Rn exd Nxf7 Rxf7 Rn t Bxg7 B f6 ( i ) 0g4 Ne5 Bxe5 Oc8t Rf7t Og8t

Of5 Ra7 Oh3 g5 Oc8 e6 hxg5 exd Oh3 Nxf7 Kxf7 Kg8 Od7 ( h) 0e8 Rxd5 Rxe5 Oxe5 Kh7 Kg6 Resigns (j )

•••

(b) Best is probably 7 . . . Na6 a N xc4 c5, but Wh ite retai n s a 70

s l i ght edge i n development, as he does aga i nst other moves. ( c) I f 1 1 . . .a4 1 2 bxa is good for Wh ite. But 1 1 . . . N e4 fo l lowed by Nd6 is worth a try. (d) A good move, anticipati n g B lack's a5-a4-a3. (e) Wh ite is play i n g for e4, which wou ld give h i m a big advantage. ' (f) N ow the idea is N e 1 fo l lowed by f3 and e4. (g) At last ! ( h ) I f 34. . . Kxg7 35 Qe7 t is dead ly. ( i ) N ow 36 Qh5 is th reatened. (j ) Mate fo l lows: 4 1 . . . Kh5 42 Qh 7 t Kg4 43 h3t Kxg3 44 Qd3t Kh4 45 R h 7 mate. Played in H u ngary, 1 963 Wh ite : I stvan B i lek - B lack : M i roslav F i l i p 1 5 Oe l e6 1 d4 Nf6 1 6 e4 (e) dxe 2 Nf3 g6 17 Oxe4 Nd6 3 g3 d5 Bg7 1 8 Qe2 Nf5 4 Bg2 19 Ne5 Qb6 (f) 5 0.0 0.0 e6 Re8 6 c4 20 Rfe l Ne4 (a) Nd 6 2 1 Qe4 7 N bd2 22 Qa2 exd5 8 cxd5 (b) Nf7 23 Bd5 Nd8 9 Ne5 Nxd2 Nd7 Od6 1 0 Bxd2 24 Re3 25 Rae l Kf7 Nb6 ( e) 1 1 Be3 Od7 a5 26 Ne4 1 2 a4 27 Be4 Resigns (g) f6 (d ) 1 3 Od2 Ne4 1 4 Nd3 (a) A l ittle too ambitious. B lack does better to accept a cramped but defendable position with 7 . . N bd7, or else try 7 . . . B f5, when 8 N h4 gives Wh ite a good ga me. .

( b ) 8 Qb3 is also good. (c) After 1 1 . . . N xe5 1 2 dxe Wh ite's bishops rake the board. I f 1 1 . . . N f6 1 2 Qb3 i s strong, fo l lowed b y dou b l i n g rooks on the queen bishop fi le. (d) 1 3 ... N c4 1 4 N xc4 dxc leaves Wh ite i n com p lete contro l of the center. (e) An excel lent move. Wh ite's control of the center wi l l more than com pensate for the iso lated pawn. (f) If 1 8 ... N xd4 1 9 Qc4. B lack's backward pawn p roves much weaker than White's iso lated one. 71

(g) B lack is hopeless aga i nst the th reatened d5. For example, 27 ... Qc7 28 d5 exd 29 Bxd5t Be6 (or 29 ... Kf8 30 N g5 winni ng) 30 Nxf6 Bxf6 3 1 Bxe6t, when Wh ite is a pawn . up in an overwhelming position. P layed i n the Prague Zona l Tou rnament, 1 954 Wh ite : F ridrik O lafsson -- B lack : V ictor Ciocaltea d4 Nf6 1 8 a3 085 1 9 Nb1 Bd7 c4 g6 g3 Bg7 20 Nf3 15 21 e5 dxe Bg2 0-0 Ne3 d6 22 Nxe5 Bxe5 Nf3 Nbd7 (a) 23 fxe Ne4 24 Bd4 c5 0-0 e5 086 25 Be3 e6 (e) e4 (b) fxe4 exd (d ) h3 26 Rxe4 ( g) Nxd4 N c5 27 Nd2 Bf5 28 g4 Rad8 (h ) Be3 Re8 Qe2 a5 29 gxf5 gxf5 Rad 1 Nfd7 30 Nxe4 fxe4 Rfe 1 a 4 (e) 3 1 e6 Rd4 ( i ) 32 Rxd4 cxd4 085 f4 (f) Bf2 Nb6 33 Qg2t Kf8 34 Bb4t Resigns (j ) Bf1 Qb4

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 (a) This is the old ma i n l i ne, not q u ite as popu lar now as 6 . . . N c6. (b) Also good is 8 Qc2 fol lowed by 9 R d 1 . (c) 8 exd usua l ly transposes into the text. .•.

(d) Here B lack has several a lternatives, but White shou ld reta i n a sma l l space advantage with best p lay. For example: if 900.Qb6 1 0 R e 1 . Or 900.Qa5 1 0 R e 1 . Or 9, .. a6 1 0 Be3 b5 1 1 dxe dxe 1 2 Qd6. (e) This position has appeared many ti mes in tou rnament p lay. Wh ite's problem is how to make use of his su perior develop­ ment. (f) The most aggressive of White's severa l choices. (g) E l i mi nating B lack's on l y wel l-posted piece. ( h ) A sad choice, but 280 0 . Be6 29 N xe4 B or Nxc4 30 N f6t is no better for B lack. ( i ) A vai n attempt to chai n the bishop's fury. (j ) There fol lows after 34 ... Re7 35 Qg5 N c8 36 Qf6t , etc.

72

P layed i n the Candidates' Tou rnament Zu rich, 1 953 White : M i guel N aj dorf -- B lack : Tigran Petrosian

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 (a)

d4 c4 Nf3 g3 Bg2 0-0 Nc3 h3 Bxf3 Bg2 Bxb7 Bg2 e3 Qc2 Bd2 b3 Kh2 I f 1 0. . . Bxd4

1 8 Rad 1 Ned8 (c) Nf6 d6 19 Be 1 Kh8 Qc8 20 Na4 g6 Bxc3 21 Bc3 Bg7 0-0 22 Nxc3 Qf5 (d) Nc6 gxf5 23 Oxf5 Bg4 Ne6 24 Rd5 Bxf3 N b4 25 Rxf5 Ng7 Nd7 26 Rh5 Nxd4 (a) 27 Rh4 Nf5 e6 28 Rf4 Rb8 c5 ( b) 29 Rd 1 Rb6 Ne6 Rbb8 30 Na4 Ng7 a5 31 Be4 Nxa2 Ne5 32 Rxd6 Resigns 33 Nxc5 Qd7 Nc6 1 1 Bxc6. Or 1 0. . . e5 1 1 dxe N dxe5 1 2 Oa4.

( b ) I n a later round aga in st the same opponent, G e l ler i mproved with 1 2 . . . R b4. H owever, Wh ite sti l l had the edge after 1 3 e3 N e6 1 4 0e2. ( c) B lack is red uced to plan less maneuvering. ( d ) Wh ite th reatens to get an attack i n g position with Oe4-h4 fol lowed by f4-f5, but B lack's cu re is worse than the disease. P layed in the Candidates' Tou rna ment, Curacao, 1 962 Wh ite : V i ctor Korchnoi -- B lack : R obert F ischer

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

d4 c4 g3 Bg2 Nc3 Nf3 0-0 d5 c5 (a) cxd a4 Nd2 b4 Qb3 Ba3 Nc4

Nf6 g6 Bg7 0-0 d6 Nc6 e5 Ne7 Nd7 ( b ) cxd Nc5 b6 Nb7 Bd7 a6 b5

17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32

Nd2 Bb2 Ra3 e3 axb 082 Ra1 Bf 1 Ra6 Ra7 Rxc7 Nxb5 (c) Bxb5 Bxg7 Bc6 Rc1 (d)

Qb6 f5 Bh6 Rac8 axb Bg7 e4 Nd8 Qb8 R c7 Oxc7 Bxb5 Nf7 Kxg7 Nxc6 087 (e) 73

Kg5 Nxa7 39 Rb6 40 Ra6 Nxd5 Nb5 Nb4 41 b6 Nc3 35 R b7 42 . Ra4 Rxd6 Kf6 36 N c4 43 Rxb4 Rd 1 t Ne5 37 b5 44 Kg2 Rd8 38 Nxd6 Nf3 (f) (a) Sharpest. 9 N e4 merely gives B lack something to bite o n : 9 ... Ne8 1 0 b4 h6 1 1 N d 2 f5. ( b ) 9 ... Ne8 st i l l offers better chances of equalizi ng. 9 . . . dxc works out bad ly after 1 0 N xe5 N fxd5 1 1 Nxd5 N xd 5 1 2 N xf7, or 1 1 . . . Bxe5 1 2 B g 5 f 6 1 3 Bxf6. ( c) Contro l of the open file has led to gai n of materia l . Wh ite has a big edge. ( d ) A b l under. 32 Oc4 is the move.

33 Oxa7 34 Rc7

(e) Winning a piece. (f) Mate is unavoidable, so White resigns. Played i n the 1 957 Yugoslav Championsh i p White : Svetozar G l igoric -- B lack : R aj ko Bogdanovich

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 (a)

20 Ran Of8 c4 g6 21 Ne4 Nc5 Nc3 Bg7 22 Od2 Nxe4 g3 d6 d4 Nf6 23 Bxe4 Bxf5 24 Bxf5 Od6 Bg2 0-0 25 Be4 Rxf2 Nf3 Nc6 0-0 a6 26 Oxf2 Rf8 Bf5 Od3 (a) 27 Oh4 Ne2t 28 Kg2 h6 e4 Bg4 Be3 Nd7 29 c5 Od8 30 Qxd8 Rxd8 Nh4 e5 d5 Nd4 31 Rf7 c6 32 d6 Rb8 f3 Bh5 f4 f5 33 Rc7 Nf4t fxe dxe5 ( b ) 34 Bxf4 exf4 exf gxf 35 d7 Rd8 36 Rxb7 Bd4 Nxf5 Bg6 37 b4 a5 g4 Kh8 Rf2 Rf7 38 b5 Resigns ( c ) I ncreasing Wh ite's pressu re i n the center wh i le a l so restrai ning B l ack's cou nterplay.

(b) If 1 5 ... N xe5, Wh ite gives up his queen for three pieces and a dominating position : 1 6 Oxd4 N f3t 1 7 N xf3 B xd4 1 8 N xd4. ( c) The pawns are unstoppab le. 74

Part Fou r

The Colle System Resume The Col le System is based on the fo l lowi ng development of the Wh ite pieces: the centra l ized triple formation of the pawns on c3, d4, and e3; kn ights on f3 and d2 and bishop on d 3, with the contin uation of either Oe2 or R e 1 ; fol lowed by dxc and e4 i mmed iately. B lack choices against the Col le System are the fo l lowi ng: - pawns on e6, d5, c5, with the q ueen knight on d7 II III IV V

-

-

-

pawns on e6, d5, c5, and the queen knight on c6 p lay the queen's fianchetto ( b6 and Bb7 ) play the King's I nd ian ( g6 and Bg7 )

- develop the q ueen bishop to f5 We wi l l now review each of these five variations. *

*

*

*

*

I 1 d4 Nf6 2 Nf3 e6 3 e3 d5 4 Bel3 c5 5 c3 N bd7 6 N bd2 B lack can now continue with the fo l lowing l i nes: A) 6 ... Bd6 B) 6 . . . 0c7 C) 6. . . Be7 D) 6 cxd ••.

A) 6 Bd6 7 0-0 0-0 8 Re1 e5 •..

B lack wastes no ti me in open i ng the position, and cou nter chances. I f S R eS 9 e4 dxe 1 0 N xe4 N xe4 1 1 Bxe4 cxd 1 2 Bxh7t Kxh7 1 3 Ng5t Kg6 1 4 h4 (threatens 1 5 h5t Kf6 1 6 Of3t, etc. ) 1 4. . . R h S 1 5 R xe6t ! N f6 ( if now 1 5 fxe 1 6 Od3t wins easi ly) 1 6 h5t ( Co l le - Q' Han lon, N ice, 1 930) with a q u i ck victory for White. And if 8 . 0c7 9 e4 cxd 1 0 cxd dxe 1 1 N xe4 b6 1 2 Bg5 N xe4 1 3 R xe4 B b7 1 4 R c 1 ObS 1 5 R h4 g6 ( if 1 5 . . . h6 1 6 Bxh6 gxh 1 7 R g4 t KhS l S Od2 wins) 1 6 Bb5 ( Przepiorka - Prokes, B udapest, 1 929) and Wh ite has the advantage. • . .

.•.

.

.

75

9 e4 exd 1 0 exd dxe 1 1 Nxe4 Nxe4 1 2 Bxe4 exd 1 3 Qxd4 1 ) 1 3 . . . 0b6 1 4 Od3 N f6 1 5 Be3 Be5 1 6 Bxe5 Oxe5 ( Co l le W. W inter, Match, 1 929) 2) 1 3 ... B e5 14 Oe3 Ob6 1 5 Be3 Bxe3 1 6 R xe3 N f6 ( C o l l e Var l i n , B elgi u m Championsh i p, 1 929) B ) 6 . 0e7 .

.

Two exa mp les i l l u strate this variation : 7 0-0 Be7 S R e 1 0-0 9 e4 dxe 1 0 N xe4 N xe4 1 1 B xe4 N f6 1 2 Be2 b6 1 3 Bg5 Bb7 14 Od3 g6 1 5 Ne5 R aeS and after 1 6 dxe R fdS 1 7 Oh3 (threatens l S N xf7 ) 1 7 . . . R fS l S e6 B xe6 1 9 N xe6 Oxe6 20 Oh4, with advantage for White. ( Co l le - R ubinstei n, San R emo, 1 930) . _

7 0-0 Be7 S Oe2 0-0 9 e4 dxe 1 0 N xe4 N xe4 1 1 Oxe4 g6 1 2 B h 6 ReS 1 3 N e5 Nxe5 1 4 dxe Bd7 1 5 R ae 1 RadS 1 6 Re3 BeS 1 7 R h 3 (with advantage to Wh ite, H avasi - Gemzoe, Hamburg, 1 930) 1 7 . . . R d 5 l S R e 1 R 5dS 1 9 Be2 b5 20 0e3 b4 2 1 Bg7 ! C) 6

...

Be7 7 0-0 0-0 S Re1

I n a game Co l le - L. Steiner, B u dapest, 1 929, Wh ite p layed S e4 fi rst. There fol lowed S . . . dxe 9 N xe4 N xe4 1 0 B xe4 N f6 1 1 Be2 b6 1 2 Oe2 (the plan is to bring the rook to d 1 ) 1 2 ... exd 1 3 R d 1 d3 1 4 Bxd3 Oe7 1 5 Bg5 Bb7 1 6 N e5 Nd5 and Wh ite has the u pper hand.

S b6 9 e4 dxe 10 Nxe4 Bb7 1 1 Ng3 Oc7 ...

1 2 Ne5 RadS 1 3 Ge2 cxd 1 4 cxd

Here are a cou ple of exa mples of this l ine in tou rnament play: ( Havasi - Montiee l l i, Budapest, 1 929) 14 . . . N xe5 15 dxe Oe6 1 6 f3 Be5t 1 7 Kh 1 N g4 l S R f 1 N f2t 1 9 R xf2 B xf2 20 Be4 Od7 ? (why not 20 ... Ba6 ! ?) 21 Oxf2 0d 1 t 22 Og l Oxg l t 23 Kxg 1 Rd l t 24 Kf2 Bxe4 25 N xe4, with advantage to Wh ite. 76

B ut B lack's error puts some dou bt on this conti nuation for Wh ite. (Col le - Winter, Scarborough, 1 929) 1 4. . . NdS 1 S Bd2 N 7f6 1 6 Rac1 Ob8 1 7 B b 1 R c8 1 8 R cd 1 R c7 1 9 f4 R e8 20 fS Bf8 2 1 fxe R xe6 22 N e4 N xe4 23 Bxe4 Bd6 24 N xf7 ?? Rxe4 ! , with advantage for B lack. D ) 6 exd •.•

This continuation makes t h ings easy for Wh ite. He wi l l have more freedo m of movement for h i s pieces. We may consider this l i ne too passive for B lack. I n a game p layed at Scarborough, 1 929, Co l le · Sch u bert, the game cont i nued as fol lows: 7 exd Bd6 8 0-0 0-0 9 R e 1 Oc7 1 0 0e2 R e8 1 1 N eS N f8 1 2 N 2f3 N 3d7 1 3 N gS f6 ( loses fast, he shou ld have tried 1 3 BxeS 1 4 dxe OxeS 1 S OxeS N xeS 1 6 R xeS f6) 1 4 OhS g6 1 S N xg6 fxg 1 6 N xf8 N f6 1 7 OxgS t Og7 1 8 Nxh7 ! R esigns. ( I f 1 8. . . N x h 7 1 9 B.xh 7 t Kxh7 20 OhSt Kg8 2 1 Oxe8t, etc. )

••.

II 1 d4 Nf6 2 Nf3 e6 3 e3 d5 4 Bd3 e5 6 e3 Ne6 6 N bd2 I n bringing the k n ight to c6, i n stead of d7, B lack may have N b4 in m i n d in certai n variations as wel l as preparing e5 for open i n g the position. Let u s look at a few possi ble continuations for B lack from this positio n :

1 ) 6 0c7 7 b3 ( not q u ite i n t h e spi rit o f t h e Col le System) 7 ... cxd 8 cxd N b4 9 BbSt Bd7 1 0 Bxd 7 t �d7 1 1 0-0 R c8 1 2 N e 1 Bd6 1 3 N df3 N c2 1 4 Nxc2 Oxc2 l S Oxc2 Rxc2 1 6 Bd2 Ke7 1 7 Rfc1 R hc8 1 8 N e 1 with equ a l ity. (Su ltan K han Tartakower, Semmering, 1 93 1 ) • . .

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2) 6. . . 0b6 7 0-0 Be7 8 dxc BxcS 9 e4 dxe 1 0 N xe4 Be7 1 1 Oe2 0-0 1 2 BgS N xe4 1 3 Oxe4 fS 1 4 Oe2 BxgS l S N xgS h6 1 6 N f3 eS 1 7 N xeS N xeS 1 8 OxeS f4 ( if 1 8 . . . 0xb2 1 9 B c4t fol lowed by 20 Oe7 ) 1 9 Bc4t Kh8 20 R ad 1 Og6 2 1 Rd6 OgS 2 2 OxgS hxg 2 3 h 3 ( Rosse l l i - Monticel l i, 2nd Match R o me, 1 93 1 ) and White has slightly better chances. 3) 6 . . . Be7 7 0-0 c4? ( I t is better to have cou nter-pressu re a­ ga inst Wh ite's queen pawn ) 8 Bc2 bS 9 e4 dxe 1 0 N xe4 0-0 1 1 Oe2 (th reatens 1 2 Nxf6t and 1 3 Oe4) 1 1 . . . Bb7 1 2 NfgS h6 1 3 N xf6t Bxf6 1 4 Oe4 g6 1 S N xe6 ! fxe 1 6 Oxg6t Bg7 1 7 Oh 7 t Kf7 1 8 B g6t Kf6 1 9 B h S N e7 20 Bxh6 Rg8 21 h4 Bxh6 22 Of7 mate. ( Col le - Delvaux, G hent, 1 929). 4) 6 a6 (the va lue of this move? None.) 7 0-0 Oc7 8 Qe2 Be7 9 dxc BxcS 1 0 e4 dxe 1 1 N xe4 Be7 1 2 R e 1 h6 1 3 Be3 N d S 1 4 Rad 1 N f4 l S Bxf4 Oxf4 1 6 Bc2 0-0 1 7 N g3 g6 1 8 Nd4 Bd7 1 9 NdfS R fd8 20 N xe7 t !\bee7 2 1 Rd4 0c7 22 Od2 Kg7 23 R d 1 N d S 24 c4 N b6 2S b3 fS 26 h4, and Wh ite has the . su perior position ( Przepiorka - G i lfer, H a m b u rg, 1 930) . ..•

A) S BdS 7 0-0 0-0 • ..

The move 7 ... Bd7 was p layed i n a ga me between Przepiorka H avasi, B udapest, 1 929. The cont i nuation went as fo l lows : 8 dxc BxcS 9 e4 Oc7 1 0 Oe2 dxe 1 1 N xe4 N xe4 1 2 0xe4 eS 1 3 N gS Be7 1 4 Oc4 BxgS 1 S BxgS Be6 1 6 OcS f6 1 7 Be3 b7 1 8 Oa3 Oe7 1 9 Be4 Rc8, with a d ifficu lt position. Or 7 . . . 0c7 8 dxc. Wh ite can also try for the i mmed iate 8 e4 ( Hel l i n g - Kashdan, Ber l i n, 1 930) 8 . . . cxd 9 cxd N b4 1 0 B b 1 dxe 1 1 N xe4 Nxe4 1 2 Bxe4 Bd7 1 3 Re 1 0-0 1 4 B x h 7 t Kxh7 l S N gSt KgS 1 6 h4 B h 2t 1 7 K h 1 B f 4 1 8 Og4 BxgS 78

1 9 Oxg5t Kh7 20 Bf4 Od8 2 1 Bd6 N c2, and B lack sta nds better. 8 dxe Bxe5 9 e4

1 ) 9 . . . dxe 1 0 N xe4 N xe4 1 1 Bxe4 0xd 1 1 2 Rxd 1 f6 1 3 Be3 Bxe3 1 4 fxe Nd8 1 5 Rd2 N f7 1 6 Rad 1 g6 1 7 B c2 a6 1 8 Ba4 ( B b3 looks better) 1 8 . . . b5 1 9 Bb3 Ra7 20 Nd4 Re7 2 1 a4 bxa 22 Bxa4 Kg7 ( Co l le - R ub in stein, Ber l i n, 1 926) and the position is approxi mate l y even. 2 ) 9 ... 0c7 1 0 0e2 Bd6 1 1 R e 1 N g4 1 2 h 3 N ge5 1 3 N xe5 N xe5 1 4 B b 1 Bd7 1 5 exd exd 1 6 Nf3 Rae8 1 7 Be3 N c4 1 8 N g5 g6 1 9 N x h 7 ? R xe3! 20 N f6t Kg7 2 1 N h 5t gxh 5 22 fxe3 R h 8 ( Co l le - Ah ues, F ran kfurt, 1 930) , a n d B lack has a strong attack.

Position after 6 N bd 2 B ) 6. exd ..

This reduces the tension in the center.

7 exd Spassky played 7 cxd in h i s Cand idates' match with Korchnoi, Belgrade, 1 978. 79

7 ... Bd6 8 0-0 Qc7 I n the game Przepiorka - F rank Marsha l l, Liege, 1 930, B l ack p layed 8 ... 0-0. There fo l lowed : 9 R e l Nd7 1 0 N f l eS 1 1 dxe N dxeS 1 2 Bc2 Re8 1 3 Be3 N g4 1 4 Qd2 N xe3 l S N xe3 Be6 1 6 Rad 1 B cS 1 7 Bd3 Qf6 1 8 Bc2 Rad8 1 9 Qd3 g6 20 N xdS BxdS 2 1 R xe8t Axe8 22 QxdS R e2 23 Rd2 Bxh2t 24 Kf l Rxd2 2S Qxd2, reachi ng equal ity. 9 Qe2 0-0 1 0 Re1 And Wh ite has a superior position. Two games i l l u strate the possi ble contin uations : 1 ) 1 0. . . N e7 1 1 NeS N g6 1 2 N df3 b6 1 3 N gS Bd7 14 f4 N e7 l S N g4 N g6 1 6 Bxg6 hxg 1 7 Qf3 N h7 1 8 Nxh7 Kxh7 1 9 N eS Be8 2 0 Qh3t Kg8 2 1 Qg4 Kh7 2 2 Qh4t Kg8 2 3 R e3 Qe7 24 Q94 Qf6 2S R h3 ( Co l le - Pro kes, B udapest, 1 929) . B lack wi l l have a rough t i me working h i s way out o f t h i s d i f­ ficu lt position, brought about mostly by h i s move 6 . . . cxd. 2) 1 0. . . R e8 1 1 NeS Re7 1 2 N df3 N d 7 1 3 N gS N f8 (Better is N cxeS 1 4 dxe BxeS l S QhS N f6 1 6 B x h 7 t Kf8) 1 4 N x h7 N xh 7 ' l S Bxh7 t Kxh7 1 6 Qh St Kg8 1 7 R e3 R e8 18 R h3 Kf8 1 9 B g S f 6 20 Bxf6, R esigns (There cou ld fol low: 20. . . gxf 2 1 N g6t Kg8 22 Qh8t Kf7 23 Qh7 mate. Col le - Sou ltanbieff, Liege 1 930) . 1 d4 Nf6 2 Nf3 b6 3 e3 Bb7 4 Nbd2 e6 5 Bd3 c5

See Games 1 3, 1 4, and 2 1 , i n Part Two, for a fu l l exp lanation and system of play against this l i ne. I n a game Ahues - Alek h i ne, San Ramo, 1 930: 6 c3 B e7 7 Qe2 N d S 8 dxc bxc 9 N f l ( better is 9 N c4) 9 . . . Qc7 1 0 N g3 N c6 1 1 Bd2 gS 1 2 c4 Ndb4 1 3 B c3 N xd3t 1 4 Qxd3 N b4 l S Qe2 R g8 1 6 a3 N c6, with a dangerous position for both sides. 80

6 0-0 The mai n contin uations now are 6 ... Be7 and 6 ... N c6. A) 6 Be7 7 dxc 1 ) 7 b3 0-0 S Bb2 cxd 9 N xd4 d6 1 0 Qe2 N bd7 1 1 Ba6 QcS 1 2 Bxb7 Qxb7 1 3 c4 N c5 1 4 R ad l RfdS 1 5 Qf3 Qxf3 1 6 gxf RacS ( Tartakower - Spielmann, Carlsbad, 1 929) . 2) 7 e4 cxd ( I n the ga me Co l le - Bogo lj u bov, C�rlsbad, 1 929, the conti n uation was 7 . . . 0-0 S c4 d5 9 cxd exd l 0 exd cxd 1 1 N xd4 Qxd 5, with a free game for B lack) S Nxd4 N c6 9 N xc6 dxc 1 0 Qe2 Qc7 1 1 f4 Nd7 1 2 c3 e5 1 3 f5 N c5 1 4 B c2 Ba6 1 6 Be3 0-0 ( R ub i nstein - G ruenfe ld, Carlsbad, 1 929) , with an equal position. .••

3) R u binstei n - Su ltan Khan, Liege, 1 930: 7 a3 N c6 S c3 d5 9 N e5 N xe5 1 0 dxe5 Nd7 1 1 f4 c4 1 2 B c2 g6 1 3 N f3 N c5 1 4 Nd4 a6 1 5 Bd2 Qc7 1 6 B e l h5, and an equ a l position.

7 ... bxc S e4 S b3 0-0 9 B b2 N c6 1 0 c4 Qc7 1 1 " a3 NeS 1 2 h3 f5 1 3 Qc2 B f6 1 4 Bxf6 N xf6 1 5 R f e l g6 1 6 e4 N h 5 1 7 Qc3 N f4 l S B n R f7 1 9 b4 R afS 20 b5 fxe 2 1 bxc6 exf3 22 cxb7 fxg 23 Be2 Qxb7 24 Rab l QaS 25 Qg3 ( R u b i nstein - Geiger, Rogatska-Slati na, 1 929), with advantage to Wh ite. S ... d6 I n the ga me Co l le - Sir G eorge Thomas, N i ce, 1 930, B lack p layed S . . . d 5. Conti n u i n g fro m S . . . d6, a ga me between the sa me two ind i­ viduals went: 9 e5 dxe 1 0 N xe5 N bd7 1 1 N df3 N xe5 1 2 N xe5 0-0 1 3 Qe2 Qc7 1 4 c4 Nd7 1 5 f4 Bf6 1 6 R e l g6 1 7 Bd2 Bg7 l S B c3 R adS 1 9 Rad l N xe5 20 fxe5 Rd7 2 1 B c2 R fdS 22 R xd7 Rxd7 23 Qf2 B h 6 24 h 3 Ba6 25 b3 B b7 26 Re2 B g5 27 h4 Be7, with a sl ight advantage for Wh ite ( Co l le Sir George Thomas, Liege, 1 930) . B ) 6 Nc6 7 c3 Qc7 •..

7 Be7 wou ld lead to the previous variation. If 7 . . . cxd S exd N d 5 9 N e4 f5 1 0 N g3 Be7 1 1 c4 N d b4 1 2 Be2 d 5 1 3 a3 Na6 1 4 Qa4 N bS 1 5 cxd Qxd5 1 6 B c4 Qd7 1 7 R e l NdS l S Qb3 0-0 1 9 R xe6 ! ( Co l le - Przepiorka, Liege, 1 930) , with advantage for Wh ite. •..

S Re1 R cS S Be7 9 e4 cxd 1 0 N xd4 N e5 1 1 Bc2 N g6 1 2 N 2f3 N g4 1 3 h3 N 4e5 1 4 N xe5 Qxe5 1 5 N f5 exf Qd5 1 6 Qxd5 Bxd5 •..

B1

( Co l le - D r. Max E uwe, Match, Amsterdam, 1 928) , with eq u a l ity. 9 Nf1 Changes tactics i n m id-stream I n the ga me Przepiorka - Co l le, F ran kfurt, 1 930, B lack con­ tinued with 9 . . . d5 1 0 Bd2 Bd6 1 1 R c l 0-0 1 2 dxc Bxc5 1 3 e4 d4 1 4 a3 a5 1 5 c4 Bd6 1 6 Ng3 Nd7 1 7 Oe2 R cd8 1 8 B b l Nde5 1 9 N xe5 Nxe5 20 K h l a4 and B lack had so me ad­ vantage.

IV 1 d4 Nf6 2 Nf3 d5 3 e3 c5 4 c3 N bd7 5 Nbd2 96 6 8d3 8 97 Considered by many as the best l i ne against the "obsti nate and irritati ng" Col le System . Let's look at a few examples, with the doub l e fianchetto for B lack against the Col le.

1 ) 1 d4 N f6 2 Nf3 c5 3 e3 g6 4 Bd3 Bg7 5 0-0 b6 6 c3 Bb7 7 N bd2 0-0 8 e4 d6 9 R e l N bd7 1 0 N f l Nh5 1 1 Be3 e5 1 2 dxe5 N xe5 1 3 B c2 N xf3t 1 4 gxf f5 1 5 B b3t Kh8 1 6 Bd5 B xd5 1 7 exd5 f4 1 8 Bel Be5 ( Co l le - Spiel mann, Meran, 1 926) . 2) 1 d4 N f6 2 Nf3 g6 3 N bd2 Bg7 0-0 b6 7 c3 B b7 8 a3 0-0 9 e4 d6 1 2 B c2 f5 1 3 Ng5 Oc8 1 4 f4 N g4 1 7 c4 (Akiba R u bi nstein - G rau, San vantage to Wh ite.

4 e3 c5 5 Bd3 N c6 6 1 0 R e l Nd7 1 1 d5 N ce5 1 5 exf gxf 1 6 h3 Ngf6 R emo, 1 930) , with ad­

7 ().. O ().. O 8 e4 I n the ga me Co l le - F a i rh u rst, Scarborough, 1 927, Co l le con­ tinued with 8 Oe2 R e8 9 e4 e5 1 0 dxe N xe4 1 1 N xe4 dxe4 1 2 Bxe4 N xe5 1 3 N xe5 Bxe5 1 4 f4 Bd4t 1 5 cxd4 R xe4 1 6 Of3 Oxd4t, with advantage to B lack. 82

I n the Ado lf Seitz - a' Han lon, N ice, 1 930, game after 8 Qe2 R e8 Wh ite continued with 9 N eS N xeS 1 0 dxeS N d 7 1 1 f4 Qb6 1 2 Qf3 e6 1 3 c4 d4 1 4 Ne4, with advantage to White.

8 ... dxe 9 Nxe4 cxd 10 Nxd4 I n the 1 930 Span ish Championsh i p, Gol mayo - R ey Ardid continued with 1 0 N xf6 t N xf6 1 1 N xd4 Qb6 1 2 Qe2 Qe8 1 3 h 3 eS 1 4 N bS a6 1 S Be3 Qd8 1 6 N a3 NdS 1 7 Rad 1 Qe7.

1 0... Ne5 1 0. . . N xe4 1 1 Bxe4 N f6 1 2 Bf3 eS 1 3 N bS Qb6 1 4 a4 Rd8 lS Qe 1 e4 1 6 Be2 a6 1 7 Be3 Qc6 ( Co l le - Montece l l i, San R e mo, 1 930) . 1 1 Nxf6t Bxf6 1 2 Be2 Bd7 1 3 Bh6

1 3 Qb3 Qc8 1 4 Bh6 Rd8 l S Bf4 N c6 1 6 N xc6 Bxc6 1 7 Bc4 Qg4 ( Co l le - D r. M i lan V i d ma r, Carlsbad, 1 930) . Co l le - E rnst G ruenfe ld, Carlsbad, 1 929, conti nued 1 3 ... R e8 1 4 Qb3 Qc8 1 S Rad 1 Rd8 1 6 R fe 1 a6 1 7 R d 2 bS. V

1 d4 Nf6 2 Nf3 d5 3 83 Bf5 With th i s move B lack i m pedes Wh ite fro m playing the Col le System.

A) 4 c4 c6 S N c3 e6 6 Bd3

Bxd3 7 Qxd 3 Bb4 8 0-0 N bd7 9 Nd2 0-0 1 0 e4 Bxc3 1 1 bxc3 dxe 1 2 N xe4 Nxe4 1 3 Qxe4 QaS 1 4 Qf3 Qa4, with a good ga me for B lack ( Co l le - Boris Kost i c, N ice, 1 930) . 83

B ) 4 c4 e6 S Qb3 N c6 6 cS Qc8 7 B bS Nd7 8 Bxc6 bxc 9 0-0 g6 1 0 N bd2 Bg7 1 1 N h 4 Qa6 1 2 N xfS exf 1 3 Qc3 N f6 1 4 N b3 N e4, and B lack stands wel l. ( Co l .l e - Aron N i mzowitsch, F ran kfu rt, 1 930) . C) 4 N bd2 c6 S Bd3 Bxd3 6 cxd3 e6 7 0-0 Be7 8 R e l 0-0 9 e4 Na6 1 0 eS Nd7 1 1 N f l cS 1 2 dxc N dxcS 1 3 a3 Qd7 1 4 b4 Na4 ( Co l le - Ewfim Bogo lj u bov, San Remo, 1 930) . D ) 4 B d3 e6 S 0-0 Bd6 6 c4 c6 7 N c3 0-0 8 BxfS exf 9 cxd NxdS 1 0 Qd3 ( h e m i ght have considered 1 0 N xd S cxd 1 1 Qb3 Qd7 1 2 g3) 1 0. . . Qd7 1 1 e4 fxe 1 2 N xe4 N a6 1 3 N eS BxeS 1 4 dxe Qg4. ( Co l le - D r. Max E uwe, Amsterdam, 1 928) . B lack has a good position. E) 4 Bd3 e6 S BxfS exf 6 0-0 N bd 7 7 c4 dxc 8 Qa4 Bd6 9 N bd2 0-0 1 0 N xc4 N b6 1 1 N xb6 axb6 12 Qc2 Qd7 1 3 NeS Qe6 1 4 N c4 Be 7, with a passable position for B lack ( Co l le - D r. Alexander Alekh i ne, San R emo, 1 930) . As we exam i ned i n Parts O n e a n d Th ree, B lack can avoid some of the so l i d set-u p of the Co l le System with three l i nes of play for B lack, namely the G ruenfeld Defense with dS and cS; the K ing's I nd i a n Defense; and the 3 . . . B fS l i ne of p lay. *

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The reader must have recogn ized by now fro m this remarkab l e co l lection o f games that t h e Co l le System was once o n e o f the most fash ionable open i n gs i n tournament practice. The fact that it has been replaced ( perhaps tempora r i l y ) by other open i n gs cu r­ rent ly considered fash ionable does not mean that it has been d i s­ cred ited. The chess world is treated to an ever changing cycle of open i n g fads, as a master i ntrod uces an ope n i ng, is qu ite success­ fu l with it for a period, and then drops that l i ne for another as everyone beco mes fam i l iar with its nuances. To demonstrate that the Co l le System is sti I I a viable tournament weapon, take a look at this ga me from Lone P i ne 1 978, W. Lombardy - A. J . Mestel : 1 d4 dS 2 Nf3 e 6 3 e 3 Nf6 4 N bd2 B e 7 S Bd3 0-0 6 0-0 N bd7 7 N eS N xeS 8 dxe N d 7 9 f4 g6 1 0 b3 f6 1 1 exf Bxf6 1 2 R b 1 eS 1 3 Ba3 e4 1 4 Bxf8 Qxf8 l S Be2 QcS 1 6 Kf2 gS 1 7 b4 Qb6 1 8 N xe4 dxe 1 9 QdS t Kg7 20 fxq BeS 21 Bc4 Kg6 22 Qg8t KhS 23 Be2t K h4 24 g3t Kh3 and B lack resigned (2S Qxh 7 t mates) .

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Points To Remember 1 ) The idea beh ind the Co l le System is so l id ity first -- and then attack. 2) To play the Col le System wel l -- you must know the ending . well also. 3 ) Th ree pawns vs. two on the queenside. Once you have ob­ tai ned that, exchange as many of the pieces, except one, be it a bishop or a k n i ght. That wi l l help in holding the advantage in the endga me phase of the game. 4) G et you r pawn to e4 ( N OT TOO SOO N -- N OT TOO LAT E ) T h i s i s a key problem i n t h e Co l le System. You r opponent can stop you from playing e4, but on l y at the expense of creati ng some weakness in h i s defense. When you have you r pawn on e4, and pawns on d4 and c3, then, if you r opponent has not taken the k ing's pawn, you push the pawn to e5. That pawn wi l l be a thorn in the oppon­ ent's side. You must ask yourself then : What do I do to de­ velop the k n ight on d2? You r idea then is to place you r king's rook on e l , and bring the k n ight to f l , fol lowed eventu a l ly by h3, g4, N g3 for a bu i ld-u p for attack on the k i n gside. 5) If B l ack p l ays cxd4 in the early stage of the game, how should you retake? With the e-pawn or the c-pawn ? Boris Spassky, ex-world champion, mostly p lays cxd4, so that he wi l l have a n open file for his queen rook on c l . I recommend exd4, so that you get an open file for you r rook on the e-fi le. Both are p layable, and you a lone can decide which su its you r sty le of play best. 6)

Keep you r k i n g bishop as l o n g as i t serves you r pu rpose. Bear in m i nd that the sacrifice of that b ishop on h7 is one of the h igh-poi nts in the Co l le System.

7 ) You do not have to be O RT H O DOX about stick ing complete­ ly to the Co l le l i ne if you r opponent varies. For example, if after 1 d4 N f6 2 N f3 g6, I recom mend 3 g3. You cou ld con­ tinue with the regu lar Co l le set-u p, too, if you wish. I t's a fiel der's choice. Experiment. You wi l l learn more i n that way. After 1 d4 Nf6 2 Nf3 d5 3 e3 Bg4 4 c4 ! e6 5 0b3 (Th i s is better t h a n 5 N c3 ) 5... Bxf3 6 Oxb7 Bxg2 7 Bxg2 N bd7, and Wh ite wi l l remai n a pawn ahead. 85

Another l i ne i s : 1 d4 Nf6 2 Nf3 e6 3 e3 c5 4 c3 ( Keep this move i n reserve u n t i l B lack has played d5. Then you can si l l decide i f you wa nt to continue i n the orthodox Col le, o r turn it i nto a regu lar Queen's Gambit by p laying c4. I M PO RTA N T PO I NT TO R E M E M B E R ) 4. . . Nc6 5 Bd3 d 5 6 N bd2 b6, White now has the choice of : 1 ) 7 0-0, 2 ) 7 dxc, or 3 ) 7 e4. Let's look at that last l i ne : 7 e4 dxe 8 Nxe4 cxd 9 Nxf6t gxf ( I f 9 . . . Qxf6 1 0 B g5 a n d the queen is trapped ! ) 10 cxd (A lso possible is 1 0 Be4 Bd7 1 1 Nxd4 Nxd4 1 2 Qxd4 [ Best, as after 1 2 Bxa8 Oxa8 1 3 Oxd4 Qxg2 1 4 R f 1 Bc5 1 5 Qxf6 Bb5 1 6 Oxh8 t Kd7 and B lack has wi n n i ng chances. ] ) . 8 ) Rem9mber: You are su pposed t o b e the weaker p layer. Thus you p lay for a d raw, wh ich is easier sa id than done, and when you feel you have a good developed position -- you then look for advantages. You r opponent, the stronger p layer, wi l l have to crash you r position, not an easy task aga i nst the Co l l e System set- u p -- which wi l l give you possi b i l ities you otherwise wou ld not have. I f he is wi l l i n g to draw, then you benefit too ! 9) Cou nt on losing a lot of Col le games u nti l you beg i n to u nder­ stand and fu l l y take advantage of the ideas and tactics explai ned in th is book. SO D O N ' T B E D I S H E A R T E N E D . You m ight have lost a lot of ga mes with other open ings, too. SO D O N ' T QU I T ! 1 0) Study two hours a week. 1 1 ) Play at least one serious ga me a week. 1 2 ) Write down all serious games you p lay. Put the score sheets away. Two to th ree months later look at those games you p layed. You wi l l soon rea l ize how you have improved ! 1 3) Let me repeat : To p lay the open i n g we l l, especia l l y the Col le, Do Not -- I Repeat -- Do Not Neglect To Learn The End­ game. Fee l that the end i n g is M O R E i m portant than the open­ i n g. You wi l l know in what idrection to steer you r ga me -- to you r advantage. 1 4) Are you a member of the U n ited States Chess F ederation ? You shou ld be. Then you wou ld get a national rating and cou ld p lay i n tou rnaments which show you r improvement with the rating poi nts you earn. You r game wi l l i mprove th rou gh the month l y chess magaz i n e you receive. Write to 1 86 R oute 9W, N ew Windsor, NY 1 2550. Tell them I sent you!!

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I ndex To Games And Game References Ahues-Alekh i n e 80 Alek h i ne- F lohr 42 - Koehn iein 66 -Tartakower 29 Barcza- Keres 70 B i lek- F i l i p 71 B isgu ier- Lom bardy 37 Col le-Ahues 79 -Alek h i ne 84 - Bogolju bov 8 1 ,84 - B uerger 64 - Delvaux 78 - E uwe 42,82,84 - Fa i rh u rst 82 - G ru nfeld 6,83 - Kashdan 27,43, 52 - Kostic 84 -Montice l l i 83 - N i mzowitsch 84 -D' H a n lon 75 -Prokes 80 - P rzepiorka 87 - R ubi nste i n 76,79 -Schu bert 77 -Sou Ita n beieff 80 -Spiel mann 82 -Steiner 76 -Thomas 42, 8 1 -Var l i n 76 - V i d ma r 83 -Wi nter 76,77 Donner-Spassky 69 E uwe-Alekh i n e 56 - Bogoljubov 56 - R ub i nstei n 23 Fairhurst- F lo h r 76 - R hodes 69 F lohr-Alekh i n e 52 74 G l igoric-Bogdanovich Golmayo- R ey Ardid 83 H avasi- Gemzoe 76 - Monticel l i 76 H e l l ing-Kashdan 78

50 Koltanowski-Alek h i ne 52 -Al meda 61 -Anderson 40 -Cabestany 37 -Catala 39,43 -Cherta 1 5,56 -Conde 52 - Defosse 42,47 - Domenech 50 - E l iskases 55 - F ine 48,5 1 , 58,62 - F lohr 45 -Gol mayo 38 -Jackson 59 - Keres - Koblenz 18 - Leu 41 -N. N. 1 4,62 -D ' H a n lon 42 - Per l mutter 18 -Prins 31 -Pugatch 66 - Rei l l y 48,62 - R eynolds 29 - R uth 64 - R yden 63 -Si lverman 54 -Sou Itanbeieff 52 45 -Spie l mann -Su n yer 44 63 -Tartakower -Taylor 50 -Thomas 57 -Tower 65 -Va l ive 47 67 -Yerbu ry Korchnoi- F ischer 73 Lombardy-Mestel 84 N ajdorf-Gel ler 73 -Petrosian 73 -Spassky 69 D lafsson-Cioca Itea 72 Przepiorka-Col le 82 87

Przepiorka-G i l fer - Havasi -Marsha l l -Prokes Rossel l i-Montice l l i R u b i nstein-Geiger - G rau

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78 78 80 75 78 81 82

R u b i nste i n- G ruenfeld 81 -Su ltan Khan 81 Seitz-Q' Hanlon 78,83 Spassky- Korchnoi 79 Su ltan Khan-Tartakower 77 Tarta kower-Spie l mann 81