Colle System: free opening course
The Colle System is a calm setup for White with pawns on c3, d4 and e3. When the pieces are ready, White breaks with the e-pawn to e4 and opens the game. You learn the Koltanowski main line and the Zukertort plan with b3. You also learn the answers to ...c4, ...Bf5, ...Bg4 and the King's Indian setup.
Key ideas
- Build the Colle triangle with pawns on c3, d4 and e3. Put the bishop on d3, aimed at h7.
- Bring the queen's knight to d2. It supports the big push of the e-pawn to e4.
- Push the pawn to e4 only when it is well supported. Too early, and the queen or a piece gets attacked.
- After the centre opens, the bishop and queen aim at h7. Watch for mates and the bishop sacrifice there.
- Watch for the pawn fork. Black may have a bishop on d6 and a knight on f6. Then the push to e5 can win a piece.
The 6 variations in the course
- Colle-Koltanowski: the e4 break: 1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. e3 e6 4. Bd3 c5 5. c3 Nc6 6. Nbd2 Bd6 … — The classic Colle. White builds the triangle, takes on c5 and pushes the pawn to e4. The centre opens, and White's pieces get free play toward Black's king.
- 5...c4: the closed queenside: 1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. e3 e6 4. Bd3 c5 5. c3 c4 6. Bc2 Nc6 … — Black closes the queenside with ...c4 and chases the bishop. White keeps the bishop on the h7 diagonal and answers with the e4 break.
- Colle-Zukertort: 5.b3: 1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. e3 e6 4. Bd3 c5 5. b3 Nc6 6. O-O Bd6 … — Instead of c3, White plays b3 and puts the bishop on b2. The knight goes to e5 and the queen comes to f3 for a kingside attack.
- 3...Bf5: the Anti-Colle: 1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. e3 Bf5 4. Bd3 Bxd3 5. Qxd3 e6 6. O-O Bd6 … — Black brings the light bishop to f5 before ...e6. White trades it off, castles and pushes to e4 with the queen's help. Then the knight on g5 and the queen aim at h7.
- 3...Bg4: the pin: 1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. e3 Bg4 4. Nbd2 e6 5. c3 Bd6 6. Bd3 Nbd7 … — Black pins the f3 knight. White develops calmly, asks the bishop with h3 and still pushes the pawn to e4.
- Against the King's Indian setup: 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. e3 Bg7 4. Bd3 O-O 5. O-O d6 6. c3 Nbd7 … — Black plays ...g6, ...Bg7 and ...d6. White keeps the Colle triangle and pushes the pawn to e4. Then White takes space on the queenside.
Traps you will learn (3)
- The pin on g5 — In the main line Black must trade on e4. If the bishop steps back with 10...Bb6, the pin with Bg5 breaks open Black's king.
- The pawn fork on e5 — In the Zukertort the knight sits on e5. If Black trades knights, the d-pawn takes back and forks the bishop and the knight.
- Mate on h7 — In the Anti-Colle the queen on e4 and the knight on g5 attack h7. If Black chases the knight with 11...h6, the queen mates on h7.
How the opening courses work
Each course teaches an opening in a few main variations. For every move you read why it is played, which other moves are good, and which tempting moves are mistakes and why. Each course also shows the traps of the opening: the ones you can set and the ones to avoid.
After a lesson you play the moves yourself in a drill. The lines you learn go into your review, which brings them back when you are about to forget them (spaced repetition). 30 line courses add many short lines per opening, a few new ones a day, and every named opening, more than 3,800 lines, has a lesson of its own.
Questions and answers
Is the Colle System course free?
Yes. The Colle System course on chessGM is free, with all 6 variations, 3 traps, the drills and the review. There is no paid plan that unlocks more.
Who is the Colle System course for?
It is a course at beginner level for White, written for players rated around 1000.
How do I practise this opening?
After each lesson, play the moves yourself in the drill. The lines you learn go into your review, which brings them back when you are about to forget them, and you can try the opening in games against the bots.