The Colle-Koltanowski system is very easy to learn, yet an extremely dangerous opening.
The following is a simple line to play for Black with 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.♘c3 (or ♘d2) dxe4 4.♘xe4 ♞f6 5.♘xf6 exf6!? was recently shown to me by GM David Howell. It is a very simple, easy to learn and fun way to play with Black. In this Simon Says we take a deeper look at the idea and see if it is worth playing.
To get started, in the following position, Black has damaged his pawn structure but also made his king safer for when he castles kingside.
What do you think about this position?
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In early 2015 Simon Williams launched his own show called "Simon says" after producing the first of his ChessBase video series. On a weekly basis (with breaks for tournaments and chess events) Simon entertains the chess world with attacking ideas, play strategies and witty manoeuvres on the chess board.
ChessBase Premium members have permanent access to the videos in the archive. Over 60 shows and counting have been published to date. Their lengths differ but most of them run for about 60 minutes.
Read more in Meeting Simon Williams.
Much more from Simon's shows in the archive at Videos.ChessBase.com
The Torre Attack is an extremely effective way of taking your opponent into an uncomfortable situation right from move one.
On another note, Simon recently published his newest DVD "The Torre Attack".
Here's a teaser:
Opening with the Chigorin shows your intention to play for a win right from the outset. After 2...Nc6 Black's pieces fly into the game putting pressure on White's position from a very early stage. This opening is ideal for the type of player who strives for an unconvential yet attacking game right from the start.