how to play against the Colle–Zukertort

I'm having trouble with several d4 systems. I started playing 1...Nf6 and 2...d6 because I understand if I commit d5 than the e5 square becomes a problem and it's harder to defend.

I played with a friend that is around master level and of course he absolutely destroyed me, but we did two games and it was really instructive: in the first I had played 1...d5 and sure enough his attack pivoted on the e5 square.

Second game I played Indian style and I was able to guard the e5 square with my pawn on d6 and I resisted much longer. Eventually he outplayed me but at least I was fine for a dozen moves or so.

Now I read in a book this system against the Colle-Zukertort:

That plays d5 against the Colle.

Can somebody please comment on this line, and maybe explain me why the move d5 is ok in this position?

thanks

The move d5 weakens e5, but controls e4. Since your opponent played d4, he has a weakness on e4 symmetrical to your's on e5. It's a matter of give and take.

I don't have this problem as a Slav player because I can just play 1.d4 d5 2.e3?! Bf5 where Black has basically no problems as far as I have seen, or 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.e3?! Bf5. 4.Bd3?! just gives away the good Bishop for no reason, and the better 4.c4 c6 leads to a known position from the Slow Slav (1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 Bf5) where White gets the two bishops but it's very hard to win, and this is not such a critical try for advantage in my opinion.

^ I know what you're saying, you develop your lsB outside the pawn chain that is the best thing to do in those cases. But when I was playing the slav (to be precise, the semi-slav) I would often encounter the London system that is extremely annoying against d5 players. Not so much in term of losing games, but black gets a totally lifeless game where he has no real counterplay.

I'd really like to know how Indian players deal with the Colle, as bringing out my light squared bishop is not possible after 2...e6

try something like this.

now after 14 dxe5 .. ne5, 15 nfd4 .. qb6, 16 ne3 .. be6 blacks knight activty makes up for the isolated d pawn.

or 14 c4 .. nxd4, 15 ncxd4 .. exd4, 16 bxd4 .. dxc4, 17 bxc4 .. re8 with equality.

i know this still makes the d5 thrust, however it doesn't seem problematic in this line. if you have any questions about alternate white moves just ask.

yeah i agree with anthony, once you play ..g6 you are taking a lot of the bite out of the zukertort system, and playing e5 in one tempo is very important.

The London is terrible after 1.d4 d5. By the 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Bf4 move order, Black has the direct refutation 3...c5 4.e3 Nc6 5.c3? (5.Be2 but Black has already equalized comfortably with play against d4 and b2) 5...Qb6 6.Qb3 c4! 7.Qc2 (7.Qxb6?! gives Black a clear attacking plan on the queenside with b6-b5-b4 that White doesn't have time to meet) 7...Bf5! (a similar plan is available in the Baltic) where Black dominates the central light-squares and White has problems. An effective strategy is to reroute the Queen back to d8 before playing e6 from here.

By 2.Bf4 move-order, 2...Nf6 3.e3 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nd2 Bf5 is good for Black as well.

5.Bd3?! Qb6 6.Qb3 c4 7.Qxb6 axb6 8.Bc2 b5 is similar to a line mentioned in my post and Black is at least slightly better here.

Expertise, the line you said is pure gold: I watched several times Shankland's miniseries on how to beat those systems.

Unfortunately I still have trouble with the Nimzo complex because having played e6 at moves 2 I cannot get my lsB outside.

I would need a Nimzo player to tell me how they deal with the Colle, and if the line I've posted in the OP is good for equality.

plutonia if you play the Nimzo/QGD you wouldn't have that problem as you can simply use a 1...Nf6 2...d5 move-order

I am assuming you play either a QID or Bogo-Indian against setups involving an early Nf3?

Yes, I'm learning the NID and Bogo thus I always play e6 at move 2.

I like meeting it with a queen's indian setup (delaying ...d5) when white has no other good try than transposing to a 4.e3 queen's indian (which is solid and reliable, but hardly something which will scare Black.

Via the queen's gambit move order, 3...c5 is good. White's only serious try is 4.dc5!?, but Black has no real issues in the QGA in reverse that comes up after 4...e6.