Need help vs Grunfeld & KID

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CheekWeld

Hi, I'm an 1100 elo club player who plays 1. d4 2. Nf3 playing into either the Colle or Catalan.  The problem is that I have a giant hole in my repertoire as these do not work great against the Grunfeld and KID.  I've thought maybe the Samisch?  Is there any suggestions that are suitable for a lower rated player like myself that work against both of these responses by Black?  Genuinely appreciative for any advice here.  Cheers to all and good luck in your chess. - Jason

ThrillerFan

The Colle and the Catalan do not go well together as they both rely on the same thing.  Black's LSB must be hemmed in by an early ...e6 by Black for either to work.

 

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.e3 and now 3...b6 or 3...d5 both can be answered by 4.Bd3 (Colle System)

Otherwise the Colle does not work.  For example, a line often referred to as the Anti-Colle is 1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.e3 Bf5 (or 3...Bg4).  The ONLY move for White here is 4.c4, and after 4...c6, you are in a Slow Slav by direct transposition.

 

The Catalan is the same way.  Only time the Catalan works is against QGD and Nimzo setups with an early ...e6, like 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 or 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.g3.

 

So you might as well play one or the other but not both.

 

Here is what you lack an answer for - it is more than just the KID and Grunfeld:

 

A) KID and Grunfeld, of course

B) Slav setups (1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 or 1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.e3 c6) - Here there is nothing better than to transpose into the Slav or else play something different, like the London or in the case of 1...Nf6, the Trompowsky.

C) Dutch - Colle does not work well here either!

D) Modern Defense (1...g6 with ...Nf6 either delayed significantly or omitted, going to e7 or h6 instead with the Knight).

E) Benoni setups (early ...c5).  If you play the Catalan move order, you must know the Fianchetto Benoni (1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 c5).

 

My suggestion, if you want to reduce the amount of work:

Torre, Colle, Slow Slav, 2.Bg5 Dutch, Advance French,Anti-Benoni, and Maroczy Bind

 

Use the Torre after 1...Nf6/2...g6 or 1...Nf6/2...e6

Attempt the Colle after 1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.e3.  If no ...e6, then 4.c4 and you are likely to be in a Slow Slav (it is one Slav line you need to know, not the entire Slav complex)

1.d4 f5 2.Bg5!

1.d4 e6 2.e4! - Avoids the Tricky English Defense (Owen's Defense is weak) and the Deferred Dutch, which avoids the Bg5 line.  The Advance Variation (2...d5 3.e5) follows Nimzowitsch's concept of the Blockade to the letter!

Anti-Benoni - 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 c5 3.d5! e6 4.Nc3!, avoiding c4 and keeping the c4 square open for the f3-Knight (via d2 after you castle).

Modern Defense - 1.d4 g6 2.Nf3 Bg7 3.e4 c5 4.c4! cxd4 5.Nxd4 and you are in a Maroczy Bind Sicilian

CheekWeld

Hey ThrillerFan....very, very helpful info.

I really think I'm going to try to add in the Torre - just what I was looking for!  Simon Williams's new Colle-Zuckertorte course on Chessable has some nice lines against the "Anti-Torre" but they admit you need something else vs the KID/Grunfeld.  Definitely going to start there and add slowly to my repertoire for other lines as they pop up (at my low rating, I don't yet see too much Dutch, Benoni, & Modern opening's by Black).  Thanks a billion for helping me out on this.

tygxc

@1

You are rated 1059. Openings should be the least of your worries. You will never win or lose because of the opening, but because of hanging pieces and pawns.

Ethan_Brollier

@tygxc that would be good advice, except OP is almost certainly a classical OTB player

SamuelAjedrez95

I like the Russian System vs Grünfeld

and the Bayonet Attack vs King's Indian

or Sämisch

This is what I like and will probably play when I start playing d4. Not sure if it helps.