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Normal Topic 'what is the Torre Attack? (Read 15086 times)
dmp4373
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Re: 'what is the Torre Attack?
Reply #5 - 09/12/11 at 02:02:07
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Since Reverse didn't know what the Torre is, it's safe to assume he's not a titled so whatever the cons of this opening may be at the 2400+ level are irrelevant to him.  

I've played the Torre and Colle at the expert level for decades and have done extremely well with them. The key to success with them is not in the opening itself, Black can equalize, but in understanding what to do from moves 12-20. Black is equal by move 10 because he's learned the lines, but White is better by move 20 because he has more understanding and experience of the early middlegame positions that arise.

Below Master level, it's an extremely practical (and solid) opening that cuts down on enormous amounts of opening theory that would otherwise be needed and will serve you well your entire playing career. However, if you have good memory and you love studying opening theory then there  are plenty of sharper, and better, openings to play.
  
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walkingterrapin
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Why play the Colle when
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Re: 'what is the Torre Attack?
Reply #4 - 09/06/11 at 17:46:19
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Petrosian played it quite a bit and alot of d4 players of the past have used it as a suprise weapon as mentioned earlier.  You can search early games if you are looking for some from its namesake as well.  Several good books out on it and I use it to teach pawn structures with my middle school club.
  
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SWJediknight
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Re: 'what is the Torre Attack?
Reply #3 - 04/05/10 at 22:22:49
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It's worth noting that the Torre Attack, like the Colle (where White aims for a similar setup but with the bishop placed at c1 or b2) was originally meant as an aggressive system where White plays to expand in the centre with e3-e4, and play the "Stonewall" type moves Ne5, f4, Rf3-h3 with an attack.  Carlos Torre-Repetto had some fine attacking wins with the opening system that is now named after him.

At club level these remain aggressive openings but I guess that at higher levels Black knows how to defend against those "Stonewall" type moves and so the game takes on a more positional character with White trying to eke out small advantages.
  
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nyoke
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Re: 'what is the Torre Attack?
Reply #2 - 04/04/10 at 07:57:08
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Originally it is an anti-indian opening, but really lazy players stick to it against 1... d5.

As always with openings it depends on your style/preferred type of play, but iirc Petrosian has written about it appreciatively.
  
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TN
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Re: 'what is the Torre Attack?
Reply #1 - 04/02/10 at 23:30:38
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The Torre Attack is 1.d4 Nf6/d5 2.Nf3 any normal move by Black 3.Bg5. 

According to Lars Bo Hansen in 'How Chess Games are Won and Lost', an opening must meet three conditions:
Quote:
1) The opening repertoire must be reasonably sound from a pure chess perspective.
2) The opening repertoire must be tailor-made to fit your style.
3) The opening repertoire must fit your present playing strength - and evolve with it.


1) The Torre can be considered a 'reasonably sound' opening, and one advantage is that you become an expert in the pawn structures that comprise the Torre opening complex. However, at GM level this opening is not very effective as Black usually equalizes out of the opening. The majority of White's wins in this variation are not the result of the opening.

2) The Torre Attack best suits a player who likes a mobile or fixed pawn structure, who wants a more manoeuvring game and prefers more tranquil waters. Players with a stronger strategic intuition than specific intuition who just want to reach a playable middlegame would be suited to this opening. 

3) Up to 2200-2300, all normal openings are applicable, but to pass the 2300 barrier, it is necessary to replace the Torre with main line openings. Then the Torre can only be used as a surprise weapon, and even then it can backfire. Kamsky-Gelfand, Elista 2007 (3) is a good example of this even though the opening was a London, not a Torre. 

The best antidote against the Torre varies depending on your repertoire. 1...d5 players have little to worry about since 1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Bg5 Ne4! already gives Black the easier game, and Noteboom/Dutch players also have little to worry about. 

For KID/Grunfeld players, after 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.Bg5 I recommend 3...Bg7 4.Nbd2 0-0 5.c3 (5.e4 d5!) 5...d6 6.e4 and now both 6...c5 and 6...Nbd7/7...Qe8/8...e5 are equal. 

I advise Nimzo/QID players to play 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.Bg5 h6 4.Bh4 d6!?, which leads to interesting play; 4.Bf6 Qf6 5.e4 d6 is fairly innocuous but probably best.

Benoni players have an easy time against the Torre since 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 c5 3.Bg5 is dubious and 3.c3 d5 4.Bg5 Ne4! transposes to the favourable 1...d5 lines. 

Finally, the Torre is ineffective against the Modern because of 1...g6 2.Nf3 Bg7 3.Bg5 f6!? 4.Bh4 (4.Bf4 d6 and 5...e5 is even a tad more comfortable for Black) 4...d6 5.e4 (5.Nbd2 Nd7 6.e3 e5 7.c4 Nh6 or 7...Ne7 is an improved KID) 5...Nd7 6.Bc4 Nh6 7.0-0 e5 and Black is no worse. If White plays 6.d5 to dissuade ...e5, Black can either play 6...e5 7.de6 Nc5 with good counterplay or play more creatively but riskily with 6...Nc5!? 7.Nc3 f5, which may or may not be good.   
  

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Reverse
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'what is the Torre Attack?
04/02/10 at 22:29:03
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What is the torre attack? Is it an aggressive option? Are there any important games worth studying from this opneing? What aer some typical plans of development agaisnt it.

I keep hearing about this opening from various places, mainly the local club, but I am really unsure as to what it is. Are there any GM's or IM's that have included it in their repertoire?

THanks Guys,
Lars
  
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