Morozevich has been playing 1 d4 d5 2 c4 e6 3 Nf3 a6

Pelletier-Morozevich, Biel 2011

Kramnik-Morozevich, Russian Ch 2011, today

Is the best plan for white to exchange on d5 like both Pelletier and Kramnik did?  What is another plan if I don't normally play the Exchange/Carlsbad Variation?

What DO you normally play in the QGD?  Unless it's something pretty bizarre, I don't see why you couldn't continue down those lines.  a6 may set up something resembling eventual queenside counterplay, but it's hardly so forcing that typical Bg5, e3, bd3 type stuff shouldn't give white at least his typical advantage.

It looks like something only a GM could love (or understand). I'd avoid it like typhus.

NavelGazer, I play the Catalan.

DrSpudnik, I am looking at this from the White side.

Oh. I was going to suggest you play 3. Nc3 first...

If you think Black is going to play b5/Bb7, you could fluster him by playing 4. a4 just to be a wiseguy.

+10.

Read recently an interview to A.Grischuk in chessintranslation. He predicted the burial of standard chess and proposed chess960 instead!!! So I doubt GMs enjoy this type of games. They only use QGD, Petroff and likesomes to kill chess and promote chess960. Quick draws only backs this theory. They simply don't enjoy chess anymore.

Let them play 960! Who'll miss them? Not me. They can all go and I can be world champion by default!!! Yaaaaay!

Black typically has this idea in the Catalan. The importance here is whether the tempo he's gained not playing Ng8-f6 was worth anything or if it just transposes.

I'd very much like to say that 4. g3 is fine.

I anticipate the line 1 d4 d5 2 c4 e6 3 Nf3 a6 4 g3 dxc4 5 Bg2 c5 6 0-0 Nc6 7 Ne5 Bd7 8 Nxc6 Bxc6 9 Bxc6 bxc6 10 Qa4 Qd7 11 Qxc4 cxd4

Looking with an engine, 7. dxc5 seems to give white pretty strong play in that line.