How To Be Good In Catalan Opening? What Are Its Strategic Goals? :))

THere are some great books of it. Catalan is a great openimg and sub-1800 FIDE almost 1-0 because black doesn't know what to play

THere are some great books of it. Catalan is a great openimg and sub-1800 FIDE almost 1-0 because black doesn't know what to play

That's a terrible assumption. Almost every player 1400 and up or if they play frequently knows at least one idea on how to play against the catalan. If not they can still play an ok line like c6-Nbd7-b6-Bb7 in a closed catalan and it is still a decent and natural-looking line.

The Catalan Move by Move

https://www.newinchess.com/media/wysiwyg/product_pdf/7685.pdf
Catalan advice for Black can be found in Declining the Queen's Gambit by John Cox (2011).
https://web.archive.org/web/20140626233841/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen149.pdf

This is how they play chess in your neck of the woods?

I need to move to where you are!  I'll be a GM in no time!

lets see

That 7Ne5 in the open catalan, mentioned earlier in thread, became popular again is quite curious. In the 7...Nc6 8BxN pxB 9Nxp etc line, in the book Wojo's Weapons for example, can't find anything that shakes previous opinion that black can get equality. 

If you like playing 1.d4 followed by a k-side fianchetto there is nothing better than Avrukh's books.

I don't have volume 1 but I have volume 2 and I can tell you it is absolutely amazing. The ideas are really good and comprehensible even to a 1600 blitz like me.

I agree. I'm a bit above 1400 and usually I am very surprised how much opening theory and opening ideas players at my level know. and like you say, the moves in the Catalan are quite natural, it's not like the Yugoslav attack where you will get immediately smashed off the board if you don't know your stuff

I would say c6-Nbd7-b6-Bb7 in a closed catalan ,which is very popular at club player for some reason, is the line were white can count on a phleasant advantage without knowing too much detail. On the otherhand with a straightforward open line, which solves the bc8 problem black is ok without too much trouble.

I read loooong long ago that the Catalan was dull and drawish, but I liked the structure so I gave it a go. I've been playing the Catalan for around 10 years now. I'd say you don't get an impressive advantage right out of the opening, but the positions and pawn structures arising give you a subtle edge in the middle game, and what I've noticed is that the initiative is absolutely overwhelming. The fianchettoed bishop is a killer, too.

A lot of players as black simply won't be able to cope with that positional disadvantage and those natural moves from white.

It's an excellent opening, but it's definitely not for beginners.

Regards.

Is it possible to play Nbd2 to make the opening less complicated?

By being able to recapure on c4 with a knight white avoids the complicated dxc4 lines. My plan is to play b3, Bb2 and e4. It is not much probably but white has a little space advantage. It's about having a comfortable position.

It's a perfectly playable move, and favorite of many players. That's what I play, too. Maybe that's not exactly the move order that I'd choose, but the result is pretty much the same. I'd rather fianchetto the bishop, castle, maybe develop the dark-square bishop, then play Qc2 before playing Nbd2 myself.

The only exception I can think of is if Black slides in a Bb4+, I play Bd2, and after the exchange, I take with the knight, Nbxd2.

The reason why I would do that is to prevent the "loss" of a pawn by being able to answer an early dxc4 with Nxc4 and reduce the variations I have to consider.

You need a special mindset with the Catalan. The pawn can sometimes be recaptured later on with the thematic Ne5. It's hard to defend that c4-pawn, and Black should give it back, and develop quickly. If he tries to hold desesperately onto that extra pawn he can end up having huge trouble along the long diagonal after Ne5.

Anyway, sometimes it's not possible to get it back, and that's why I said you need a special mindset. In those cases forget about the pawn and play a pure gambit - a pawn for development and initiative.

Regards.

Yeah, it's not a big deal to "lose" the pawn on c4. You mentioned that after Bb4+ you want to go Bd2 and after Bxd2 you want to recapture with the knight. Why not with the queen? My idea is to play Nc3 afterwards and then Qd3 or Qc2 to prepare e4. If dxc4 then maybe a4 followed by e4 or e4 immediately.

What do you think?

The main reason for me is that I'd lose a tempo with my queen since I want to place it on c2. From there I can play e4, exchange a central pawn recapturing with the knight, exchanging one knight to recapture with my queen, and from there to e2. It's a good plan that usually ends up with a structure of two pawns in c5 and e5 allowing you to infiltrate a rook on d6. I've won countless games with that plan. Let me illustrate it with a game:

Also an example of what I mentioned before about getting back the pawn via Ne5. Black is advised to return it, or he can get quickly intro trouble:

After 4Nd2 black can play be7 followed by 0.0, b6, bb7 preparing c5 or 4...c5 immediately, i.e the two normal Queens Gambit declined methods. Black reaches comfortable positions too, either way. There is no particular need for c6, because not much pressure on d5, or opportunity to grap pawn with d5xc4 followed by b5. 

The "Carlsen" method of achieving a safe no advantage  but untheoretical,   position , as white, really isn't that difficult. To take full advantage of the trick though also need Carlsen's middle game and endgame ability.

why does the smiley have a double chin?