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One question that always plagued me was, "How does one answer 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6?" I had some success with several different systems. The CATALAN (3.g3 d5) really gave me good results, but I ultimately became discouraged by 3...c5 when 4.d5 goes into a line of the Benoni that doesn't promise White much of anything. I also did well with the QUEEN'S INDIAN (3.Nf3 b6), but my best memories came from playing the White side of the NIMZO-INDIAN (3.Nc3 Bb4).

Silman - McFarland
Reno, 1991
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Nf3 Be7 5.Bg2 0-0 6.Nbd2 Nbd7 7.0-0 c6 8.Qc2 b6 9.e4 dxe4 10.Nxe4 Bb7 11.Bf4 Nxe4 12.Qxe4 Nf6 13.Qe2 Bd6 14.Ne5 (White has a nice edge, but Black's next move is a horrible strategic blunder.) 14...Bxe5?? (The rest, as everyone loves to say, "is just a matter of technique.") 15.dxe5 Nd7 16.Rfd1 (Pressure down the d-file, control of the d6-square, and the two Bishops ensure Black's demise.) 16...Qe7 17.Rd6 Rac8 18.Rad1 Nb8 19.Qg4! (A common formula: with Black bound and gagged in the center, White switches his attention to the enemy King) 19...Kh8 20.Bg5 Qc7 21.Be4 (Also crushing was 21.Qh4, threatening the comical 22.Bd8.) 21...c5 22.Bxb7 Qxb7 23.Bf6, 1-0. It's mate after 23...gxf6 (23...Rg8 24.Qxg7+!) 24.exf6 Rg8 25.Rd8! Rxd8 26.Rxd8. Not a high quality game, but it does show how even a solid master like McFarland can fall apart in the face of the subtle demands of the Catalan.

Silman-G Sanchez
San Jose 1982
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.g3 b6 3.Bg2 Bb7 4.d4 e6 5.c4 Be7 6.0-0 0-0 7.Nc3 Ne4 8.Qc2 Nc3 9.Qc3 f5 10.b3 Bf6 11.Bb2 d6 12.Ne1 Bg2 13.Ng2 Nc6 14.Qd3 Qd7 15.Ne3 g6 16.Rad1 Qg7 17.Ba1 (The Bishop has some support on this square, and it also sets up a rather long winded combination.) 17...e5 18.dxe5 Nxe5 19.Qd2 Nd7?

It looks boring, but things are about to heat up!

(White had achieved a small edge, but Black felt comfortable and didn't imagine that any real danger was lurking under the position's surface. Alekhine's games had taught me that, more often than one might suppose, even the simplest positions contain deeply hidden tactics, waiting to be uncovered.) 20.Nd5!! Bxa1 (He could have avoided the tactics that follow by 20...Rac8, but 21.Nxf6+ with enduring pressure along the a1-h8 diagonal would not promise Black an easy life.) 21.Nxc7!! Bc3 22.Qxd6 Rad8 (Best. The real point of the combination can be seen after 22...Nf6 [preventing Nxa8 followed by Qd5+] 23.Nxa8 Rxa8 24.Rd3! Bb2 [24...Ba5 25.b4] 25.Rb1 when the Bishop is trapped since any Knight move allows Qd5+ when the remaining Black Rook vanishes from the board.) 23.Ne6 Qe5 24.Nd8 Rd8 25.Qc6 Qf6? (A confused and depressed Sanchez cracks. He had to try 25...Qe7, though 26.Qc7 Be5 27.Qxa7 would still lead to an eventual White victory.) 26.Rd6, 1-0.

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