Powerful Catalan, The

Traditionally openings played at the amateur level have varied considerably from those seen in elite tournaments. One need only recall the popularity of the Petroff and Queen’s Indian, standbys of the 2700 plus crowd, to realize that safety and solidity (sometimes spelled dull) are not necessarily what mortals are looking for when they sit down to play. Nor have they historically sought out super theoretical lines based on exploiting minute advantages.

Times change. Chess players of all levels are much more sophisticated today. This especially holds true of amateurs in the rating range 2000-2400. These players are ambitious to improve and have enough chess skills that they can afford to spend more time concentrating on the opening. Aided by the democratization of knowledge – a spate of high standard books and programs like ChessBase – they can give even professionals difficulties in the opening phase.

This newfound sophistication helps explain the appearance of books on the Catalan. Previously the exclusive domain of titled players, this opening has now entered the main stream in part to Boris Avrukh devoting over 230 pages to it in his groundbreaking two volumes devoted to 1.d4.

One might think the Israeli GM’s massive work would be the last word on the Catalan, but four years later chess players have the chance to purchase a new book on the subject – The Powerful Catalan by Moldovan 2700 rated GM Victor Bologan.

A quick look at the table of contents reveals this is a very serious tome:

Chapter 1 – Queen’s Indian Style 11
1.d2-d4 Ng8-f6 2.c2-c4 e7-e6 3.Ng1-f3 d7-d5 4.g2-g3 b7-b6

Chapter 2 – Tarrasch Style 17
1.d2-d4 Ng8-f6 2.c2-c4 e7-e6 3.Ng1-f3 d7-d5 4.g2-g3 c7-c5

Chapter 3 – The Triangle Set-Up 29
1.d2-d4 Ng8-f6 2.c2-c4 e7-e6 3.Ng1-f3 d7-d5 4.g2-g3 c7-c6
5.Bf1-g2 Nb8-d7 6.0-0 Bf8-d6

Chapter 4 – The Bishop Check 35
1.d2-d4 Ng8-f6 2.c2-c4 e7-e6 3.Ng1-f3 d7-d5 4.g2-g3 Bf8-b4+

Chapter 5 – The Bishop Check with 5…Be7 43
1.d2-d4 Ng8-f6 2.c2-c4 e7-e6 3.Ng1-f3 d7-d5 4.g2-g3 Bf8-b4+
5.Bc1-d2 Bb4-e7

Chapter 6 – Opposing the Catalan Bishop 67
1.d2-d4 Ng8-f6 2.c2-c4 e7-e6 3.Ng1-f3 d7-d5 4.g2-g3 d5xc4
5.Bf1-g2 Bc8-d7

Chapter 7 – Playing for the Pawn 75
1.d2-d4 Ng8-f6 2.c2-c4 e7-e6 3.Ng1-f3 d7-d5 4.g2-g3 d5xc4
5.Bf1-g2 b7-b5

Chapter 8 – Indirectly Defending the Pawn 83
1.d2-d4 Ng8-f6 2.c2-c4 e7-e6 3.Ng1-f3 d7-d5 4.g2-g3 d5xc4
5.Bf1-g2 c7-c6

Chapter 9 – Attacking White’s Center 91
1.d2-d4 Ng8-f6 2.c2-c4 e7-e6 3.Ng1-f3 d7-d5 4.g2-g3 d5xc4
5.Bf1-g2 c7-c5

Chapter 10 – Combining Defense and Attack 103
1.d2-d4 Ng8-f6 2.c2-c4 e7-e6 3.Ng1-f3 d7-d5 4.g2-g3 d5xc4
5.Bf1-g2 a7-a6

Chapter 11 – Bishop Check after 4…dxc4 115
1.d2-d4 Ng8-f6 2.c2-c4 e7-e6 3.Ng1-f3 d7-d5 4.g2-g3 d5xc4
5.Bf1-g2 Bf8-b4+

Chapter 12 – Developing the Knight 137
1.d2-d4 Ng8-f6 2.c2-c4 e7-e6 3.Ng1-f3 d7-d5 4.g2-g3 d5xc4
5.Bf1-g2 Nb8-c6

Chapter 13 – Keeping the Position Closed 147
1.d2-d4 Ng8-f6 2.c2-c4 e7-e6 3.Ng1-f3 d7-d5 4.g2-g3 Bf8-e7
5.Bf1-g2 0-0 6.0-0 Nb8-d7

Chapter 14 – Classical Variation 165
1.d2-d4 Ng8-f6 2.c2-c4 e7-e6 3.Ng1-f3 d7-d5 4.g2-g3 Bf8-e7
5.Bf1-g2 0-0 6.0-0 d5xc4

Chapter 15 – Classical Variation 10…Ra7 177
1.d2-d4 Ng8-f6 2.c2-c4 e7-e6 3.Ng1-f3 d7-d5 4.g2-g3 Bf8-e7
5.Bf1-g2 0-0 6.0-0 d5xc4 7.Qd1-c2 a7-a6 8.Qc2xc4 b7-b5 9.Qc4-c2
Bc8-b7 10.Bc1-d2 Ra8-a7

Chapter 16 – Classical Variation10…Be4 197
1.d2-d4 Ng8-f6 2.c2-c4 e7-e6 3.Ng1-f3 d7-d5 4.g2-g3 Bf8-e7
5.Bf1-g2 0-0 6.0-0 d5xc4 7.Qd1-c2 a7-a6 8.Qc2xc4 b7-b5
9.Qc4-c2Bc8-b7 10.Bc1-d2 Bb7-e4

Chapter 17 – Classical Variation 11…Qc8 217
1.d2-d4 Ng8-f6 2.c2-c4 e7-e6 3.Ng1-f3 d7-d5 4.g2-g3 Bf8-e7
5.Bf1-g2 0-0 6.0-0 d5xc4 7.Qd1-c2 a7-a6 8.Qc2xc4 b7-b5 9.Qc4-c2
Bc8-b7 10.Bc1-d2 Bb7-e4 11.Qc2-c1 Qd8-c8

Chapter 18 – Classical Variation 11…Bb7 227
1.d2-d4 Ng8-f6 2.c2-c4 e7-e6 3.Ng1-f3 d7-d5 4.g2-g3 Bf8-e7
5.Bf1-g2 0-0 6.0-0 d5xc4 7.Qd1-c2 a7-a6 8.Qc2xc4 b7-b5 9.Qc4-c2
Bc8-b7 10.Bc1-d2 Bb7-e4 11.Qc2-c1 Be4-b7

There is no getting around the fact that playing the Catalan as White is a major undertaking. Unlike, for example, the Exchange Variation of the Queen’s Gambit Declined, the play can vary considerably from line to line. Some variations see White gambiting a pawn, with compensation coming in various forms ranging from long term positional pressure to attacks on the king. More typically White plays for small positional advantages that demand precise play. Black has a wide variety of defenses.

In many ways playing the Catalan is like employing g3 systems against the King’s Indian. On the plus side is king safety and the chance for long term pressure that aims to restrict the opponents chances for active counterplay. The reverse side of the coin is that Black has many playable choices and White has to know a lot of theory and even if he does may often get an advantage that borders on the miniscule. Playing the Catalan without concrete knowledge can lead to lifeless positions where White is going after Black with a fly swatter instead of a hammer.

This is particularly true of the mainline 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.g3 Be7 5.Bg2 0-0 6.0-0 dxc4 7.Qc2 a6 8.Qxc4 b5 9.Qc2 Bb7 10.Bd2 which was also Avrukh’s choice. Bologan devotes almost a third of his book to this variation which demands subtle play and his explanation of what White is trying to accomplish will be just as valuable to the layman as the concrete lines he offers. This is true throughout the book and also applies to his conclusions at the end of each chapter, which succeed in putting things in perspective. Readers will find this especially helpful when he occasionally covers more than one line for White – for example 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.g3 dxc4 5.Bg2 c5 6. 0-0 Nc6 and now both 7.Ne5 and 7.Qa4.

There are some important differences between Bologan and Avrukh’s book which the former treats with respect and frequently acknowledges. One fundamental contrast is that after 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.g3 dxc4 5.Bg2 a6 Bologan advocates 6.Ne5 while Avrukh prefers 5.0-0.

Another difference occurs in the line 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.g3 dxc4 5.Bg2 Bb4+6.Bd2 c5 which might be called the Robson variation for the young American GM Ray Robson’s successful handling of it on numerous occasions. Arukh suggests 7.Bxb4 and only devotes two pages to the line, but keep in mind four years ago it was seldom played. Bologan, in a departure from his traditional practice of giving one line examines all four of White choices here – 7.0-0, 7.dxc5, 7.Bxb4 and 7.Qc1 which he believes best. One major omission in both books occurs in the position reached after 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.g3 Be7 5.Bg2 0-0 6.0-0 dxc4 7.Qc2. Here Bologan gives only 7…a6 while Avrukh dismisses 7…b5 on account of 8.a4 c6 9.axb5 axb5 10.Ng5 winning. This was the commonly held opinion when his book came out in 2008 but in the last year and a half Black has played 8…b4 good practical results. Ruslan Scherbakov, in his theoretical survey of the line in New In Chess Yearbook 104, calls it “a serious option to deal with” and one White cannot simply avoid with 7.Qa4 as Black has 7…Qd5.

The Powerful Catalan is an excellent and updated work on the Catalan, particularly when taking into account its length. A comprehensive work on the Catalan could easily be double the number of pages. Bologan, with his clear explanation of the aims of both players, has written something that will continue to be useful even after some of his analytical suggestions are inevitably refuted.

This book will be especially useful for players rated 2200 on up who are looking for a guide to this complicated and fascinating opening.

Highly Recommended.