Questions tagged [catalan]

The Catalan is the opening characterized by the moves 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3.

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Why does anybody allow the Queen's Indian Defense?

People often play: d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 And allow both the Queen's Indian Defense: 4... Ba6 OR 4... Bb7 And the Catalan: 4... d5 5. Bg2 Why not play: g3 and transpose into Catalan, ...
Feliks_WR's user avatar
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2 answers
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How do you retrieve your c4 pawn in the Catalan?

In regular queen's gambit, you are happy to give away the c4 pawn because your light squared bishop is staring at the square all game and you will probably be able to eventually retrieve it. In the ...
jeremy909's user avatar
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In the open Catalan, should Black hold onto their pawn?

In the open Catalan, Black can hold onto the c4-pawn with b7-b5 and a7-a6. If so, then the queenside will have to be severely weakened. I think that this approach is reasonable and playable, but many ...
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6 votes
1 answer
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Achieving Catalan-like structure against Slav response

Being primarily a 1. d4 player, I often face Slav defense. However, I have much more experience and understanding of Catalan structures and would like to get something similar against the Slav ...
Anton Menshov's user avatar
5 votes
2 answers
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Can someone explain this computer suggestion to me?

[FEN ""] 1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 e5 4. Nxe5 c5 5. d5 f6 6. Nxc4 b5 7. Nca3 c4 8. Nxb5 Qa5+ 9. N1c3 Bb4 10. Nd4 Bxc3+ 11. Bd2 Bxd2+ 12. Qxd2 Qxd5 13. Rc1 Nh6 14. b3 Nf5 15. bxc4 Qxd4 16. Qxd4 Nxd4 ...
Hanyanrou's user avatar
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1 answer
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Difference between 7. Qc2 vs 7. Qa4 in the Catalan

This is a position from the main tabia of Catalan Opening: [FEN "rnbq1rk1/ppp1bppp/4pn2/8/2pP4/5NP1/PP2PPBP/RNBQ1RK1 w - - 0 7"] [StartPly "12"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Nf3 Be7 5. Bg2 O-O 6....
Anton Menshov's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
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What do advocates of the QGD exchange variation (from the white side) recommend against alternative move orders?

I've recently started to become interested in the exchange Queen's Gambit Declined (QGD) from the white side: [fen ""] 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Bg5 Thematically speaking it's very ...
ATLPoly's user avatar
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3 votes
3 answers
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Catalan opening - plans for white after exchanging on d5

From theory I've encountered on the Catalan, I've understood that when black goes b7-b6 before first playing c7-c6, a good plan for white is to capture on d5. WI've understood that the rational for ...
acye's user avatar
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Is the open Catalan a gambit?

I have been looking at the open variation of the Catalan game, where White seems not to extremely worry about conceding the pawn with 4...dxc4, going for calm development instead. One notorious ...
gented's user avatar
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In the Slav, after 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6, what are all the differences between 4. Qc2 and 4. Qb3?

In the Slav, after 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 : What are all the differences between 4. Qc2 and 4. Qb3 ? Which one of them is better to reach some Catalan type positions? Which one of them tends ...
Fate's user avatar
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4 votes
1 answer
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In the Delayed Open Catalan, what is the best move after 7. Ne5 c5 8. dxc5 Qc7 9. Nxc4 Rd8?

I'm building my White repertoire. After 1. Nf3 d5 2. d4 Nf6 3. c4 e6 4. g3 Be7 5. Bg2 O-O 6. O-O dxc4 7. Ne5 c5 8. dxc5 Qc7 9. Nxc4 Rd8 we reach the following position: [FEN "rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/...
Fate's user avatar
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6 votes
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In the Delayed Open Catalan, after 1. Nf3 d5 2. d4 Nf6 3. c4 e6 4. g3 Be7 5. Bg2 O-O 6. O-O dxc4 7. Ne5 c5 8. dxc5 Bxc5, which move should I play?

In the Delayed Open Catalan, after 1. Nf3 d5 2. d4 Nf6 3. c4 e6 4. g3 Be7 5. Bg2 O-O 6. O-O dxc4 7. Ne5 c5 8. dxc5 Bxc5, we reach this position: [Title "White to move"] [fen "rnbq1rk1/pp3ppp/4pn3/...
Fate's user avatar
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15 votes
3 answers
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What are the common themes in the Catalan?

I have looked over some of the main lines of the Catalan in MCO-15 and feel pretty lost as to what's going on in them. What are some of the key positions and goals for either side? Or is the opening ...
Nathan Monteleone's user avatar