13
votes
Why does anybody allow the Queen's Indian Defense?
White can't force black to go for a setup with ...d5, so it's not a given that 3.g3 will end up in the Catalan.
In particular there is 3...c5, trying to transpose to a Benoni where the g3 variations ...
- 28.7k
10
votes
Accepted
Difference between 7. Qc2 vs 7. Qa4 in the Catalan
As you mentioned, 7.Qc2 a6 8.Qxc4 and 7.Qa4 a6 8.Qxc4 lead to the same position.
However, after 7.Qc2 a6, white has the option to play 8.a4, which is recommended by GM Avrukh in Grandmaster ...
- 5,546
7
votes
Accepted
Can someone explain this computer suggestion to me?
Well, you were winning handily, and up material, and position. The move Nd4?? blundered a piece, and Bd2 actually makes it clearly worse, which is why the computer liked bxc3. Given two clear choices (...
- 32.7k
6
votes
Accepted
Achieving Catalan-like structure against Slav response
Are there strong responses different from 4. .. e6 for black against 4. g3 that avoid the Catalan?
4...Bf5
One interesting alternative is 4...Bf5, with very original play. Before playing e6, Black ...
- 3,535
4
votes
Why does anybody allow the Queen's Indian Defense?
The issue is in committing to 3.g3 a move earlier. Then if Black plays 3...d5, White must play the Catalan (with 3.Nf3, he still had the option to play a different line in the Queen's Gambit). Or take ...
- 19.9k
4
votes
Accepted
How do you retrieve your c4 pawn in the Catalan?
The primary idea in the Catalan (specifically the open Catalan), is to use the time that black has wasted capturing a pawn to develop quicker and squeeze a small advantage out of the middle game ...
- 371
4
votes
How do you retrieve your c4 pawn in the Catalan?
Im not a Catalan player myself, but in general, after giving up a pawn, it is not always the right question to ask whether you can recover it. The Queens Gambit is ofter referred to as a pseudo-gambit ...
- 8,696
4
votes
Can someone explain this computer suggestion to me?
After 11.bxc3, Qxc3 12.Qd2, Qxa1, there is no easy way to get the queen out. Black is going to have to give something back at some point.
If black tries to get the queen out immediately :
13. g3, (...
- 4,339
3
votes
Catalan opening - plans for white after exchanging on d5
The idea of exchanging on d5 when Black goes for an early ...b6 is usually connected with play on the c-file: Nc3, Bf4, Rc1, maybe Qa4.
In this particular position, after ...Bxd2 Nbxd2, this plan is ...
- 16.7k
2
votes
Is the open Catalan a gambit?
Generally it seems to me if you want to keep the pawn on c4 with b5, white can play a4 which is cumbersome for black as protecting the pawn on b5 with c6 or a6 runs into pins on the a file or the h1-...
- 20.9k
2
votes
Accepted
In the open Catalan, should Black hold onto their pawn?
It's possible to keep the pawn but at the expense of seriously weakening the queenside and fall behind in development. Keeping the pawn is certainly playable but you will need to know how not to be ...
- 22.7k
2
votes
What qualifies as a fully fledged Catalan?
The Catalan is defined as having played d4+c4 against d5 (the Queen's Gambit) and then fianchetto'ing the kingside bishop with g3+Bg2. Some people play a Reti with c4+g3+Bg2 and avoid committing to d4 ...
- 5,999
2
votes
Why does anybody allow the Queen's Indian Defense?
Shortly:
I am an experienced Catalan player and choose 3.g3 order exactly to disallow
Queen's Indian. Considering my knowledge and practice I can say that most of White players move 3. g3 for the same ...
- 106
1
vote
Why does anybody allow the Queen's Indian Defense?
The QID isnt really anything to worry about. Most white players are more worried about the NID or the KID and are probably happy to see a QID. White scores 54% and SF gives .37 to white so white is ...
- 4,339
1
vote
Accepted
What do advocates of the QGD exchange variation (from the white side) recommend against alternative move orders?
Indeed, the Exchange QGD and a system against the Queen's Indian do not blend very well.
In his famous repertoire series on 1.d4, GM Avrukh opts for the Catalan, using the move orders 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 ...
- 5,546
1
vote
Catalan opening - plans for white after exchanging on d5
In double queen-pawn structure where x.cxd5 exd5 has occurred (sometimes called the Carlsbad structure) there is always the possibility of a "minority attack". This is more common in the QGD than in ...
- 6,111
1
vote
Is the open Catalan a gambit?
In short, no, a priori the Catalan opening is not a gambit, because unlike the Queen's gambit, in Catalan d5 is played after white's c4, which means white is first to decide whether to take on d5 ...
- 12k
1
vote
Is the open Catalan a gambit?
As far as i understand the Catalan is a variation of the queens gambit, so yes, it is a gambit. However, like in the regular queens gambit, in most lines white gets the pawn confortably back, black ...
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