The Catalan move by move

En ny bok i den populære åpningsserien Move by move. Stormester Neil McDonald har gledelig aktivisert seg mer som forfatter igjen. Her lovpriser og gjennomgår han Katalansk på en god måte. Denne åpningen oppstår gjennom flere trekkrekkefølger.

Katalansk er dronninggambit med g3. Vanlig er for eksempel 1 d4 Sf6 2 c4 e6 3 Sf3 d5 4 g3 eller 1 d4 d5 2 c4 e6 3 Sf3 Sf6 4 g3. Boka egner seg for mange styrkenivåer og er aktuell helt opp til tidlig i 2017 med partiet Welsey So - Wojtaszek fra Wijk-aan-Zee-turneringen.

Fra forfatterens forord:

There are a lot of beautiful positional ideas in the Catalan. You can only admire the way Kramnik and Giri and So and Caruana use the bishop on g2 like a magician’s wand. The spells they cast mean that their opponents play a series of natural, half decent moves and find themselves in a lost position with no idea why.

The good thing for White in most lines of the Catalan Opening is that if he plays precisely, Black never quite equalizes – he is almost completely equal, but White’s tiny advantage usually lingers on a long time, right until the endgame. It is a rather unpleasant affair for Black to be always a bit worse, and if he is careless his fears about his position can grow from slight anxiety to serious alarm.

Sometimes White can do everything right in th e Catalan, but his advantage turns out to be of a symbolic rather than real nature. For example, he obtains an endgame with a better pawn structure or a superior bishop, but a few vigilant moves by Black and it is time to agree a draw. Never mind: you can’t win at chess unless your opponent gives you some help. There’s always the next game.

Is there any drawback to the Catalan? Yes: abandon hope all ye who want to smash your opponents in 20 moves with a kingside attack! It can be done – there are some nice sacrificial attacks in this book – but, well, it requires Black to stir up trouble for himself by responding in risky style.

The bishop on g2 is pointing the wrong way if you want to get at your opponent’s king. Some players are consummate positional players, but are easily bowled over by direct attacks. You aren’t giving yourself the chance to exploit this weakness in the Catalan. Instead you are planning a rook invasion on c7 in 10 moves’ time.

It is, of course, a question of style and what you are looking for from the opening. If you want a safe game with few losing chances and a small plus, then the Catalan is for you. If you like grinding out wins in rook and pawn endgames it will suit you fine.

Despite the rather gloomy prognosis for Black above, I have examined some interesting counter measures for him. Almost all of the world elite are prepared to defend against the Catalan and have introduced many weapons against it.

This book aims to cover all the important ideas in every variation of the Catalan. Inevitably there will be gaps as it is such a wide, strategically complex and ever developing opening. I can only apologise in advance for any omissions.

Neil McDonald, Gravesend
April 2017