Keano wrote on 10/20/10 at 13:18:48:
But isnt Marin dealing with normal Catalan with the Bishop on c1, or does he deal with the check also? The point here is Black is trying to claim the Bd2 would be better off on its original square. Will check that Ng5 idea, not got an engine now but just looked OK to me for Black. I think with a Queen on c2 instead of pawn on b3 and B on d2 its a direct transposition to Avrukhs analysis. Would be interesting to compare the difference.
Marin discusses Stonewall structures with Bb4+-e7 included, however Bb4+-d6 doesn't change the fact that Stonewalls equalize completely versus Rd1, and with b3 only if white has combined it with Qc2.
It's noteworthy that white's 11. Ng5 resource in this position wouldn't work if black's Bd6 were on e7.
Not surprisingly Ponomariov only uses ...Ne4 when faced with Qc2+Rd1 (his aforementioned game against Topalov), and Ponomariov is the biggest name that plays this continuation with great regularity.
Quote:Seems to me it must be a big improvement for Black and White will have to go Qc2 anyhow. Where is this big initiative coming from after f3 - cant I go 12...h6, or is 13.fxe4 coming there... ah that might be messy.
White doesn't play Qc2. Some fascinating lines come out of the engine's analysis (13. Nh3 is way more dangerous than 13. fxe4, by the way) but black is under serious pressure.