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Very Hot Topic (More than 25 Replies) Catalan resources (Read 23525 times)
ANDREW BRETT
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Re: Catalan resources
Reply #7 - 04/19/08 at 15:45:18
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A strategic opening repertoire by Hansen and Donaldson advocates the Catalan . 10 Bf4 is their line v dc stuff and not the bd2 which Kramnik has been using. I still don't get why publishers haven't cottoned on to the fact that the Catalan would be a good seller. There simply isn't anything recent and there wasn't too much literature on this froma while back.
  
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nyoke
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Re: Catalan resources
Reply #6 - 04/19/08 at 13:09:47
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Indeed the Slav is the perfect anti-catalan. But you can go for a catalan via the flank, which gives some other options...
  
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Antillian
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Re: Catalan resources
Reply #5 - 04/19/08 at 13:01:46
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There is some speculation with just cause that Opening for White according to Kramnik 1.Nf3, Vol.5 revised edition will be a White repertoire for the Catalan  instead of the Queen's Gambit. 

See this thread http://www.chesspub.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1196581983

Of course, Chess Stars is so slow at releasing books, that I suspect that won't be until at least two years from now.
  

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The_Shah
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Re: Catalan resources
Reply #4 - 04/19/08 at 11:00:07
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Obviously looking at Kramnik's games, among others, is a good start for learning to play the variation. You don't have to copy everything he plays - the main idea is to get a feel for the middlegames arising from the Catalan.
  
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Bibs
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Re: Catalan resources
Reply #3 - 04/19/08 at 10:58:17
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Agree with James on all counts. Seems our libraries are similar. Schiller obviously quite a hack now, but this book is very worthwhile. Maybe more committed in his early days (see also: Keene, Raymond).

Also, yes, R and C and Dunnington both necessary for you. 

Perhaps James can take over when Daniel Craig hands up his speedos. James - out of the library and get to the gym! Pronto!

Catalan vs slav: c4 c6 e4. 
  
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Matemax
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Re: Catalan resources
Reply #2 - 04/19/08 at 10:09:37
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Quote:
There is a surprising scarcity of books.

Sounds like a new project for Vigus, James Vigus - with the licence to write  Wink
  
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James Vigus
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Re: Catalan resources
Reply #1 - 04/19/08 at 10:06:01
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There is a surprising scarcity of books. Raetsky and Chetverik have published one in German, a newer one in English which they say 'complements' the German one (if I remember right), and yet a newer one in Russian - I'm afraid I can't tell you whether any or all of these would be a good buy or not. I still like Dunnington's Winning with the Catalan, but that's 10 years old now. An even older book by Schiller (1983?) is surprisingly worthwhile, as the Catalan is full of non-forcing lines that go in and out of fashion, so games from the 1970s and earlier are still worth going through. Best of all: study as much Kramnik as possible, and complement this with (e.g.) Khalifman for a more gambit-style approach - while looking up Smyslov's older games will do much for your general understanding.
I think the Slav is the perfect anti-Catalan weapon! But 1 d4 d5 2 c4 c6 3 Nf3 Nf6 4 Qc2 intending g3 is tried by some Catalan players. 
  
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TNich
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Catalan resources
04/19/08 at 06:09:10
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Hello All,

I am trying to contsruct a repertoire based on the Catalan. I currently have the chessbase cd by Marin. Can someone who plays the catalan recommend some more books,videos,etc...?
Also, What do you Catalan players play against the Slav?

Regards

P.S. I am 37 and have been playing tournament chess for 7 years. My USCF rating is 2050.
  
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