Play the Catalan
Nigel Davies 
The Catalan is a sophisticated opening system which is popular at all levels of chess. In recent years it has been catapulted into the limelight by Vladimir Kramnik, who has revitalized it with many new ideas and has utilized it with great success against the world's strongest players - on occasion making it look like a forced win for White!

In this book, Grandmaster Nigel Davies presents a major study of this important opening. Using illustrative games and drawing upon his wealth of personal experience with the Catalan, Davies provides a reliable and dynamic repertoire for White, covers the main plans for both sides, and tackles crucial modern day issues such as move orders.

*Grandmaster coverage of a world-class opening

*Provides answers to all of Black's main defences

*Highlights essential tactical and positional ideas.

Published April 2009 EU, May 2009 US | ISBN 9781857445916
Format Paperback, 192 pages

http://www.everymanchess.com/chess/books/Play_the_Catalan

I expect that this book will be aimed at a somewhat lower level of player than Avrukh's book, judging from this blurb. However, I hope that Davies recommends some different variations to Avrukh yet also provides a theoretical update of his book in the lines he recommends which are the same as Avrukh's.

I suppose you are right, but what's an inexperienced player doing playing the catalan? It's like a mugger going for your little toe. Irratating but hardly life threatening.

MarinFan wrote on 03/05/09 at 10:37:40:


For an experienced Catalan player certianly, yes. But Avrukh would be tough for someone new to the Catalan. I would exect Davies to have a lot more explanatory prose and will appeal to lower rated players or someone new to the Catalan.

Bonsai wrote on 03/04/09 at 22:42:56:


That is exactly what Schiller did in his 1983 book on the Catalan, but only on the move order 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3. I don't think he missed one single transposition to the Bogo (...Bb4+), Semi-Tarrasch or even the QID. What's more, he offered a whole lot of options for White to duck those transpositions! On 3...c5 for instance he gives a line beginning with 4.dxc5.

Antillian wrote on 03/04/09 at 21:02:22:

Why not? It could e.g. recommend it as a complete repetoire against the Orthodox Queen's Gambit Declined and Nimzo/QID complex, in which case 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 c5 would have to be covered. Not that I'm saying that that necessarily is what I would expect to get when I buy such a book, but it is at least a credible option.

Of course covering everything starting with 1.Nf3 (1...c5, 1...g6, 1...b6, 1...a6 etc.) is simply the Openings for white according to Kramnik series.

I do hope that the author of 'dynamic Reti' thinks of the 1.Nf3 move-order  towards the catalan...