Yes, sure. We totally agree on that.

Fair enough. But don't forget that for this game Leko said in his interview afterwards that he remembered that in his analysis there was another main line but during his game he played a bishop move which was the second choice but over the board he was able to recollect easier his analysis and understand the position in general. So, objectively he thinks that there is a better solution for Black even there. But i could agree that in general this is not the most encouraging position to defend with Black!

Marin calls it a Catalan-QID in one of his CBM articles, but i thought that Leko neutralised this line as an attempt for an advantage some time ago? (against a Chinese player i seems to recall...?)

BPaulsen wrote on 02/28/14 at 18:51:34:


Scherbakov mentions that 10.b3 transposes to a QID and gives the example van Wely-Leko, Istanbul 2000 commented by Emms in the Nimzo & Benoni section. So, checking QID theory could be another source to explore the Catalan... 

Still, in that van Wely game, white plays Bf4 on move 11 instead, so is it then a Catalan again?! 

"Basically. I have never, ever liked Bf4 in the Closed Catalan even back then. As for a4-a5, the only remaining plan against ...b6/...Ba6... If Black gives you a move for free (Bd2), you might as well use it."

  Could you give some examples of lines with your suggested a4-a5 plan?
  I also reviewed deeply GM Scherbakov's lines with 8 Qc2, b6; 9 Rd1, Nbd7; 10 Bf4 (the only move given) and see nothing for W.
  My disappointment with this line in the "Catalan5" section of the 6/2013 survey contrasts with my results in the Catalan 1-4 sections, where I was always able to find at least some edge for White, although sometimes rather minimal.
  If White wants to avoid this line in the Catalan, how should he play?

Hey Bryan, didn't we reach more or less the same conclusion of these lines back in 2003?  I feel old, but it's funny how opening theory goes.  You can look more deeply and more broadly, but the conclusion is often the same.

tony37 wrote on 02/28/14 at 11:08:55:


It's one of those big mysteries of life to me, up there with why all White repertoire books suggest 4.Bd2 against the Bogo when a century of Master practice has confirmed that 4.Nbd2 is best, the key to decrypting the Beale Cyphers, how far the East is from the West, the identity of the Babushka Woman, why when I've lost something it's always in the last place I look, what really happened to the Holy Prepu--nevermind.  But you get the idea.