Latest Updates:
Poll
Poll closed Question: Catalan variations with ...Bb4ch. Which one to choose?
bars   pie
*** This poll has now closed ***


4... Bb4!? 5. Bd2 Be7    
  3 (37.5%)
4... Bb4!? 5. Bd2 a5    
  1 (12.5%)
4... Bb4!? 5. Bd2 Bd6    
  1 (12.5%)
4... dc4 5. Bg2 Bb4!? 6. Bd2 a5    
  2 (25.0%)
4... dc4 5. Bg2 Bb4!? 6. Bd2 c5    
  1 (12.5%)




Total votes: 8
« Created by: FreeRepublic on: 03/19/22 at 23:19:59 »
Page Index Toggle Pages: 1 [2] 
Topic Tools
Hot Topic (More than 10 Replies) Catalan lines with ...Bb4ch (Read 3980 times)
TD
God Member
*****
Offline


Feyenoord forever!

Posts: 625
Location: Rotterdam, NLD
Joined: 02/12/11
Re: Catalan lines with ...Bb4ch
Reply #4 - 03/21/22 at 14:09:55
Post Tools

I am favoring the White side! Wink
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
FreeRepublic
God Member
*****
Offline


I Love ChessPublishing!

Posts: 711
Location: Georgia
Joined: 06/08/17
Gender: Male
Re: Catalan lines with ...Bb4ch
Reply #3 - 03/21/22 at 11:59:51
Post Tools
CanadianClub wrote on 03/21/22 at 11:24:31:
I just voted for the Bd6.

Did you scroll the screen so that you saw the radio buttons and select one? I cannot vote for you and that is the only way to get a correct official tally.  Smiley
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
CanadianClub
Senior Member
****
Offline


Greetings from Catalonia!

Posts: 416
Joined: 11/11/12
Gender: Male
Re: Catalan lines with ...Bb4ch
Reply #2 - 03/21/22 at 11:24:31
Post Tools
I just voted for the Bd6. It's covered in the Pert book and I like it. It seems to me that it's more combative than the Be7. I've played only the latter (Be7 retreat) in tournament games (at my level, 1800 fide, against 1700-2200 fide opposition) and served me well, btw.

Both lines (I like more the retreats than the Bogo-like a5 and c5 alternatives) are OK in my opinion and very similar. In fact, I am playing the Catalan with White and I am using the move order without c4 to avoid them (Nf3 - g3 - Bg2 - d4 - c4) because they are the lines that almost everybody play at lower levels (under 2200 fide) and know well. And everything that puts Black players out of their comfort zone is a good option for White.
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
FreeRepublic
God Member
*****
Offline


I Love ChessPublishing!

Posts: 711
Location: Georgia
Joined: 06/08/17
Gender: Male
Re: Catalan lines with ...Bb4ch
Reply #1 - 03/20/22 at 20:57:53
Post Tools
A little discussion.

I have studied the Catalan and can truly say that I have an incomplete and superficial knowledge of many variations. Here is an overview of the ...Bb4ch lines as I understand them.

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. g3 Bb4ch 5. Bd2 Be7.
With this sequence Black argues that the bishop is misplaced on d2. Play may continue 6.Bg2 0-0 7.0-0 Nbd7 8.Qc2 c6 9.Rd1 b6, or 9...Ne4 as advocated by IM Rodi at Modern-chess. These are closed lines and somewhat less interesting to me. However I have to admit that strong-pointing the pawn on d5 limits the scope of the Catalan bishop.

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. g3 Bb4ch 5. Bd2 a5.
I believe this is the newest and least explored line. It receives favorable mention at ChessPub. After 6. Bg2 O-O 7. Qc2 I think black does best to continue energetically with 7...c5!? 8. cd5 cd4!? 9. Nd4 Qb6! 10. e3 ed5 11. O-O Nc6. I think this is a pretty good isolated queen pawn line for black.

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. g3 Bb4ch 5. Bd2 Bd6.
This was recommended by IM Richard Pert in his book on the Ragozin. It has been called the Ukrainian variation. Black thinks the black squared bishop will be more useful on d6 than on e7. It has been studied some, but I think it is far from mapped out. It leads to distinctive play.

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. g3 dc4 5. Bg2 Bb4ch 6. Bd2 a5
This was recommended by IM John Cox in his 2011 book on the Queen's Gambit Declined. The critical line may be 7. Qc2 Bd2
8. Qd2! (8Nbxd2 is natural and I think that is the move many players will choose.) 8...c6 9. a4 b5 10. axb5 cxb5 11. Qg5! This fork of the g and b pawns is the reason white played 8Qxd2. 11...O-O 12. Qb5 Ba6! White has played both 13Qa4 and 13Qxa5. White has the better ending but Cox thinks Black will hold the balance.

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. g3 dc4 5. Bg2 Bb4ch 6. Bd2 c5.
This has been recommended by GM Delchev at Modern-Chess. Black holds the bishop and strikes in the enter. The play can go off in many different directions. Here is one. 7. Bb4 cb4 8. Ne5 O-O 9. a3 Nd5 10. Nc4. Here black can consider 10...b5, 10...Qc7 or 10...Nc6. To the naked eye, the position is a bit of a jumble but Black's game looks reasonable. Engines like White but playing on, engines reconsider and admit equality.

Insofar as white has alternative lines regardless of black's choice, it would be better for black to know one line well, than to have the smattering of knowledge across variations indicated above. But which line should black study?
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
FreeRepublic
God Member
*****
Offline


I Love ChessPublishing!

Posts: 711
Location: Georgia
Joined: 06/08/17
Gender: Male
Catalan lines with ...Bb4ch
03/19/22 at 23:19:59
Post Tools
In the Catalan, some authors recommend the disruptive move ...Bb4ch. However Black can choose between several different systems, both in the Open (...dxc) and the Closed Catalan. I've identified five approaches. After the common moves 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. g3
* * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * *
*
Black to move:
4... Bb4ch 5. Bd2 Be7
4... Bb4ch 5. Bd2 a5
4... Bb4ch 5. Bd2 Bd6
4... dc4 5. Bg2 Bb4ch 6. Bd2 a5
4... dc4 5. Bg2 Bb4ch 6. Bd2 c5

Which do you favor? Or, what else would you favor for black?
Scroll up to vote.
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
Page Index Toggle Pages: 1 [2] 
Topic Tools
Bookmarks: del.icio.us Digg Facebook Google Google+ Linked in reddit StumbleUpon Twitter Yahoo