Any Avrukh's books is the best, I think.
Catalan Opening: Where Should I Start?
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Never read a book on the Catalan! Bologna is a good writer and theoretician, if that is any help!!
Feb 25, 2019
0
#4
I found a sample of Bologan’s book on amazon and it looked like what I am looking for. If anyone on here has any experience in the Catalan that would be a big help!
IN brief, what is the Catalan opening?
Why does it appeal to you?
Feb 25, 2019
0
#6
The Catalan is a set up for White after 1.d4 (I’m pretty sure other move orders are also possible) with a fianchetto on the Kingside. It appeals to me because I have heard it is quite simple to learn. I just want a playable middlegame with easy-to-understand plans. Hopefully any book I purchase will provide me with deeper knowledge. @Allegretta
To get an excellent grounding in the Catalan, it's well worth checking out Iakov Neishtadt's two-volume work, 'Play the Catalan'. It's nearly 30 years old now, but it's still great (not least because he includes quite a lot from the early decades of Catalan play, which is great for enhancing the understanding of this complex). Then I suggest either Avrukh or Bologan. I think both of them are great, but remember that Avrukh's book, despite being nearly 450 pages long, is actually a repertoire book. Bologan aims for more comprehensive coverage.
"... [The Powerful Catalan by GM Bologan] will be especially useful for players rated 2200 on up who are looking for a guide to this complicated and fascinating opening. ..." - IM John Donaldson (~2012)
http://www.jeremysilman.com/shop/pc/Powerful-Catalan-The-76p3720.htm
https://web.archive.org/web/20140626174228/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen165.pdf
"... [Boris Avrukh’s Grandmaster Repertoire 1.d4 – Volume One is] principally aimed at players over 2200 on up (no limit!). ..." - IM John Donaldson (~2008)
http://www.jeremysilman.com/shop/pc/Grandmaster-Repertoire-1-d4-Volume-One-76p3541.htm
https://web.archive.org/web/20140627012924/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen119.pdf
https://www.qualitychess.co.uk/ebooks/GM1A-Catalan-excerpt.pdf
The Catalan: Move by Move
https://www.newinchess.com/media/wysiwyg/product_pdf/7685.pdf
kindaspongey wrote:
"... [The Powerful Catalan by GM Bologan] will be especially useful for players rated 2200 on up who are looking for a guide to this complicated and fascinating opening. ..." - IM John Donaldson (~2012)
They says its complicated, but are they hiding something? OP says its easy to learn 450 page book?
Does this book cover the anti-Catalan defenses?
"... A rating of around 2000+ will be necessary to understand the material under discussion. ..."
https://web.archive.org/web/20140626174228/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen165.pdf
Feb 25, 2019
0
#11
Simaginfan, you cannot be serious!
You and I both know that Bologna is NOT a better writter than Salami!
Feb 25, 2019
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#12
novacek wrote:
The Catalan is a set up for White after 1.d4 (I’m pretty sure other move orders are also possible) with a fianchetto on the Kingside. It appeals to me because I have heard it is quite simple to learn. I just want a playable middlegame with easy-to-understand plans. Hopefully any book I purchase will provide me with deeper knowledge. @Allegretta
The Catalan is interesting, but it is ideal to reach it via 1.c4 as this avoids various tricky lines including the Fianchetto Benoni as well as some lines where white is forced to sacrifice a pawn permanently which may bother you coming from the Queen's Gambit.
I have Avrukh's original work on the Catalan. Avrukh's new work is more up to date but has a bit of a hole regarding this QGA move order:
Feb 25, 2019
0
#13
Both Smyslov and Kramnik played the Catalan very well. You cannot go wrong by looking at their games!
Feb 25, 2019
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#14
Other thing to bear in mind is that if you want to use the 1.d4 move order to reach the Catalan you don't have to play the standard Catalan, but you can go for 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 Be7 5.g3!?, which has been played a number if times by 2700 players.
Feb 25, 2019
0
#15
Thanks for all the help guys! Think I’m going to go for the Bologan book- I’ve briefly read some of his stuff before and was quite impressed. I’ll also look at Smyslov and Kramnik’s games, as has been suggested.
Ok Kamalakanta. As you know I can't use phones!! At least we made everyone smile!! 😂👍 .
Feb 26, 2019
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#17
I recommend Wojo‘s Waeapons. Rather pragmatic approach. From my own experience I can tell: don’t start with 1.d4 and 2.c4, it will kill you. 1.d4 and 2.Nf3 or 1.c4 and Nf3. I cannot refute Benoni, Benkö, Albin, Dutch and so on. We play to my conditions with a delayed d4 or c4 like Wojo.
Feb 26, 2019
0
#18
BL4D3RUNN3R wrote:
I recommend Wojo‘s Waeapons. Rather pragmatic approach. From my own experience I can tell: don’t start with 1.d4 and 2.c4, it will kill you. 1.d4 and 2.Nf3 or 1.c4 and Nf3. I cannot refute Benoni, Benkö, Albin, Dutch and so on. We play to my conditions with a delayed d4 or c4 like Wojo.
Is Wojo’s Weapons a book?
Sounds like a 1970s Kung Fu film 😀
After a few years playing the Queen's Gambit and learning the various plans I think it's time to move on to something new. I think the Catalan would be the ideal next step for me. Obviously I need to study some top-level games from the last few years in the Catalan but I'd also like to read a book on the opening and learn some typical plans and lines. So my question is: what is the best book for learning the Catalan? I've found Bologan and Avrukh's books to be highly recommended- I think I may be leaning slightly towards the former- but I'm open to alternatives.