My favorite opening! So satisfying to lock black’s bad light-squared bishop away for eternity and slowly grind out a positional advantage. Looking forward to the rest of the course!
Very informative video! I recently started learning the Catalan seriously (after playing for 50 years), and playing it online and in OTB tournaments. I've been using Avrukh's book as a reference but this video explains the ideas behind the moves very well.
Again the Triangle with Bd6, there is also Nfd2 with the idea to place the b1 knight to Cc3 because black can wait (Re8 for example) for us to play e4, dxe4 Nxe4 Nxe4 Rxe4 and only now play e5. By playing Nfd2 we can recapture with the knight after all the exchanges on e4 and hit the d6 bishop so black won’t have time to play e5
The move that always catches me is a4 and h3. They seem to come out of nowhere, I must be missing the point of, especially the a4 push sometimes makes zero sense to me. If I'm using the move trainer & I have no clue what the next move is I'll go straight for a4 then h3. Is there a tip you can give us on when it's time to push that A pawn in the Catalan? thanks
@@ChessGoals sorry I know that's an impossible question within all the variations, it just seems so random mostly. I'll get the course in a couple weeks for sure & maybe get a better understanding. When black tries to keep the pawn, I know how to proceed there, it's further down the variation. Thanks J.
What a great video, Matt! It is very, very detailed and the way you explain is just amazing. Congrats for that and thanks.
What an excellent video! Now I need to make a lichess study for this one, and then onto your open catalan video...
Please send me an email if you want to discuss the full course. Glad you like it!
My favorite opening! So satisfying to lock black’s bad light-squared bishop away for eternity and slowly grind out a positional advantage. Looking forward to the rest of the course!
Thanks Jhdsoccer! The Catalan is the best!
Matt’s voice is so soothing. Just makes me think chess is just so gosh darn simple.
Would it be weird to say I listen to my own videos before bed?
Haha not at all. This is ASMR chess.
Very informative video! I recently started learning the Catalan seriously (after playing for 50 years), and playing it online and in OTB tournaments. I've been using Avrukh's book as a reference but this video explains the ideas behind the moves very well.
Thanks Jason. The avrukh books are great resources.
Again the Triangle with Bd6, there is also Nfd2 with the idea to place the b1 knight to Cc3 because black can wait (Re8 for example) for us to play e4, dxe4 Nxe4 Nxe4 Rxe4 and only now play e5. By playing Nfd2 we can recapture with the knight after all the exchanges on e4 and hit the d6 bishop so black won’t have time to play e5
Great content
Thanks!
Great content!
Thanks Dan! I'm almost done with the text for annotated games and then I'll release a few of the game review videos onto TH-cam for free.
Such good content here
Thanks Peter!
Hi, what is your recommandation against Qc2-b6 whith the Intention to develop Knight to a6 instead of d7 in case of Nbd2?
What rating would you suggest learning the Catalan?
Anything over 1000 and I think you're ready!
@@ChessGoals aye just hit 1100 sounds good
@@sirkann3810 Congrats! Let me know if you have any Catalan questions!
The move that always catches me is a4 and h3. They seem to come out of nowhere, I must be missing the point of, especially the a4 push sometimes makes zero sense to me. If I'm using the move trainer & I have no clue what the next move is I'll go straight for a4 then h3. Is there a tip you can give us on when it's time to push that A pawn in the Catalan? thanks
Usually it's when Black is about to defend the c4-pawn with b5.
@@ChessGoals sorry I know that's an impossible question within all the variations, it just seems so random mostly. I'll get the course in a couple weeks for sure & maybe get a better understanding.
When black tries to keep the pawn, I know how to proceed there, it's further down the variation. Thanks J.
nice content
A London course is in the works too!
I was told Catalan is too complicated. It's a GM level opening where there's too many ways to go wrong.
It's a solid system for White and I think you can play it at any level. What's your rating?
First
Yep!!
@@ChessGoals Can you make a pgn of this free chapter?
@@CaroKannEnthusiast for now it is only included with the Course :)
@@ChessGoals Btw... rock music or classical music??