IM Bobula’s Dynamic Catalan

Take your Queen's Gambit down a different path with The Catalan, the solid but slightly offbeat alternative that pushes hard for serious positional gains.

In this wide-ranging new course, popular chess streamer IM Mat Bobula examines and explains what you need to know to play this gem of an opening.

One-by-one and in a simple, easy-to-understand format, IM Bobula's Dynamic Catalan unpacks all the 9 main plans at Black's disposal when you play 1.d4.

A simple, structured course

The Catalan is considered to be very safe and solid for White with a long-term strategic underpinning.

It signals your intention to play a patient, positional game that hems in Black and slowly crushes him or her.

The Catalan has been IM Bobula's main opening for White for 23 years, as the Queen's Gambit is a very common Black's answer against 1.d4.

Learn to crush Black's 9 plans one-by-one

Starting with 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.g3, The Catalan is not as theoretical as the main lines with Bg5.

More important than memorizing lines, IM Bobula argues, is to understand ideas.

You will also find chapters with puzzles, typical ideas and commented model games.

Chapter 1 - Introduction
Chapter 2 - 4...dxc4 (Open Catalan)
Chapter 3 - 4... Bb4
Chapter 4 - 4... c5 5. cxd5 exd5 (Tarrasch Defense)
Chapter 5 - 4... c5 5. cxd5 Nxd5 (semi - Tarrasch Defense)
Chapter 6 - 4... c6 5. Qc2 Nbd7 6. Bg2 Bd6 (the early e5-line)
Chapter 7 - 4... Be7 5. Bg2 O-O 6. O-O dxc4 (main line)
Chapter 8 - 4... Be7 5. Bg2 O-O 6. O-O c6 (Semi-Slav center)
Chapter 9 - 4... Be7 5. Bg2 O-O 6. O-O b6 (Indian line)
Chapter 10 - 4... Be7 5. Bg2 O-O 6. O-O Nbd7
Chapter 11 - Tactical and strategic ideas
Chapter 12 - Model games