@NikolaosNtirlis: What's trendy in Opening Theor...
@NikolaosNtirlis
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Apr 18, 2026
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What's trendy in Opening Theory #8
A practical Anti-Catalan weapon for Black!
In this thread, I am going to share a "secret" I have kept for years 😊 Undervalued by both the engines and the theoreticians. Time to change that!
Details in the thread 🧵
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A practical Anti-Catalan weapon for Black!
In this thread, I am going to share a "secret" I have kept for years 😊 Undervalued by both the engines and the theoreticians. Time to change that!
Details in the thread 🧵
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1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.g3 dxc4 5. Bg2 Nbd7!? is considered second-rate by theory since the match Kasparov-Korchnoi,1983.
Black's main strategic challenge in the Catalan, is to put the Bc8 in the long diagonal. I claim that in this line, Black can do it rather easily.
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Black's main strategic challenge in the Catalan, is to put the Bc8 in the long diagonal. I claim that in this line, Black can do it rather easily.
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6. a4 Bb4+ 7. Bd2 a5 8. O-O O-O 9. Qc2 Nb6! (a novelty) seems to be fine for Black according to the modern engines. Kramnik has also played 9...b6 in 2019, which is also OK.
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6. O-O! is more critical. Now, 6...c6 is a new trend, analyzed by the Indian team.
I like 6...Rb8!? more, threatening ...b5. The line continues 7. a4 a6!
(7... b6 8. Nfd2! Kasparov,-Kortschnoj,London 1983)
8. a5! and White has stopped ...b5. Or not? 🤔
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I like 6...Rb8!? more, threatening ...b5. The line continues 7. a4 a6!
(7... b6 8. Nfd2! Kasparov,-Kortschnoj,London 1983)
8. a5! and White has stopped ...b5. Or not? 🤔
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If Black plays 8... b5 9.axb6 Nxb6 10. Ne5! is strong, as the c6-square is weak.
For blitz, the move 9...Bb7!? is cool, but even better is to prepare ...b5 with
8...Bd6! Now, no move stops ...b5 next
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For blitz, the move 9...Bb7!? is cool, but even better is to prepare ...b5 with
8...Bd6! Now, no move stops ...b5 next
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The best line for both sides continues:
9.Nbd2 b5 10.axb6 Nxb6 and Black is ready to play ...O-O and ...Bb7!
If the knight comes to e5, Black will exchange it with the d6-bishop.
Let's see two practical examples: 👇
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9.Nbd2 b5 10.axb6 Nxb6 and Black is ready to play ...O-O and ...Bb7!
If the knight comes to e5, Black will exchange it with the d6-bishop.
Let's see two practical examples: 👇
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11.Nxc4 Nxc4 12. Qa4+ Rb5! 13. Qxc4 O-O 14. Rd1 Bb7 with equality as in Eljanov-Adly, Sharjah 2018
I told you! When Black manages to play ...Bb7, equalises and has a comfortable game.
A final example: 👇
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I told you! When Black manages to play ...Bb7, equalises and has a comfortable game.
A final example: 👇
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11.Ne5! Bxe5 12.dxe5 Nfd7 13.Qc2 Nxe5 14.Rd1 Qe7 15.b3 O-O 16.Qc3 Ned7 17. Nxc4 Nd5! 18. Qc2 Nb4 19. Qd2 Nb6 20. Ne5 c5 21. Ba3 Bb7 Jean-Deforel, ICCF 2021
Both players followed the first choice of the engines, but Black is fine! How cool is that? 😁
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Both players followed the first choice of the engines, but Black is fine! How cool is that? 😁
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Do you want more opening tips like that in your feed? I publish them every week. Follow me and post your own suggestions in the thread. I wrote about the Catalan because many of you asked for it!
Would you consider playing the underrated 5...Nbd7 in your games?
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Would you consider playing the underrated 5...Nbd7 in your games?
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By the way, if you want to learn the Catalan for the White side, buy the book(s) of @askavrukh. His first Catalan book, literally changed the way chess theory is published!
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Seconds after I published this tweet, I got a notification that @chess_dojo uploaded a video called "Why players overvalue openings" 🫣
All I am going to say is "don't believe them!" 😋
All I am going to say is "don't believe them!" 😋