The Catalan is a solid yet flexible chess opening system that is popular on all levels. Both amateurs and top-level strategists such as Vladimir Kramnik and Vishy Anand employ this opening to put a lot of unpleasant pressure on Black.
In The Powerful Catalan grandmaster Victor Bologan presents a complete repertoire for White that covers all of Black’s responses. Also included are those variations where Black tries to steer the game into other openings like the Queen’s Indian or the Tarrasch Defence.
The book is classically structured (starting with the rarest variations before moving on to the most popular ones) and contains original analysis of many recent tournament games. Bologan’s clearly formulated verbal explanations are essential for a good understanding of the strategic plans and the tactical themes of the Catalan.
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Bologan writes very instructively and the material is presented in a very tidy manner, making it admirably accessible. He keeps things very clear and doesn't bog the reader down in complex variations. The explanations are good and the conclusions at the end of each chapter are particularly welcome.
An excellent book to begin with when you want to start playing the Catalan.
Bologans explanation of what White is trying to accomplish will be just as valuable to the layman as the concrete lines he offers. An excellent and up-to-date work. Bologan, with his clear explanation of the aims of both players, has written something that will continue to be useful even after some of his analytical suggestions are inevitably refuted.
The author has again demonstrated his ability to advance theory, whilst still explaining what is going on in a manner that everyone can understand. The easiest Catalan book to find your way around. Even the most complex and theoretical lines are granted textual explanation.
