QGD, avoiding the Catalan.

Preliminary analysis. 

Assuming White intends a Catalan and assuming Black intends QGD.
How would you best avoid your opponent’s intentions? (as Black)

I’m a Catalan player myself; still consider it the best of openings. Frequently, when playing the Catalan I ask myself these questions.

I would like to play QGD as Black but so far whenever White plays Nf3 before Nc3 I switch to the Slav with …c6 with normal Meran or Slav-SW.

I figured out this development… if it has a name, I’m not familiar with it, if it has different theory, I haven’t seen it and if I played a blunder and didn’t realize it… then I’m sorry :0)

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Bb4+
 

From the little I’ve seen with CB, the ML is 4. Nc3 but perhaps this is an old line. I believe most modern players will play 4. Bd2.

I’ll address both A) ML 4. Nc3, and B) 4. Bd2.

A) ML, 4.Nc3

4... Nf6 5. g3 dxc4 

(Now this is a Catalan! Worth consideration is 5... c5 6. cxd5 O-O 7. dxe6 Bxe6 8. Bg2 Nc6 where Black has sufficient compensation of play for the pawn but perhaps less so in the endgame. White’s King is very safe in the Catalan; it’s not likely Black will be able to win the middle game despite its active play.) 

6. Bg2 Nd5 {so far following normal Catalan themes} 7. Qc2 c5! 

Here we have a divergence. A1) 8.dxc5, A2) 8.e4, A3) 8. 0-0!


A1) 8. dxc5 {gives Black mild initiative with} 8… Qa5! 9. Bd2 Nd7 10. O-O Nxc3 11. bxc3 Bxc5 12. Qe4 Nb6, Black is up a pawn and his game is in order.

A2) 8. e4 cxd4 9. exd5 Qxd5 10. O-O dxc3 11. bxc3 Be7

A3) 8. 0-0 cxd4 9. Nxd4 O-O


Line B) 4. Bd2
4… Bd6!?

{this is unique, I haven’t looked at 4…c5, 4…a5 or even 4…Be7 properly yet. The main intention is to lure c4-c5 which would then be exploited with …Be7 / …b6}

5. g3 

(My main intention was to assume Catalan formation but worth considering {for it’s critical nature} here is: 5. Qb3 c6! {My idea in the main line and here too was to adopt a regular Lasker defence structure or a Capablanca one with Alekhine’s …a6 move. however, once I’ve checked it I saw the appeal of SW …f5 lines too so I checked both.} 6. g3 f5 (6... b6 7. Bg2 Bb7 8. Nc3 Nf6 9. O-O O-O, this Tartakover / QID structure proved decent.) 7. Bg2 Nf6 (Even my crasy system works here! I think! 7... Nd7 8. O-O Ndf6 9. Ne5 Ne7 10. Bb4 Ng6 11. Bxd6 Qxd6 12. f4 O-O) 8. O-O Qe7, I think Black is ok.) 

5... Nf6 6. Bg2 O-O 7. O-O h6 {Lasker’s move}

(Premature is7... Ne4 8. Nc3 Nxd2 9. Nxd2 c6 10. e4 dxe4 11. Ndxe4 Be7 12. Re1. it is unlikely that Black will be able to play 11…Bc7 / 12… Qe7 intending the usual …e5.) 

(It’s quite ok to play the Tarrasch here, if you like that sort of play. I don’t! 7... c5 8. cxd5 exd5 9. dxc5 Bxc5 10. Bg5 Be6 =) 


8. Nc3 a6! {I’ve stolen Alekhine’s idea, ha ha, why not?} 9. cxd5 exd5 10. Qb3 c6!

 

This is a very usual Capablanca structure. Black should do decently well.

Any thoughts?