Catalan vs Ruy Lopez

Hello everyone!

I have been thinking a lot about finally sticking to a good, reliable and fun opening repertoire for the white pieces.

I have finally decided that I'd like to play either 1.e4 or 1.d4 ( the English and the Reti aren't really my thing ). As such, I came to the conclusion that after 1.e4 e5 I'd play the Ruy Lopez and after 1.d4 I'd try to get into the Catalan.

I have good results with both openings, and I also find them both fun. However, I cannot decide which one is better for me. I want to know what other people think: which of those two openings is more beneficial for a chess player's learning curve? Which of those two openings give games worthy of analysis, or games that, upon study, might improve my skills? 

Thank you in advance!

The Catalan is a bit narrower, as you're going to be playing the same kingside fianchetto in every game. So you'll be able to specialize a bit easier, as your setup is going to remain *mostly* the same.

The Ruy Lopez, however, is just one specific variation, that relies on Black playing 1...e5 and 2...Nc6. If Black doesn't play those two specific moves, then you're not in a Ruy anymore. So you'll have to prepare lines against the multitude of other defenses Black might throw at your e-pawn. (Mainly: the French, Pirc, Caro-Kann, Sicilian, Alekhine, and the Modern). You'll want to develop a repertoire against each of these main defenses. The workload will be greater, but the variety can keep things very interesting.

So if you want to specialize with a narrow, consistent opening: choose the Catalan.

If you want a broader repertoire, with greater variety: choose the White side of the Ruy Lopez.

The Catalan is also a specific opening and not a system.  Without black's d5, e6, and Nc6 you don't have a Catalan.

The Ruy Lopez is a great opening and a great tool to improve your game.  It's positionally rich, full of tactics, and allows you to play the entire board. Even though there are quite a few variations black can play, white has some common themes to follow (a4 to pressure the queen side, the knight maneuver, etc) My vote is for e4 and the Ruy.  

I think you should go Ruy Lopez.  Not a Catalan expert  but i think some of your positions will be pretty similar to English and Reti. Also the Ruy Lopez is alot of fun.

It also has the added bonus that you can start out with the "budget ruy lopez" with an early d3 and gradually expand into learning more mainlines later if that is your wish

But this sounds like an 1.e4 vs 1.d4 situation so you need to ask yourself how you like playing against openings like the Sicilian, French and Caro Kann. im not talking about how well you do but how much you enjoy them. The best is if you stay with your openings a few years so enjoying the lines you play trumps everything else unless its some garbage opening. If you enjoy the lines you play it will also make you learn faster you will have a passion for your opening

The problem with both the Ruy Lopez and the Catalan is that you cannot just play 1.e4 and say "I'm going to play the Ruy Lopez", and you cannot play 1.d4 and say "I'm going to play the Catalan".

With 1.e4, what do you do about those that play the French (like me!), the Sicilian, or the Caro-Kann?

With 1.d4, many do not understand the Catalan, and if you are saying that you are going to try to make it work in all cases like a system, you clearly know nothing about the Catalan.

The Catalan, like the Colle System, relies on Black's light-squared Bishop being blocked in by his own pawns.  With Black's light-squared Bishop outside the pawn chain or ...e5 played or the e-pawn staying on e7, leaving the Bishop open, makes the Catalan ineffective, and in some cases, it's a completely different opening:

The Catalan is basically playable against the Queen's Gambit Declined (1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.g3) and 1...Nf6/2...e6 lines (1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2, though, here, 3...c5 leads to a completely different opening, the Fianchetto Variation of the Benoni), all lines where Black's Bishop is already blocked.

Against the Slav, it's completely ineffective.  1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.g3?! as Black can release the Bishop before playing ...e6.  Again, the Catalan relies on the Black LSB being buried behind the pawns, kind of like playing the White side of the French Defense - White's advantage is with the Kingside Light Squares.

Against Fianchetto Systems, like the King's Indian, Benoni, and Grunfeld, the Fianchetto King's Indian, Fianchetto Grunfeld, and Fianchetto Benoni is a whole different ball of wax than the Catalan.  Just because both involve you fianchettoing your LSB means nothing.  That's about all they have in common.

So to go the Catalan route, you need to also learn:

A system against the Slav (and other d4 d5 lines where the Bishop is outside, even the 2...Bf5 lines)

If you are going to play the Fianchetto system, you need to study the Fianchetto system against the KID, Grunfeld, and Benoni.

A line against the Modern Defense (1.d4 g6)

A line against the Dutch Defense (1.d4 f5)

If you go with an anti-Dutch, like 2.e4, 2.g4, 2.Nc3, or 2.Bg5, you need another line against 1...e6, whether that be transpose to the French (2.e4) or another line.  Many French players that play the Dutch play it via 1...e6 unless they play the Leningrad (hint hint - I play 1.d4 e6 2.c4 f5).

So either way, you have a lot more work to do than just the Ruy or Catalan.