Catalan Opening

Catalan Opening is a chess opening with the ECO code E00. It goes 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3. White opens with 1. d4 (the queen's pawn) and Black answers 1... Nf6. After 5 moves it is Black to move. The lesson on the board explains every move of the line and lets you play it yourself; it is free.

The moves

1. d4 – White plays the pawn to d4
1... Nf6 – Black plays the knight to f6
2. c4 – White plays the pawn to c4
2... e6 – Black plays the pawn to e6
3. g3 – White plays the pawn to g3

In chessGM's opening book this position continues with 3... d5.

About the Catalan Opening

White combines d4 and c4 with g3 and Bg2. The bishop on the long diagonal puts long-term pressure on Black's queenside.

The Bg2 bishop aims at b7 and a8; it is White's key piece.
If Black takes ...dxc4, White often gives the pawn for a while, then wins it back with Qc2 or Qa4.
Black wants ...c5 or ...e5 to free the position and the c8 bishop.

chessGM has a full course for this line: open the Catalan Opening course lesson.

Related openings

It extends: Indian Defense: Normal Variation (1. d4 Nf6 2. c4)
Continues with: Benoni Defense: Fianchetto Variation – adds 3... c5 4. d5 exd5 5. cxd5
Continues with: Catalan Opening – adds 3... d5
Continues with: Catalan Opening: Hungarian Gambit – adds 3... e5
Continues with: Catalan Opening: Closed, Spassky Gambit – adds 3... Be7 4. Bg2 d5 5. Nf3
Continues with: Bogo-Indian Defense: Retreat Variation – adds 3... Bb4+ 4. Bd2 Be7 5. Bg2
Related line: Catalan Opening (1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5)
Related line: Catalan Opening: Hungarian Gambit (1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 e5)
Related line: Catalan Opening: Open Defense (1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2)
Related line: Catalan Opening: Tarrasch Defense (1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 c5 5. Nf3 Nc6)
Related line: Catalan Opening: Open Defense (1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 dxc4)
Related line: Catalan Opening: Open Defense (1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 dxc4 5. Qa4+ Nbd7 6. Qxc4)

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