Open Catalan: 5...dxc4 6.Qa4+ is variation 1 of 6 in the Catalan Opening course, a advanced opening course for White (ECO E05). It runs 20 moves and begins 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 Be7 …. Black takes the c4-pawn and White wins it back at once with the queen check. Black blocks with ...c6 and gains time with ...b5, but this weakens the long diagonal, and White then builds the centre with e4. In the lesson every move is explained on a board and then drilled; it is free.
Move by move
1. d4 – White takes the centre and opens the c1-bishop.
1... Nf6 – Black develops and stops e4.
2. c4 – White gains space and attacks the d5-square.
2... e6 – Black prepares ...d5 and opens the f8-bishop.
3. g3 – The Catalan: the bishop will go to g2 and aim down the long diagonal at Black's queenside.
3... d5 – Black takes a share of the centre, Queen's Gambit style.
4. Bg2 – The bishop takes up its key post on the long diagonal.
4... Be7 – Black develops and prepares to castle before deciding on ...dxc4.
5. Nf3 – Develops, covers d4 and e5, and prepares to castle.
5... dxc4 – Black grabs the c4-pawn, hoping to hold it or at least make White spend time regaining it.
6. Qa4+ – The check wins the c4-pawn back at once, since Black's pieces are not yet ready to defend it.
6... c6 – Black blocks the check with a pawn so that ...b5 can follow with tempo.
7. Qxc4 – White regains the pawn and keeps the queen active on the c-file.
7... b5 – Black gains space and time by attacking the queen, and prepares ...Bb7.
8. Qc2 – The queen retreats to a safe square where it controls e4 and the c-file.
8... Bb7 – The bishop develops to the long diagonal to fight White's g2-bishop.
The lesson goes on for 4 more moves, each with its explanation.
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