Catalan Opening Guide

The Catalan Opening is a chess opening for white that usually starts with the moves 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3, although it can be reached through different move orders. It’s a very solid opening in which white plays the Queen’s Gambit with their light-squared bishop fianchettoed in g2. The Catalan Opening is highly technical and aims to obtain advantages in the long run. Several top players have favored the Catalan, such as Kramnik, Anand, and Carlsen, who even played it on their World Championship matches.

Main Ideas in the Catalan Opening

With the Catalan Opening, white will try to exert pressure on the h1-a8 diagonal, taking advantage of the bishop on g2.

In case black takes on c4, that diagonal will become even more powerful.

If black decides not to take on c4, play will be highly positional.

Most Played Moves in the Catalan Opening

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5

There are other ways to reach the Catalan Opening, although this is the main one. Black decides to play with …d5, occupying the center. Other alternatives were 3…Bb4+ and 3…c5.

4.Bg2 Be7

White plays their bishop in a fianchetto, and black is now ready to castle.

5.Nf3 O-O

6.O-O dxc4

Black decides to go for the free pawn. This could create some issues in the h1-a8 long diagonal.

7.Qc2 a6

White intends to ra-capture the pawn with their queen. Black threatens to protect the pawn with …b5.

8.a4 Bd7

9.Qxc4

Open Catalan

In the Open Catalan, black captures the pawn on c4, as we just saw.

Black can choose between holding to that pawn with …b5 or letting it go and focusing on development.

Trying to protect the pawn would mean that black will have to play …a6 and …b5, which would weaken the queenside greatly.

Closed Catalan

In the Closed Catalan, black avoids taking on c4, and instead plays …c6, fixing the center and making it more difficult for white to make progress.

Play usually goes like this:

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5

4.Bg2 Be7 5.Nf3 O-O

6.O-O c6

7.Qc2 b6 8.Nbd2 Bb7 9.e4

Model Games

Related Chess Courses

Catalan: Definitive Repertoire for White with GM Sipke Ernst

Catalan – The System for black with IM Andrey Ostrovskiy

More Chess Articles

Trompowsky Attack Guide

Bogo-Indian Defense Guide

Nimzo-Indian Defense Guide

E00 Sub-variants:

• Queen's pawn game
  1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6
• Neo-Indian (Seirawan) attack
  1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Bg5
• Catalan opening
  1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3