Against the Catalan
You play Black · 17 variations
Mixed practice
The machine picks a different variation every time.
Take a quiz
10 positions: find the next theory move in each. No take-backs, no hints.
Main variations · 14
- Open DefenseE041. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. g3 c6 5. Bg2 dxc45 moves
- Open Defense, Alekhine VariationE031. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 dxc4 5. Qa4+ Nbd7 6. Qxc4 a6 7. Qc27 moves
- Open Defense, Classical LineE051. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. g3 Be7 5. Bg2 O-O 6. O-O dxc46 moves
- Open Defense, Modern Sharp VariationE041. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 dxc4 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. Qa4 Bb4+6 moves
- Open Defense, Classical LineE051. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 dxc4 5. Nf3 Be75 moves
- ClosedE061. 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 Na69 moves
- ClosedE081. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 Be7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. O-O c6 7. Qc2 b6 8. Rd1 Nbd7 9. Bf49 moves
- ClosedE061. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. g3 Bb4+ 5. Bd2 Be7 6. Bg2 O-O 7. O-O c6 8. Bf4 b68 moves
- Closed, Main LineE091. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. g3 Be7 5. Bg2 O-O 6. O-O Nbd7 7. Qc2 c6 8. Bf4 b6 9. Nbd2 Bb7 10. e4 dxe4 11. Nxe4 Nxe4 12. Qxe412 moves
- Closed, Main LineE091. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. g3 Be7 5. Bg2 O-O 6. O-O c6 7. Qc2 b6 8. Nbd2 Bb7 9. e4 Nbd79 moves
- Closed, Sokolsky VariationE091. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 Be7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. O-O Nbd7 7. Qc2 c6 8. Nbd2 b6 9. b3 a5 10. Bb2 Ba610 moves
- Closed, Spassky GambitE081. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 Be7 4. Bg2 d5 5. Nf3 O-O 6. O-O Nbd7 7. Qc2 c6 8. b3 b6 9. Rd1 Bb7 10. Nc3 b510 moves
- Closed, Zagoryansky VariationE081. d4 e6 2. c4 Nf6 3. Nf3 d5 4. g3 Be7 5. Bg2 O-O 6. O-O Nbd7 7. Qc2 c6 8. Rd1 b6 9. a49 moves
- Closed, Botvinnik VariationE071. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 Be7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. O-O Nbd7 7. Nc3 c6 8. Qd38 moves
Other variations · 3
How to play against the Catalan
The Catalan is a positional system for White that combines the Queen's Gambit with a kingside fianchetto: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2. The g2 bishop aims at your queenside along the long diagonal, and White happily gives up the c4 pawn for a while in return for lasting pressure. As Black you face a strategic, fairly closed opening where accuracy matters more than tactics. It is one of White's most respected systems, so you need a clear answer to it.
Main ideas and plans
Your first decision is whether to take on c4. In the Open Defense, 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 dxc4, you grab the pawn and use the time White spends winning it back. In the Alekhine Variation White regains it at once with Qa4+ and Qxc4, and you aim for ...a6, ...c5 and ...b5 with ...Bb7. The Classical Line, with Nf3 and ...Be7, is the main road: you castle, gain time against the queen with ...a6 and ...b5 when it recaptures on c4, put the bishop on b7 and prepare ...c5. In the Modern Sharp Variation, with ...Nc6 and ...Bb4+ against Qa4, you try to keep the extra pawn with active pieces.
In the Closed Catalan you keep the pawn on d5: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 Be7 5.Nf3 O-O 6.O-O Nbd7 7.Qc2 c6 is the classic set-up, and in the Main Line White adds Nbd2 and prepares e4. Your problem piece is the c8 bishop, so the typical plans are ...b6 with ...Bb7 (or ...Ba6, as in the Sokolsky Variation), then a freeing ...c5 or ...e5 break. In the Botvinnik Variation White plays Nc3 and Qd3, and in the Spassky Gambit Black gives a pawn with ...b5 for queenside play. The Tarrasch Defense with ...c5 and ...Nc6 accepts an isolated d-pawn for activity, while the Hungarian Gambit, 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 e5, is a rare surprise.
Who is it for?
Meeting the Catalan suits solid, patient players who value structure over quick tactics. The Closed lines need understanding, while the Open lines require you to know exactly when to hold the c4 pawn and when to return it. The main risk is passivity: if your c8 bishop stays locked in, White can squeeze you deep into the endgame. Learn first that in the Open Defense you never cling to the pawn at the cost of development, and in the Closed Defense which break, ...c5 or ...e5, frees your chosen set-up.