- The moves1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3
- Chosen byWhite
- ECOE00–E09
- Also calledthe Catalan
The Catalan Opening comes after 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3. White has pawns on d4 and c4, as in a Queen's Gambit, but puts the king's bishop on g2. From there it aims along the long diagonal at b7 and a8. White castles short behind the bishop, and most of the pressure lands on Black's queenside.
The name comes from the Barcelona tournament of 1929. The organizers wanted a new variation in honor of Catalonia, and Savielly Tartakower took on the task. The idea was not entirely new: Richard Réti had reached the same kind of position against Paul Leonhardt in Berlin the year before. In the 1930s and 1940s the opening was played by world champions such as José Raúl Capablanca, Alexander Alekhine and Mikhail Botvinnik.
In 1983 Garry Kasparov and Viktor Korchnoi played it in five of the eleven games of their Candidates match in London. Since then it has appeared in several world championship matches. Vladimir Kramnik played it three times against Veselin Topalov in 2006, Viswanathan Anand four times against the same Topalov in 2010, and Magnus Carlsen chose it in the second game against Ian Nepomniachtchi in 2021.
The main line, move by move
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 Be7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. O-O dxc4 7. Qc2 a6 8. Qxc4 b5 9. Qc2 Bb7 10. Bd2
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The ideas
White wants to
- Put the bishop on g2 and press along the long diagonal against b7 and a8.
- Give up the pawn on c4 for a while if needed, and win it back with Qc2, Qa4+ or Ne5.
- Prepare e4 to take over the center.
Black wants to
- Neutralize the bishop on g2, with …c6 or with a bishop of your own on b7 or c6.
- In the Open Catalan: take on c4 and either hold on to the pawn with …a6 and …b5 or give it back for quick development.
- In the Closed Catalan: keep the pawn on d5 and stand firm, even if it gets a little cramped for a while.
Important variations
Closed Catalan: 6…Nbd7
Black does not take on c4 and keeps the pawn on d5. The position is cramped for a while, but solid. White plays Qc2 and Nbd2 and prepares e4. After 8…b6 9.e4 Bb7 the two bishops face each other along the long diagonal, with pawns in between. White has a little more space and is slightly better, but Black's position holds.
1. 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. e4 Bb7
Black keeps the pawn: 4…dxc4 and 5…a6
Black takes on c4 at once and tries to keep the pawn. With …a6, …Nc6, …Bd7 and …b5 it works: after 9.b3 cxb3 10.axb3 Black is a pawn up for good. In return White gets half-open files for the rooks, and that is ample compensation. The order matters. If Black plays …b5 one move too early, the trap below follows.
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 dxc4 5. Nf3 a6 6. O-O Nc6 7. e3 Bd7 8. Qe2 b5 9. b3 cxb3 10. axb3
The trap: the long diagonal, 7…b5?
In the line where Black wants to keep the pawn, 7…b5 looks like the natural way to protect it. But then comes 8.Ne5!. The knight attacks the knight on c6, and at the same time the bishop on g2 opens up against the same knight, with the rook on a8 behind it. Black cannot save both. After 8…Nxe5 9.Bxa8 White has won the exchange, a rook for a knight. The right way is to play 7…Bd7 first and only then …b5.
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 dxc4 5. Nf3 a6 6. O-O Nc6 7. e3 b5 8. Ne5 Nxe5 9. Bxa8
9. Bxa8
White has won the exchange, a rook for a knight, and is clearly better.
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How it goes in real games
How the games ended once the position had come up on the board, in blitz, rapid and classical games. White wins, draws and Black wins, as a percentage of the games.
| Position | Level | Games | White wins | Draw | Black wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catalan Opening 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 | Club players | 1,472,571 | 51% | 7% | 42% |
| Strong players | 1,021,862 | 51% | 8% | 41% | |
| Catalan Opening, main line, up to 7…a6 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 Be7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. O-O dxc4 7. Qc2 a6 | Club players | 195,125 | 48% | 10% | 42% |
| Strong players | 184,612 | 48% | 10% | 42% | |
| Black keeps the pawn: 4…dxc4 and 5…a6, up to 5.Nf3 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 dxc4 5. Nf3 | Club players | 548,389 | 52% | 7% | 41% |
| Strong players | 356,765 | 49% | 8% | 43% |
The most common continuations after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3
Club players, share of the games in the position.
- 3…d5 51% (751,492 games)
- 3…Bb4+ 23% (337,649 games)
- 3…c5 14% (205,696 games)
- 3…b6 4% (57,401 games)
- 3…Be7 3% (49,275 games)
Source: games on Lichess, fetched November 6–7, 2026. Club players means games where the players average 1600 or more, strong players games where they average 2000 or more. The strong players' games are counted among the club players' too. Each position is counted however it was reached, and a line that goes further than we have numbers for is shown up to its last position with numbers.
Explore the position on the analysis board: the moves club players choose from here, how the games tend to end, and what Lavi thinks of each move.
Is this opening for you?
The Catalan suits White players who like long-term pressure more than quick attacks. It counts as a positional opening, even if some lines get sharp. Anyone who plays the Queen's Gambit will recognize a lot, and can often reach the Catalan by another move order.
With Black, the most important thing is to have a plan against the bishop on g2. If you want to stand firm, choose the Closed Catalan. If you want an extra pawn and can live with some pressure, take on c4 and hold on to it.
Practice the main line
Choose a color and one of the house players. Your opponent follows the main line, and you try to find your moves. If you play something else, you'll see the main line's move, but the game goes on. When the main line ends, you play freely.
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The main line with all the comments as text
1. d4 White takes space in the center with the queen's pawn. 1… Nf6 Black stops e4 and waits before committing the pawns. 2. c4 More pressure on d5, as in a Queen's Gambit. 2… e6 Black prepares …d5 and opens the way for the bishop on f8. 3. g3 This is the Catalan. The bishop is headed for g2, where it aims along the whole long diagonal. 3… d5 Black sets up the pawns as in a Queen's Gambit Declined. 4. Bg2 The bishop is in place. The pawn on c4 has lost its protector, and that is deliberate: if Black takes it, the diagonal opens even more. 4… Be7 Black develops and castles first, and waits before taking on c4. 5. Nf3 The knight develops and clears the way for castling short. 5… O-O 6. O-O The king is safe behind the bishop on g2. 6… dxc4 Black takes the pawn. This is the Open Catalan. With the pawn gone from d5, the diagonal opens as soon as the knight on f3 moves, and Black has to watch the queenside. 7. Qc2 The queen aims at c4 and will win the pawn back. 7… a6 Black prepares …b5 to hold on to the pawn. Among club players 8.a4, which stops …b5, is even more common than 8.Qxc4. 8. Qxc4 White takes the pawn back. 8… b5 With tempo: the queen has to move. Black also gains space on the queenside. 9. Qc2 The queen retreats but still looks along the c-file. 9… Bb7 The bishop lines up against White's bishop on g2. The fight for the long diagonal is the heart of the whole opening. 10. Bd2 A quiet move: the bishop comes out, and the rook can go to c1. This is how Vladimir Kramnik played against Viswanathan Anand at Wijk aan Zee in 2007, a game Kramnik won. The position is roughly equal.
More openings
Queen's Gambit
2.c4 challenges d5. The classical d4 opening, with a Swedish variation among its lines.
Queen's Indian Defense
The queen's bishop to b7 or a6. Solid, safe and hard to break down.
Nimzo-Indian Defense
3…Bb4: pin the knight, stop e4, and be ready to trade the bishop for doubled pawns.
Réti Opening
The knight and the c-pawn hit the center from the side. Hypermodern and flexible.
Every move on this page has been checked against the rules of chess.
Updated November 6, 2026
3. g3
This is the Catalan. The bishop is headed for g2, where it aims along the whole long diagonal.