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Ponderchess / Openings

Catalan Opening

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3. White combines the Queen's Gambit with a fianchettoed bishop that bears down on Black's queenside along the long diagonal.

Watch it in 3D

3D lesson · 14 steps · 70 seconds

The Catalan Opening in 3D

Catalan Opening: Closed, move by move: d4 Nf6 c4 e6 g3 d5 Bg2 Be7 …

Preparing your opening…

Key ideas

  • Black often takes on c4 and tries to hold the pawn, while White uses the bishop on g2 and the queen to win it back.
  • Positions are strategic and slow, a favourite of Kramnik and Carlsen.

Plans for White

Pressure the long diagonal and the queenside. Small positional edges are the goal.

Plans for Black

Free the light-squared bishop and neutralise the g2 bishop with ...c6 or ...Bd7-c6.

Main variations of the Catalan Opening