10. Closed Catalan with Rd1, Nc3 and the push e4
Black develops with ...b6, ...Bb7 and ...Rc8 to prepare ...c5. White anticipates the break with 11.e4; after 11...dxe4 12.Nxe4 Nxe4 it recaptures with the Queen and has the center.
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 Be7 5.Nf3 O-O 6.O-O c6 7.Qc2 b6 8.Rd1 Bb7 9.Nc3 Nbd7 10.b3 Rc8 11.e4 dxe4 12.Nxe4 Nxe4
Move by move
- 1.d4 – White occupies the center with the Queen's pawn: it controls e5 and c5 and prepares c4, the first step of the Catalan.
- 1...Nf6 – Black develops the Knight and controls e4: it postpones the choice between ...d5, ...e6 and the Indian defenses.
- 2.c4 – White gains space with the c-pawn: it controls d5 and prepares Nc3 or the g3 fianchetto.
- 2...e6 – Black opens the f8 Bishop and prepares ...d5: this is the structure of the Queen's Gambit Declined, against which the Catalan is designed.
- 3.g3 – The Catalan: White prepares the fianchetto on g2, from where the Bishop will aim at d5 and the whole Black queenside.
- 3...d5 – Black occupies d5: now the g2 Bishop will have a pawn in front of it, but the c4 pawn attacks it and the tension remains.
- 4.Bg2 – The Bishop settles on the long diagonal: it presses on d5 and, if Black captures on c4, it will hit b7 and a8.
- 4...Be7 – The Closed Catalan: Black does not take on c4, develops the Bishop and prepares castling, keeping the d5 pawn in the center.
- 5.Nf3 – White develops the Knight and prepares castling: with the Bishop already on g2 the King will be safe in one move.
- 5...O-O – Black castles and still leaves the possibility of taking on c4.
- 6.O-O – White castles: now the Queen and the b1 Knight can support the push e4.
- 6...c6 – Black reinforces d5 with the c6 pawn: the structure is solid, but the c8 Bishop will have to come out with ...b6 and ...Bb7.
- 7.Qc2 – The Queen protects c4 and controls e4: it prepares Nbd2 and e4, White's central push.
- 7...b6 – Black prepares ...Bb7 before developing the b8 Knight: it wants to contest the long diagonal.
- 8.Rd1 – The Rook goes to d1 behind the d4 pawn: it supports the push e4 and the future opening of the d-file.
- 8...Bb7 – The Bishop develops to b7, behind the c6 pawn: it waits for the break ...c5 to come into play.
- 9.Nc3 – The Knight comes out to c3 and increases the control of e4: White is ready for the central push.
- 9...Nbd7 – The Knight goes to d7 and supports ...c5: Black completes its development.
- 10.b3 – White protects c4 with the pawn and prepares Bb2: ...dxc4 would no longer win a pawn.
- 10...Rc8 – The Rook goes to c8 to support ...c5: Black prepares the freeing break.
- 11.e4 – White pushes e4 before ...c5: it occupies the center with the support of the c3 Knight and the c2 Queen.
- 11...dxe4 – Black exchanges on e4 to avoid e5, which would shut it in.
- 12.Nxe4 – The Knight recaptures in the center and offers an exchange: White has more space and the d-file.
- 12...Nxe4 – Black exchanges the Knights to have more space; White will recapture with the Queen.
How to exploit the position
After Qxe4 White has the center and the d-file; Black will try to free itself with ...c5.
- Recapture with Qxe4: the Queen attacks c6 and h7 and prepares Bf4 or Bb2.
- Prepare the push d5: with the Rook on d1 it opens the file and the diagonal of the g2 Bishop against b7.
- If Black plays ...c5, consider d5: the passed pawn in the center shuts in the b7 Bishop.
- The f3 Knight can go to e5 to attack c6 and d7.
Master tips
Anticipating ...c5
In this structure Black frees itself with ...c5: White must open the center with e4 before the break arrives.