5. Open Catalan with 5...c5: the queenless endgame
After 5...c5 6.O-O cxd4 7.Qxd4 Qxd4 8.Nxd4 the Queens are exchanged. Black still has the c4 pawn, but White has the g2 Bishop, the d-file and the jump Nb5.
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 dxc4 5.Nf3 c5 6.O-O cxd4 7.Qxd4 Qxd4 8.Nxd4
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...dxc4 – The Open Catalan: Black takes the c4 pawn and frees d5, but opens the diagonal of the g2 Bishop. White will recover the pawn with Qa4+, Qc2 or Ne5.
- 5.Nf3 – White develops the Knight and prepares castling: it is in no hurry to recapture c4, because the pawn is hard to hold.
- 5...c5 – Black breaks in the center at once: it will give back the c4 pawn, but wants to exchange the d4 pawn and simplify.
- 6.O-O – White castles and leaves the choice open between Qa4+, Na3 and the recapture on d4.
- 6...cxd4 – Black exchanges on d4: the d-file opens and the Queens face each other.
- 7.Qxd4 – The Queen recaptures on d4 and offers an exchange: without Queens the Black King in the center is a minor problem, but White has the better development.
- 7...Qxd4 – Black exchanges the Queens: with the King on e8 it does not want to leave the White Queen in the center.
- 8.Nxd4 – The Knight recaptures on d4: it threatens Nb5 with Nc7+ and the g2 Bishop presses on b7.
How to exploit the position
Without Queens White has a small advantage: better development, active g2 Bishop and the c4 pawn to recover.
- Threaten Nb5: the Knight aims at c7, from where it would give check and attack the a8 Rook.
- Recover the c4 pawn with Na3 or Nd2 and then Nxc4.
- The Rook goes to d1 on the open file, against the Black King still in the center.
- If Black leaves b7 without the defense of the c8 Bishop, Bxb7 wins a pawn.
Master tips
The jump to b5
In the queenless endgame the d4 Knight threatens Nb5 and Nc7+, with an attack on the King and the a8 Rook.