Against the Catalan: Open Catalan
If White plays the Catalan (g3 and Bg2), Black captures on c4 and defends the pawn with ...a6 and ...b5, then develops the Bishop on b7 to neutralize the one on g2.
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.g3 Be7 5.Bg2 O-O 6.O-O dxc4 7.Qc2 a6 8.Qxc4 b5 9.Qc2 Bb7 10.Bd2 Be4 11.Qc1 Bb7 12.Bf4 Bd6
Move by move
- 1.d4 – White takes the center with the queen's pawn and opens the diagonal for the c1 Bishop. It usually continues with c4 to attack the d5 pawn.
- 1...d5 – Black contests the center with a pawn and prevents e4. This is the basis of the Queen's Gambit Declined: d5 will be defended at all costs.
- 2.c4 – The Queen's Gambit: White attacks d5 with the c-pawn to draw it away from the center. If we took it, White would regain the pawn with e3 and Bxc4.
- 2...e6 – Black declines the gambit and supports d5 with the e-pawn: a rock-solid structure. The price is the c8 Bishop shut in behind e6, the problem to be solved throughout the course.
- 3.Nf3 – White develops the Knight before the queen's Knight and reserves the choice between Nc3 and the fianchetto.
- 3...Nf6 – The Knight develops and defends d5. It is the most natural answer against 3.Nf3.
- 4.g3 – The Catalan: the Bishop will go to g2 to press on the long diagonal.
- 4...Be7 – Safe development: Black prepares castling before taking on c4.
- 5.Bg2 – The Bishop aims at b7 and the queenside. Black must contest this diagonal.
- 5...O-O – Black castles and prepares ...dxc4, the Open Catalan.
- 6.O-O – White castles too. The c4 pawn is momentarily undefended.
- 6...dxc4 – The Open Catalan: Black takes the pawn and forces White to commit to regaining it.
- 7.Qc2 – The Queen threatens to recapture on c4 and controls the c-file.
- 7...a6 – Black prepares ...b5 to defend the pawn or to gain tempo on the Queen.
- 8.Qxc4 – White regains the pawn with the Queen. Now ...b5 chases it away with tempo.
- 8...b5 – Push with tempo: the Queen must move.
- 9.Qc2 – The Queen retreats to c2 and controls the c-file against the c7 pawn.
- 9...Bb7 – The Bishop opposes the one on g2: Black has solved the development problem.
- 10.Bd2 – The Bishop goes to d2 to control a5 and prepare Ba5 or Rc1.
- 10...Be4 – The Bishop attacks the c2 Queen with tempo. Black makes White choose whether to retreat again.
- 11.Qc1 – The Queen retreats to c1 and stays on the c-file. White avoids the exchange of Bishops.
- 11...Bb7 – The Bishop returns to b7 on the long diagonal. White has lost time with the Queen.
- 12.Bf4 – The Bishop goes to f4 and controls e5 and c7. White looks for a more active place.
- 12...Bd6 – The Bishop opposes the f4 Bishop and offers the exchange. Black completes development.
How to exploit the position
Black has completed development and the b7 Bishop counters the g2 Bishop; only the c7 pawn remains to be freed.
- Exchange the Bishops with ...Bxf4: White loses its active Bishop.
- Develop the Knight to d7 and push ...c5 to free the position.
- The b5 pawn can be attacked with a4: answer with ...b4 or ...c6.
- Beware of Ne5: it opens the g2 Bishop's diagonal against the b7 Bishop, which has no defenders; answer with ...Bxg2 or defend it with ...c6.
Master tips
The long diagonal
In the Catalan everything revolves around the h1-a8 diagonal: the b7 Bishop is there precisely to counter White's g2 Bishop.