Catalan

Play as WhiteSystem

Fianchetto the bishop for long-term pressure on the long diagonal and d5.

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 Nbd7

1. 1. d4 — Claim the center with the queen pawn and open lines for the queen and bishop.
2. 1... Nf6 — Black develops a knight and controls e4.
3. 2. c4 — Add pressure on d5 and build a big center.
4. 2... e6 — Black opens the bishop and prepares ...d5.
5. 3. g3 — Prepare to fianchetto the bishop so it rakes the long diagonal.
6. 3... d5 — Take a share of the center.
7. 4. Bg2 — The bishop eyes the long diagonal and the d5 square.
8. 4... Be7 — Develop the bishop and prepare to castle.
9. 5. Nf3 — Develop the knight toward the center.
10. 5... O-O — Castle: your king gets safe and a rook joins the game.
11. 6. O-O — Castle: your king gets safe and a rook joins the game.
12. 6... dxc4 — Take the c4 pawn.
13. 7. Qc2 — Get ready to win the c4 pawn back.
14. 7... a6 — Prepare ...b5 to hold the pawn.
15. 8. Qxc4 — Win the pawn back.
16. 8... b5 — Chase the queen and keep the extra pawn.
17. 9. Qc2 — Get ready to win the c4 pawn back.
18. 9... Bb7 — Put the bishop on the long diagonal.
19. 10. Bd2 — Develop the bishop and connect the pieces.
20. 10... Nbd7 — Develop the last knight.

Other sound lines

• 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 Bb4+ 5. Bd2 Be7 6. Nf3 O-O 7. O-O c6 8. Qc2 Nbd7 9. Nc3 b6

Related openings

• London System
• English Opening
• Reti Opening
• Colle System
• Trompowsky Attack

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