Catalan Opening

The queen's gambit with a bishop on g2

Fianchetto
Positional play

White sets up pawns on c4 and d4 and adds a bishop on g2. The bishop presses along the long diagonal on d5, c6 and b7, while the king stays safe behind it. The edge is small but hard to remove, and White can keep the pressure on for many moves. That is why the Catalan suits players who like to be patient and exact.

Interactive Opening Board

8…b5

♚

Black

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White

8…b5

Speed:

Moves

(16 plies • 8 moves)

8…b5Tabiya

The pawn attacks the queen, and she has to retreat. Black gains space on the queenside but weakens it.

1–8moves
#WhiteBlack
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1.d4 The queen's pawn takes the centre.

1…Nf6 The knight watches e4 and d5.

2.c4 The c4 pawn presses on d5: White starts a queen's gambit set-up.

2…e6 Black supports d5 and opens the f8 bishop.

3.g3 Instead of the usual Nc3 or Nf3, White prepares a bishop on g2. From there it will press on d5, c6 and b7, and the king gets cover. This is where the Catalan begins.

3…d5 Black takes the centre with a pawn.

4.Bg2 The bishop takes the long diagonal and at once aims at d5.

4…dxc4 Black takes the c4 pawn. White's bishop now has an open diagonal, and that is the price of the extra material.

5.Nf3 White does not chase the pawn but develops: there will be time to win it back.

5…Be7 The bishop prepares castling and keeps the king's side tidy.

6.O-O The white king goes under the cover of the g2 bishop.

6…O-O Black castles too and tucks the king away.

7.Qc2 The queen leans on the c4 pawn and prepares to take it.

7…a6 Black prepares …b5 to keep the pawn, or at least to make the queen pay for taking it.

8.Qxc4 The queen wins the pawn back and lands on c4.

8…b5 The pawn attacks the queen, and she has to retreat. Black gains space on the queenside but weakens it.

Defining move

3.g3! — the bishop to the long diagonal

The move that turns a queen's gambit into the Catalan

White does not rush the knight to c3 and fianchettoes instead. The g2 bishop will press on the d5 pawn and on Black's whole queenside. Meanwhile the c4 and d4 pawns hold the centre. The king stays safe and the pressure does not let up.

Tabiya

The Open variation: …b5

The white queen has taken the c4 pawn, and …b5 drives her away. After she retreats, Black will put the bishop on b7 and contest the long diagonal. Black now has space on the queenside, but also weak points there. White wants to use those weaknesses and keep the g2 bishop pressing, while Black wants to hold the diagonal and trade pieces at the right moment.

The centre

A queen's gambit with diagonal pressure

White keeps pawns on d4 and g3, and the c4 pawn has been exchanged. Black has e6 and pawns on the queenside. The g2–a8 diagonal is not blocked by anything, and Black must reckon with the g2 bishop on every move.

Key squaresc4d5b7

Outposts

g2White's bishop
The heart of the opening: the bishop presses on d5, c6 and b7. Black tries to block the diagonal or trade the bishop off.
c4The disputed pawn
In the Open variation the whole game turns around it: can Black keep the pawn, and at what cost?

Thematic breaks

b5Black
The …b7-b5 strike
Keep the extra pawn and drive the white queen from c4.
What follows: Black gains space but weakens c6 and a6.
e4White
The e2-e4 advance
Occupy the centre with pawns once the pieces are developed.
What follows: If Black cannot respond in time, White gets both space and the g2 bishop's pressure.
c5Black
The …c7-c5 strike
Hit d4 and free the game by exchanges.
What follows: The position opens and the g2 bishop gains even more scope, but Black has more chances to trade pieces.

White’s plan

Press with the g2 bishop along the long diagonal on b7, c6 and d5.
Win back the c4 pawn and keep the lead in development.
Use the weaknesses Black creates with …b5.

Black’s plan

Keep the pawn with …b5 or give it back at a good moment.
Put the bishop on b7 and contest the long diagonal.
Free the game with …c5 and piece exchanges.

History

At the Barcelona tournament of 1929 Savielly Tartakower played this set-up, and it was named in honour of Catalonia. Capablanca, Alekhine and Botvinnik used it. In the 1983 Candidates semi-final Kasparov and Korchnoi played it in five games, and Kramnik used it in World Championship matches.