Catalan Opening

Catalan Opening
	Position in Forsyth-Edwards Notation (FEN) rnbqkb1r/pppp1ppp/4pn2/8/2PP4/6P1/PP2PP1P/RNBQKBNR

This is the Catalan Opening, named after the Spanish region of Catalonia, when Grandmaster Savielly Tartakower was asked, at the Barcelona tournament of 1929, to invent an opening system in honor of the region's chess history. Usually, the game continues 3...d5 4.Nf3. The Catalan then has two main branches, the Open Variation and the Closed Variation. In the Open Variation, Black takes the pawn on c4. This gives White strong pressure on Black's queenside, thanks to the fianchettoed bishop on g2. In the Closed Variation, Black retains his strong-point on d5, attempting to block out the bishop on g2, but stays passive.

Theory table

For explanation of theory tables see theory table and for notation see algebraic notation .

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3.g3

	3	4	5	6
Catalan Opening	g3 d5	Nf3 dxc4	Bg2 Be7	O-O O-O	=
Benoni Defence	... c5	d5 exd5	cxd5 d6	Nc3 g6	=
Bogo-Indian Defense	... Bb4+	Qe7d	Nf3 Nc6	=
	... Be7	Bg2 d5	Nf3 O-O	=
	... c6	Bg2 d5	Nf3 Nbd7	=

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References

Batsford Chess Openings 2 (1989, 1994). Garry Kasparov, Raymond Keene. ISBN 0-8050-3409-9.

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