Catalan defense

The Catalan Opening is a chess opening where White plays d4 followed by c4 and then fianchettoes, catalan defense, the White bishop on the g2 square. The opening usually follows the following catalan defense. The Catalan Opening derived its name from Catalonia, an autonomous community in Spain. Catalan defense opening was played frequently by leading players of the s and s, such as world champions Jose Raul Capablanca, Alexander Alekhine and Mikhail Botvinnik, as well as top grandmasters such as Salo Flohr, Paul Keres and Samuel Reshevsky.

The Catalan Opening is a chess opening where White plays d4 and c4 and fianchettoes the white bishop on g2. A common opening sequence is 1. Bg2; other lines are part of E White combines the space-gaining moves d4 and c4 with g3, preparing to fianchetto the king's bishop. This places pressure mainly on the queenside while hoping to keep the white king safe in the long-term. The c4-pawn can become vulnerable, however, and White might have to sacrifice a pawn. Black has two main approaches to play against the Catalan: in the Open Catalan Black plays

Catalan defense

The Catalan Opening has been one of the most fashionable systems in recent years. White fianchettos the light-squared bishop and gains space on the queenside and the center with the pawns. This strategy puts Black under serious pressure and often leads to a risk-free advantage for White. Later he also successfully used it in the Tata Steel The opening can arise on the board via different move orders, one of the most common ones being 1. Nf3 Nf6 4. Instead, they slowly build a strong position and exert long-term pressure on Black. Often the evaluation of the arising positions depends on the strength of the light-squared bishop. Black needs to neutralize this piece to be able to finish the development of the queenside and equalize the game. Later Black can fianchetto their light-squared bishop and open up the center when everything is ready for that.

Instead 9…Bb7 is the main move, allowing white to advance with Related Content.

The Catalan Opening is a 1. Instead of a direct kingside attack, White will aim for long-term positional pressure in the center and on Black's queenside. These positions can lead to small and nagging edges with very technical endgames. The Catalan usually begins 1. Nf3 Nf6 4.

Named after the Catalan region, the Catalan opening was played by Savielly Tartakower in during the Barcelona tournament. Since then, the opening has become a staple in the repertoire of top-level players and is frequently employed by the current World Chess Champion , Ding Liren. So the opening is a popular choice among chess players who prefer playing for positional long-term advantages because it allows for solid and risk-free play, while still providing opportunities for active development and control of key squares. It often leads to closed or semi-closed positions, which can favor a player with strong positional skills. The game often involves a battle for control of key squares, particularly the e4 and d5 squares.

Catalan defense

Preview by GM Davorin Kuljasevic. The opening repertoire for Black against 1. Nf6 2. This is a reliable and flexible setup, suited for players who like balanced and active play in the center. The material will be divided into 3 major parts: The Catalan Opening after 3. Nf3 , and the Nimzo-Indian Defense after 3. Against each of these major openings, I will not provide just one defense for Black. Instead, I will suggest one solid system, aimed to achieve equality out of the opening; and one sharp system aimed to imbalance the game. I think this approach makes sense in today's competitive chess.

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Openings were once listed only in chess books, hence the name. Play might continue 6. Black may also choose to transpose into a completely different line in order to avoid the Catalan Opening entirely. Nevertheless, the bishop stands on d2 worse than on c1! Qc2 : White plans to take the pawn by the queen. Conclusion The Catalan Opening is rich in positional and tactical ideas. Hence, this would be a great Opening for White to choose to play. After 7…Bd7 8. Black can also try to be trickier and change their setup a little. Qxc4 , black has a nice answer in 8…b5! After 10…Ne8 Play the Catalan by Nigel Davies also discusses the opening, but the heavy use of chess notation will challenge a beginning player. If you are not comfortable exchanging queens early in a game, this opening might not be for you. Additionally, Black has ways to avoid the Catalan. Like most games with a closed center, the opening often turns into a slow, maneuvering middlegame.

The starting moves may be 1.

Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions. White can now finally defend their loose c4 pawn with 7. In the Closed Catalan, Black does not capture on c4; their game can be somewhat cramped for a while, but is quite solid. There are many ways of playing for both sides, but for White, it is important to know one strong strategic idea. Na3, but then black can play …a6 to double-down on the idea — an exciting battle is sure to follow! The c4-pawn can become vulnerable, however, and White might have to sacrifice a pawn. Black has two main approaches to play against the Catalan: in the Open Catalan Black plays In , Ruben Felgaer won a tournament celebrating the 75th anniversary of Barcelona and the birth of the Catalan Opening. With its use by Vladimir Kramnik , the Catalan gained a good deal of attention by high-level GMs in the s. This simply means the opening is conventional and well-known. Catalan Opening 1. This move gains a tempo and cuts the white queen off from regaining the c4 pawn.