E03 · Indian · a plan for White

Catalan Opening: Open Defense, Alekhine Variation

13/13
1.d4Nf62.c4e63.g3d54.Bg2dxc45.Qa4+Nbd76.Qxc4a67.Qc2
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Catalan Opening: Open Defense, Alekhine Variation105 games · Black to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
62%6558%
19%2045%
12%1362%
2.9%367%
1.9%250%
1%1100%
1%10%
Famous games in this line54 master games
Giri, A. (2752) – Anand, V. (2767)2018½–½Nakamura, Hikaru (2736) – Grischuk, Alexander (2777)2020½–½Tkachiev, Vladislav (2642) – Naiditsch, Arkadij (2689)2009½–½Landa, Konstantin (2598) – Meier, Georg (2648)2010½–½Rustemov, Alexander (2552) – Landa, Konstantin (2570)2006½–½Szczepanski, Zbigniew (2555) – Mamonovas, Viktoras (2521)20091–0Gheorghiu, Florin (2540) – Evans, Larry Melvyn (2530)1975½–½Nabaty, T. (2643) – Globus, Or (2425)20221–0
Heroes of this opening Szczepanski, Zbigniew · Nabaty, T.
Family
Catalan Opening
Category
Indian
First move
1.d4
ECO
E03
Line
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 dxc4 5. Qa4+ Nbd7 6. Qxc4 a6 7. Qc2
FianchettoPositionalHypermodern
★ Read the guide: Catalan OpeningExplore all 32 Catalan Opening lines →
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Nearby lines in the family
Catalan Opening: Open Defense, Modern Sharp VariationE04 5.Nf3 Nc6 6.Qa4 Bb4Catalan Opening: Closed, Main LineE09 3.Nf3 d5 4.g3 Be7 5.Bg2 O-O …Catalan Opening: Closed, Botvinnik VariationE07 4…Be7 5.Nf3 O-O 6.O-O Nbd7 7.Nc3 …
From the archives

The 1929 Barcelona organizers literally commissioned an opening: Tartakower blended 1.d4 with a kingside fianchetto and named it for Catalonia. Seventy years later Kramnik and Carlsen made it a world-championship weapon — one long-range bishop, endless quiet pressure.

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Videos on YouTube ↗Wikipedia: Catalan Opening ↗