E04 · Indian · a plan for White

Catalan Opening: Open Defense, Modern Sharp Variation

12/12
1.d4Nf62.c4e63.g3d54.Bg2dxc45.Nf3Nc66.Qa4Bb4+
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Catalan Opening: Open Defense, Modern Sharp Variation5.4k games · White to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
83%4.4k60%
15%77655%
2.2%11658%
0.3%1527%
0.1%875%
Famous games in this line1.8k master games
So, W. (2780) – Caruana, F. (2822)2018½–½Kasparov, Garry (2849) – Adams, Michael (2746)2001½–½Nakamura, Hi (2802) – Caruana, F. (2783)2025½–½Anand, Viswanathan (2800) – Kramnik, Vladimir (2780)2010½–½Aronian, Levon (2783) – Kramnik, Vladimir (2780)20100–1Anand, Viswanathan (2770) – Kramnik, Vladimir (2790)1998½–½Kramnik, Vladimir (2800) – Nakamura, Hikaru (2758)2011½–½Wojtaszek, R. (2744) – Mamedyarov, S. (2814)2018½–½
Family
Catalan Opening
Category
Indian
First move
1.d4
ECO
E04
Line
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 dxc4 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. Qa4 Bb4+
FianchettoPositionalHypermodern
★ Read the guide: Catalan OpeningExplore all 32 Catalan Opening lines →
Keep exploring
Nearby lines in the family
Catalan Opening: Open Defense, Alekhine VariationE03 5.Qa4 Nbd7 6.Qxc4 a6 7.Qc2Catalan Opening: Tarrasch DefenseE01 4…c5 5.Nf3 Nc6Catalan Opening: Open Defense, Classical LineE05 5…Be7
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.

Study this opening
Open in the opening tree →Videos on YouTube ↗Wikipedia: Catalan Opening ↗