for White · advanced
Catalan Opening
5/5
1.d4Nf62.c4e63.g3
White combines a Queen's Gambit centre with a kingside fianchetto, aiming the g2-bishop down the long diagonal at Black's queenside. It gives lasting positional pressure and is a favourite of elite grandmasters.
Key ideas
- Fianchetto to g2 for long-term pressure on the long diagonal
- Recapture on c4 and squeeze if Black grabs the gambit pawn
- Combine central control with slow queenside pressure
- Aim for a durable positional bind rather than early tactics
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Catalan Opening867k games · Black to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
22%192k45%
12%107k46%
4.8%41k42%
4.3%37k43%
2.9%25k42%
1%8.9k42%
1%8.4k41%
0.7%6.1k42%
0.3%2.7k41%
Famous games in this line31k master games
Ding Liren (2805) – Carlsen, M. (2882)Caruana, F.. (2823) – Carlsen, M.. (2862)Kramnik, Vladimir (2810) – Carlsen, Magnus (2872)Kramnik, Vladimir (2783) – Carlsen, M. (2881)Carlsen, M. (2864) – Firouzja, Alireza (2793)Ding, Liren (2791) – Carlsen, Magnus (2863)Ding, Liren (2791) – Carlsen, Magnus (2863)Ding Liren (2799) – Carlsen, M.. (2847)Keep exploring
Go deeper — named lines from here
Catalan Opening: Hungarian Gambit3…e5Catalan Opening: Open Defense3…d5 4.Bg2 · 7 deeper linesCatalan Opening: Closed3…d5 4.Bg2 Be7 5.Nf3 · 2 deeper linesCatalan Opening: Tarrasch Defense3…d5 4.Bg2 c5 5.Nf3 Nc6
Nearby lines in the family
From the archives
The move order had been seen before, but the NAME was commissioned: at Barcelona in 1929 Tartakower blended 1.d4 with a kingside fianchetto and named it for Catalonia. Kramnik took it into the 2006 world championship and Carlsen made it a main weapon — one long-range bishop, endless quiet pressure.
Study this opening