The Catalan Opening for White

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3

The Catalan arises after 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3: you put the bishop on g2 and aim it down the long diagonal to a8. From there it presses on d5, c6 and b7 – Black often struggles to develop his queenside. The course is built from 3610 master games and checked by Stockfish. It suits you if you like calm positional play: you sometimes give the pawn on c4 for time and pressure and win it back later with the queen. Black mostly answers 3...d5 (a little over three games in four), less often 3...Bb4+ (about one game in six). After 3...d5 4.Bg2 there are two main roads: the closed system with 4...Be7 and the open one with 4...dxc4, where Black takes the pawn at once. After 3...Bb4+ you play 4.Bd2 and often reach the same positions. Stockfish sees you slightly better almost everywhere – nothing big, but lasting and pleasant to play.

The bishop on g2 is your key piece: it aims through d5 and c6 to a8. Every time the long diagonal opens – for example with Ne5 – the pressure on b7 and a8 grows.
When Black takes on c4, you usually win the pawn back with the queen: Qc2 and Qxc4 or Qa4+ and Qxc4. There is rarely any hurry.
In the closed system you play Qc2, Rd1 and then the break e4: it opens the centre when your pieces are better placed.
Against b5 on the queenside you answer with a4 or b3 – you attack the advanced pawns instead of leaving them alone.
The bishop on d2 later looks for a better square: f4, a5 or g5. After Bf4 it is often chased with Nh5 – then you calmly retreat it to c1.