E05 Catalan Opening: Open Defense, Classical Line
E05 holds two named lines, all under the name Catalan Opening. It leaves E04 (Catalan Opening: Open Defense) with 5...Be7. When the reference line ends, Black is one pawn up on material. White’s pieces and pawns attack four squares in Black’s half, level for the fewest of the 10 Catalan Opening codes. White, to move in that position, has 35 legal moves, the second-highest count of the 10 Catalan Opening codes.
| # | White | Black |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | d4 | Nf6 |
| 2 | c4 | e6 |
| 3 | g3 | d5 |
| 4 | Bg2 | dxc4 |
| 5 | Nf3 | Be7 |
Moves only E05 plays
Same as E04 up to 5.Nf3, then:
- 5...Be7 The bishop leaves f8 for e7, opening a line for the rook on h8.
Lines filed under E05
Both share the start 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 and then split two ways at White’s move 3.
| Name | After the shared start | Plies | At the end |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catalan Opening: Open Defense, Classical Line | 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 dxc4 5.Nf3 Be7 | 10 | Black +1 |
| Catalan Opening: Open Defense, Classical Line | 3.Nf3 d5 4.g3 Be7 5.Bg2 O-O 6.O-O dxc4 | 12 | Black +1, both castled |
Catalan Opening: Open Defense, Classical Line
- 3.Nf3 The knight leaves g1 for f3, opening a line for the rook on h1.
- 3...d5 The d-pawn advances two squares to d5, covering c4 and e4, opening a line for the bishop on c8 and the queen on d8.
- 4.g3 The g-pawn advances to g3, covering f4 and h4, opening a line for the bishop on f1.
- 4...Be7 The bishop leaves f8 for e7, opening a line for the rook on h8.
- 5.Bg2 The bishop leaves f1 for g2, opening a line for the rook on h1, guarding the rook on h1.
The road to E05
- 1.d4 … 4.Bg2six earlier stops: A40, A45, A50, E00, E01
- 4...dxc4E02 Open Defense
- 5.Nf3E04 Open Defense
- 5...Be7E05
The position after 5...Be7
White has brought out the knight on f3 and bishop on g2; Black the knight on f6 and bishop on e7. White has a half-open c-file; Black a half-open d-file.
Closest boards in other codes
| Code | Line | Differs on |
|---|---|---|
| E06 | Catalan Opening: Closed | two squares: c4, d5 |
| E02 | Catalan Opening: Open Defense | four squares: g1, f3, e7, f8 |
| E17 | Queen’s Indian Defense: Traditional Variation | five squares: c4, b6, b7, d7, c8 |
| A91 | Dutch Defense: Classical Variation | six squares: g1, f3, c4, f5, d7, f7 |
| D23 | Queen’s Gambit Accepted | six squares: f1, g2, g3, e6, e7, f8 |
| D73 | Neo-Grünfeld Defense: with g3 | six squares: c4, d5, e6, g6, e7, g7 |
| E01 | Catalan Opening: Open Defense | six squares: g1, f3, c4, d5, e7, f8 |