Catalan Opening: Closed, Main Line (E09)

The Closed, Main Line is a variation of the Catalan Opening, catalogued as ECO E09. The line runs 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. g3 Be7 5. Bg2 O-O 6. O-O Nbd7 7. Qc2 c6 8. Nbd2, reaching the position shown below after 15 half-moves.

Both sides have pawns in the centre (White on d4, Black on d5), and one pawn capture is available, so the structure has not settled yet. Development is level at three minor pieces each. It is Black to move after eight moves. Both kings have castled kingside, so play tends to shift to the centre and the opposite flank.

On the Catalan Opening generally: A sophisticated system combining Queen's Gambit ideas with a fianchettoed king's bishop.

You can play through this variation move by move in your browser — Learn mode walks the line with an explanation at each step, and Drill mode replays it from memory so you find out whether you actually know it. No account is required.

Catalan Opening: Closed, Main Line — position after Nbd2 a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
Position after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. g3 Be7 5. Bg2 O-O 6. O-O Nbd7 7. Qc2 c6 8. Nbd2

Move order

#WhiteBlack
1d4Nf6
2c4e6
3Nf3d5
4g3Be7
5Bg2O-O
6O-ONbd7
7Qc2c6
8Nbd2

ECO: E09

Stockfish: +0.46 at depth 18

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Position characteristics

Related Catalan Opening lines

Frequently asked questions

What are the moves of the Closed, Main Line?

The Closed, Main Line goes 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. g3 Be7 5. Bg2 O-O 6. O-O Nbd7 7. Qc2 c6 8. Nbd2. It is a variation of the Catalan Opening and is catalogued as ECO E09.

What is the ECO code for the Closed, Main Line?

The Closed, Main Line is ECO E09. ECO codes group openings by their move order, so nearby codes cover closely related lines of the Catalan Opening.

Is the Closed, Main Line good for White?

Stockfish evaluates the position after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. g3 Be7 5. Bg2 O-O 6. O-O Nbd7 7. Qc2 c6 8. Nbd2 at +0.46 at depth 18, which is a slight pull for White, within normal opening margins. Engine evaluation is only a starting point — at club level the practical value of a line is mostly about whether you know its plans better than your opponent does.

What kind of position does the Closed, Main Line lead to?

Both sides have pawns in the centre (White on d4, Black on d5), and one pawn capture is available, so the structure has not settled yet. Development is level at three minor pieces each. It is Black to move. Both kings have castled kingside, so play tends to shift to the centre and the opposite flank.