Catalan Opening · E08

Closed, Zagoryansky Variation

1. d4 e6 2. c4 Nf6 3. Nf3 d5 4. g3 Be7 5. Bg2 O-O 6. O-O Nbd7 7. Qc2 c6 8. Rd1 b6 9. a4

White's kingside bishop takes the long diagonal. The g2 bishop plus c4 squeeze d5 from a distance: White plays a risk-free positional game where the long diagonal quietly wins endgames.

The first 4 moves, explained

• 1. d4 Stakes a claim in the centre, controlling e5, and frees the bishop and queen.
• 1... e6 Supports the centre, adding control of d5. Theory calls this the Horwitz Defense.
• 2. c4 Fights for d5 from the flank - contesting the centre without committing a centre pawn.
• 2... Nf6 Develops the knight to f6, eyeing d5 and e4.

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