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Catalan, Open, 5.Nf3 (E04)
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 g3 d5 4 Bg2 dxc4 5 Nf3

Number of games in database: 4885
Years covered: 1938 to 2023
Overall record:
   White wins 34.6%
   Black wins 23.2%
   Draws 42.3%

Popularity graph, by decade

Explore this opening  |  Search for sacrifices in this opening.
PRACTITIONERS
With the White Pieces With the Black Pieces
Evgeny Gleizerov  56 games
Boris Gelfand  52 games
Aleksander Wojtkiewicz  31 games
Arkadij Naiditsch  40 games
Alexandra Kosteniuk  33 games
Michael Adams  32 games
NOTABLE GAMES [what is this?]
White Wins Black Wins
Anand vs Topalov, 2010
Kramnik vs Morozevich, 2007
Kramnik vs Topalov, 2006
Carlsen vs Kramnik, 2010
Ivanchuk vs Korchnoi, 1989
A S Rasmussen vs Robson, 2009
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 page 1 of 196; games 1-25 of 4,885  PGN Download
Game  ResultMoves YearEvent/LocaleOpening
1. A Simonson vs Kupchik  0-1411938United States ChampionshipE04 Catalan, Open, 5.Nf3
2. F Reinfeld vs E McCormick  ½-½251939Ventnor CityE04 Catalan, Open, 5.Nf3
3. K Opocensky vs A da Silva Rocha  1-0671939Buenos Aires Olympiad Final-AE04 Catalan, Open, 5.Nf3
4. O Trompowsky vs Keres 0-1341939Buenos Aires Olympiad Final-AE04 Catalan, Open, 5.Nf3
5. S Belavenets vs G Bastrikov  1-0261940Candidate to MasterE04 Catalan, Open, 5.Nf3
6. K Opocensky vs J Podgorny  1-0361940RakovnikE04 Catalan, Open, 5.Nf3
7. Fine vs Shainswit  1-0371940United States ChampionshipE04 Catalan, Open, 5.Nf3
8. Bondarevsky vs Veresov 1-0401940USSR ChampionshipE04 Catalan, Open, 5.Nf3
9. H Rossetto vs C Guimard  1-0421942ARG-ch mE04 Catalan, Open, 5.Nf3
10. K Opocensky vs J Louma  ½-½161943UJCS-17.KongressE04 Catalan, Open, 5.Nf3
11. K Opocensky vs K Prucha  1-0271945PragueE04 Catalan, Open, 5.Nf3
12. David le Brun Jones vs S H Crockett  ½-½601946Nottingham-B3E04 Catalan, Open, 5.Nf3
13. Y Solntsev vs M Bonch-Osmolovsky  1-0411946Moscow ChampionshipE04 Catalan, Open, 5.Nf3
14. Keres vs E Klein 1-0411946GBR-URS Radio MatchE04 Catalan, Open, 5.Nf3
15. Ragozin vs A Pinkus  1-0641946URS - USAE04 Catalan, Open, 5.Nf3
16. Lilienthal vs I Kan ½-½661947USSR ChampionshipE04 Catalan, Open, 5.Nf3
17. K Ozols vs E Zemgalis  1-0481947DP Latvian championship playoffE04 Catalan, Open, 5.Nf3
18. Kasparian vs Tolush  1-0641947ParnuE04 Catalan, Open, 5.Nf3
19. Bondarevsky vs Keres ½-½1051947MoscowE04 Catalan, Open, 5.Nf3
20. C Kottnauer vs H Kramer  ½-½391948HoogovensE04 Catalan, Open, 5.Nf3
21. K Opocensky vs V Castaldi  0-1441948VeniceE04 Catalan, Open, 5.Nf3
22. K Opocensky vs G Fletzer  ½-½221948VeniceE04 Catalan, Open, 5.Nf3
23. Tolush vs G Ilivitsky 1-0231948USSR ChampionshipE04 Catalan, Open, 5.Nf3
24. Alatortsev vs Keres  ½-½311948USSR ChampionshipE04 Catalan, Open, 5.Nf3
25. M Aizenshtadt vs Taimanov  0-1381949Leningrad ChampionshipE04 Catalan, Open, 5.Nf3
 page 1 of 196; games 1-25 of 4,885  PGN Download
  REFINE SEARCH:   White wins (1-0) | Black wins (0-1) | Draws (1/2-1/2)  

Kibitzer's Corner
May-03-04  Minor Piece Activity: Do any super gms today play this from the white side?
May-03-04  Phoenix: Here are some recent games I found:
Radjabov vs Topalov, 2004
Gelfand vs Aronian, 2003
Gelfand vs Adams, 2003
Gelfand vs L Bruzon, 2002
I Sokolov vs Skripchenko-Lautier, 2002
Gelfand vs Van Wely, 2002
Karpov vs Van Wely, 2002
Bareev vs Adams, 2002
Kasparov vs Adams, 2001
May-03-04  Dillinger: Yes, but apart from Khalifman (who uses it regularly) only as a distraction. Kasparov vs Adams, 2001
Ivanchuk vs I Novikov, 1986
Topalov vs Morozevich, 1996
Judit Polgar vs Bronstein, 1988
Bareev vs Aleksandrov, 2000
May-03-04  Dillinger: ah Phoenix beat me to it :)
May-03-04  Phoenix: Wow, by a mere minute!!
Jul-20-05  rochade18: In this line Black often plays 5...a6 in order to protect the c4-pawn with b5. In that case white plays 6.0-0 and 7.Se5 with a strong attack.

But this attack is not the same after 5...c6 which indirectly covers the rook on a8. Why does black not play 5...c6 instead of a6?

Sep-26-06  nummerzwei: I think black doesn´t play c6 in order to put either the c8-bishop or the b8-knight on the c6 square.
Apr-22-07
Premium Chessgames Member
  WTHarvey: Here are some zaps n traps in E04 miniatures: http://www.wtharvey.com/e04.html
Jun-27-07  hicetnunc: <rochade18> 5...c6 is fully playable
Dec-27-07  Chess Addict: Hi,

I need yo know the evaluation after the following moves of Catalan:

1. d4, Nf6
2. c4, e6
3. g3, d5
4. Bg2, dxc4
5. Nf3 b5
6. a4, c6
7. axb5, cxb5
8. Ne5, Nd5
9. Nc3, Bb4
10. 0-0, Bxc3
11. e4, Bxb2
12. exd5, Bxa1
13. Ba3, ...

It seems complicated to me, and my opening book says that White holds the edge, but I am not sure. What are some ways White can play for a better advantage positionally?

Jan-30-09  Cactus: A bit of a late responce, but you can always play for the advantage with Qa4+ after ...dxc4. You won't have to gambit a pawn, and it will be more positional, but it is more drawish. Andersson played it often.

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