Theoria
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Catalan Opening

Closed, Botvinnik Variation

E07positionalsolid

  1. 1.d4Nf6
  2. 2.c4e6
  3. 3.g3d5
  4. 4.Bg2Be7
  5. 5.Nf3O-O
  6. 6.O-ONbd7
  7. 7.Nc3c6
  8. 8.Qd3
611 games53%38%

Closed Catalan line in which White plays 7. Nc3 and 8. Qd3, placing the queen on d3 rather than c2 to support e2-e4 in a slow maneuvering game.

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About the Botvinnik Variation

The Botvinnik Variation of the Closed Catalan develops the queen's knight to c3 at once and continues 7. Nc3 c6 8. Qd3, putting the queen on d3 instead of the more usual c2. From there the queen backs up the e2-e4 advance. Black most often answers 8...b6 to develop the c8-bishop. 8...dxc4 gains a tempo on the queen, and 8...Re8 is also played. The engine rates the position as roughly balanced, though White scores well in practice.

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