8765432abcdefgh1

English Opening

Agincourt Defense, Catalan Defense

A13positional

  1. 1.c4e6
  2. 2.Nf3d5
  3. 3.g3c5
894 games55%39%

Line of the English Opening's Agincourt Defense in which Black answers White's kingside fianchetto with an immediate 3...c5, building a broad center.

Train it in Theoria

About the Catalan Defense

The Catalan Defense is a third-move deviation within the Agincourt Defense. After 1. c4 e6 2. Nf3 d5 3. g3, Black plays 3...c5 at once, before developing the king's knight, and sets up a broad pawn trio on c5, d5 and e6 against White's fianchetto. The most common reply, 4. Bg2, maintains the tension, while 4. cxd5 strikes at the center immediately. The engine considers the position roughly balanced, and White scores well in practice.

Popular continuations

Named variations 1