The Closed System of the Catalan arises after 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 Be7 and castling short (ECO E06). Unlike the Open Catalan, Black does not take on c4 but holds the d5 pawn firmly.
The play is positional in character: White's bishop on g2 presses down the long diagonal at the queenside, White pushes with the c-pawn and improves the position step by step, while Black looks for freedom via ...c5 or ...dxc4 at a convenient moment.
The Closed Catalan is a model of a long strategic fight at minimal risk for White. A favourite weapon of positional grandmasters.
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