Catalan Opening: Closed 8. b3 b6
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Statistics from Lichess
16,047 games: White 51.4% / Draw 9.4% / Black 39.2%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 7,0357,035 | ||
| 4,0474,047 | ||
| 2,4462,446 | ||
| 1,3811,381 | ||
| 315315 | ||
| 300300 | ||
| 206206 | ||
| 9393 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 31, 2026
Engine evaluation
+0.20 The position is about equal
Best play: 9. Rd1 Re8 10. Nbd2 Bb7 11. e4 Nxe4 12. Nxe4 dxe4 13. Qxe4 Qc8
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
Overview
Catalan Opening: Closed (ECO E08, Indian Defenses) is a variation of the Catalan Opening: Closed, reached after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 Be7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. O-O Nbd7 7. Qc2 c6 8. b3 b6 (8 moves).
In 16,047 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 51.4%, Black 39.2% and 9.4% were drawn. White's most played move here is 9. Bb2, in 44% of those games.
Written from the Lichess opening list and explorer. Know this line well? Write about it.
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How to answer 8…b6
9. Rd1 scores best for White: 62.3%, with White winning 57.6% and Black 32.9% of 4,047 games. The most played, 9. Bb2, scores 54.4% in 7,035 games, and 9. Nbd2 scores lowest: 53.9%. Stockfish's first choice is also 9. Rd1.
Main answers: those played in at least 5% of these games. Score: White's wins plus half the draws, in rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500. How to play against other popular openings
Cite this page
Caissa Codex. “Catalan Opening: Closed (E08)”. Lichess data as of 31 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/catalan-opening-closed-7