Catalan Opening: Closed 9. e4 Na6
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Statistics from Lichess
12,854 games: White 42.7% / Draw 9.5% / Black 47.8%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 6,3716,371 | ||
| 4,6014,601 | ||
| 725725 | ||
| 480480 | ||
| 433433 | ||
| 149149 | ||
| 5555 | ||
| 2929 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Nov 2, 2026
Engine evaluation
+0.20 The position is about equal
Best play: 10. Rd1 Rc8 11. b3 c5 12. exd5 exd5 13. Bb2 Rc7 14. Nf1 dxc4
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
Overview
Catalan Opening: Closed (ECO E06, 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 c6 7. Qc2 b6 8. Nbd2 Bb7 9. e4 Na6 (9 moves).
In 12,854 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 42.7%, Black 47.8% and 9.5% were drawn. White's most played move here is 10. a3, in 50% 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 9…Na6
10. Rd1 scores best for White: 52.2%, with White winning 48.6% and Black 44.1% of 725 games. The most played, 10. a3, scores 49.4% in 6,371 games, and 10. e5 scores lowest: 44.6%. Stockfish's first choice is also 10. 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 (E06)”. Lichess data as of 2 Nov 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/catalan-opening-closed-9