Maroczy Bind
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4!?
A lot of moves are more popular than the text, but it has been played by Carlsen, Leko and Yu.
3...Nc6 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 Nf6 6.Nc3 Bb4 7.Nxc6
The main move, but White's score with it in ChessBase's 2019 Mega database is just 42%.
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| Black to make his seventh move |
*****
*****
*****
*****
7....dxc6
Black has a pleasant choice between this simple equalising response, and going for more with 7...bxc6. Grandmasters have also played 7...Bxc3+, surrendering the bishop-pair but giving White multiple queenside weaknesses.
8.Qxd8+ Kxd8 9.Bd3 e5 10.Bg5 Kc7 11.0-0 Be6 12.Rac1 Rad8 13.Be2 Kb8
Neutralising the threat of Nd5+.
14.f3?
Further weakening the central dark squares.
14...Bc5+ 15.Kh1 h6 16.Bh4 Rd2 17.Rfe1
Stockfish10 and Komodo10 reckon it was better to give up the b2 pawn with 17.Rfd1, which shows how bad White's position has become in very short time.
17...Bb4
Even stronger was 17...Bd4.
18.Nd1?
Horribly passive. Better was 18.Bg3, when the engines give 18...Nd7 19.Na4 Kc7 20.a3 Be7 21.Rcd1 Rxd1 22.Rxd1 - Black is better, but not immediately winning material.
18...Nh5 19.Bf2 Nf4 20.Bf1 Rd7 21.Nc3 Bxc3 22.Rxc3 Rd2 23.Ra3??
The final debacle. I resigned before DM could play 23...Rxf2.
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