Maróczy Bind
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 g6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.c4 Bg7 6.Be3 Nf6 7.Nc3 d6 8.Be2 0-0 9.Qd2!?
This is second in popularity in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database, albeit a long way behind 9.0-0.
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| How should Black respond? |
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9...Ng4
This is also second in popularity, behind 9...Bd7.
10.Bxg4 Bxg4 11.0-0
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| Now both sides have castled, how would you assess the position? |
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Black has the bishop-pair, but White has swopped off his bad bishop, and White retains the usual space advantage that comes with the Maróczy Bind, although with three sets of minor pieces (at least for the moment) rather than four. Stockfish17 and Dragon1 give White a slight edge.
11...Nxd4 12.Bxd4 Be6 13.Rad1
This seems to be a novelty, and is not liked by the engines. Known moves are 13.b3, 13.Bxg7, 13.Rfd1 and 13.f4.
13...Bxd4 14.Qxd4 Qa5
The engines do not like this either, claiming 14...Qb6 equalises (Stockfish17) or at least is better than the text (Dragon1).
15.b3 Rfc8!?
Perhaps 15...Rac8 was more circumspect.
16.f4 f6
This is best, according to the engines, but they give White the upper hand.
I could have forced queens off with 16...Qc5?!. but after 17.f5 Qxd4+ 18.Rxd4 Bd7, both 19.f6 and 19.Nd5 leave White with a positionally won game, according to the engines.
17.Rf2 Rab8 18.f5 Bf7 19.fxg6 hxg6 20.Nd5 Bxd5 21.exd5
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| How would you assess this heavy-piece middlegame? |
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The e7 pawn and e6 square are weak, Black has the less-safe king and the black rooks and queen are not well-placed to help on the kingside. Dragon1 reckons White is winning, although Stockfish17 is more cautious.
21...Kf7 22.Rdf1 Qc5 23.Qe4 Re8?
Better is 23...Rc7, but Black's position remains difficult.
24.Kh1 b5
The engines suggest 24...Qc7, but agree Black does not have a good answer to 25.g4.
25.Rf3 bxc4?!
Better, but still losing, according to the engines, is 25...Qc8.
26.Rg3
Also very strong is the immediate 26.Rh3.
26...Rg8 27.Qe6+ Kf8 28.Rh3 Qc7
All moves lose.
29.Rh7 1-0
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