I WAS upfloated.
Maróczy Bind
1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 e6!?
This is liked by Stockfish19 and Dragon1, along with the much more popular 4...Nf6.
5.e4 d6!?
The engines are not keen on this Scheveningen-approach, preferring 5...Nf6, or developing the queen to either b6 or a5.
6.Nc3 Nf6 7.Be2 Be7 8.0-0 0-0
 |
| Now both sides have castled, how would you assess the position, which occurs 890 times in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
White's Maróczy Bind is an effective weapon in practical play, scoring 62% from the diagram, although the engines give White only a slight edge.
9.Be3 Qc7
This has been played by grandmasters, but is not liked by the engines. The reason they give White only a slight edge in the diagram seems to be because they reckon Black can break the bind immediately with 9...d5!?, eg 10.exd5 exd5 11.cxd5 Nb4 12.Ndb5!? Nfxd5 13.Nxd5 Nxd5 14.Bxa7 Be6 15.a4!? Bf6, although they agree White has an edge, and there are several promising alternatives along the way.
10.Rc1 Rd8
Perhaps 10...a6 or 10...Bd7 is best, but the engines agree White has the upper hand.
 |
| How should White proceed? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
11.Nd5!
This pseudo knight sacrifice is strong.
11...exd5?!
11...exd5?!
The engines prefer declining with 11...Qd7!?, but agree 12.Nxe7+ Qxe7 13.f3 leaves White with the upper hand.
12.cxd5 Bd7 13.dxc6 bxc6 14.Nxc6! Bxc6 15.Bb5 Rac8 16.Bxc6 Qa5 17.a3
The engines prefer 17.a4!? or 17.Qd4!?
17...Qa6 18.Bd5 Nxd5!? 19.Qxd5 Bf6 20.Bd4 Bxd4 21.Qxd4
 |
| How would you assess this heavy-piece middlegame? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
White is a pawn up, and Black has two isolated pawns, one on a half-open file. White is winning, according to the engines, but 'only' has an advantage worth about 1.85, although the engines' evaluations fluctuate.
21...f6?!
This prevents back-rank mate problems, but is probably more weakening than helpful.
22.Rfd1 Rxc1!? 23.Rxc1 Qb7 24.f3?!
See previous note.
24...Kf7 25.Qc4+ Ke7 26.Rc3? Qxb2
 |
| White's advantage has largely disappeared, at least theoretically, but White's position seems much easier to play |
*****
*****
*****
*****
27.Rb3 Qa1+
Also fine is 27...Qd2, eg 28.h3 Qa5!? 29.Rb7+ Rd7 30.Rxd7+ Kxd7 31.Qf7+ Kc6 32.Qxg7 Qxa3, with complete equality, according to the engines, although the position remains sharp.
28.Kf2
 |
| How should Black proceed? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
28...Rd7?
Black should probably play 28...g5!?, although 28...Qe5!? may hold (Stockfish19 reckons so; Dragon1 disagrees). After 28...g5!?, White can try 29.Rb7+ (the move that 28...Rd7?? prevents) Rd7 30.Rxd7+ Kxd7 31.Qf7+, but play is similar to the previous note - 'equal', but sharp.
29.Qg8
Taking the eighth rank against an exposed king nearly always gives a big advantage.
29...Qa2+
If 29...Qd4+, then 30.Ke2!
30.Kg3 h5
There is no defence.
31.Qxg7+ Ke6 32.Qg8+ Ke7 33.Qh7+ Ke6 34.Qf5+ Ke7 35.Rb8 Qxa3
Relatively best may be 35...Qf7, but White has several ways of winning, including 36.Qxd7+!?
36.Qh7+ 1-0
No comments:
Post a Comment