Sicilian Defense: Accelerated Dragon - Maróczy Bind (5.c4)
White grabs space with 5.c4, entering the tough Maroczy Bind. Develop with g6, d6, trade on d4, castle, then expand with a5, a4, and Bd7. Watch for 7.Be3 Ng4 8.Bc1 Qb6, where White's rook falls after Bxg4 Qxg4 Nc2+. Aim for a solid, flexible setup against White's queenside majority.
Let's learn the Maróczy Bind! White grabs extra space with c4, entering the bind. We attack e4 and expand with a5 and a4. Let's begin with 1.e4.
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Scroll the moves: the board follows.
Key lines
The free lines of this chapter, each one trainable move by move.
- Main Line
… 10. Qd2 a5 11. O-O a4 12. Rac1 Bd7
- 7. Be3
… 6... d6 7. Be3 Ng4 8. Bg5 Qb6 9. h3 Nxf2 10. Kxf2 Bg7 11. Nb5 Bxd4+ 12. Nxd4 Nxd4
- Trap: 8.Bc1, you win a rook
… 6... d6 7. Be3 Ng4 8. Bc1 Qb6 9. Be2 Nxd4 10. Bxg4 Bxg4 11. Qxg4 Nc2+ 12. Kf1 Nxa1 13. Nd5 Qd4
- 7. Be3
… 6... d6 7. Be3 Ng4 8. Nxc6 bxc6 9. Bf4 Bg7 10. Qd2 O-O
- 7. Be3
… 6... d6 7. Be3 Ng4 8. Nxc6 bxc6 9. Bd2 Qb6 10. Qf3 Qxb2 11. Rb1 Qa3
- 7. Be3
… 6... d6 7. Be3 Ng4 8. Nxc6 bxc6 9. Bd4 e5 10. Be3 Nxe3 11. fxe3 Bh6 12. Qf3 Qb6
- 9. O-O
… 8... Bg7 9. O-O O-O 10. Qd1 a6
- 9. O-O
… 8... Bg7 9. O-O O-O 10. Qd3 a5 11. Be3 a4 12. Bd4 Bd7
- 11. f3
… 10... a5 11. f3 a4 12. O-O Qa5
- 12. f3
… 11... a4 12. f3 Qa5
Other chapters
Modern Variation (7.f3)
After 7.f3, meet it with ...O-O, ...d5, and ...e6, challenging White's center directly. Watch for lines where White castles O-O-O too early, letting ...Qxa2 win material for you.
16 linesModern Bc4 Variation (7.Bc4)
White develops with 7.Bc4, then retreats to 8.Bb3 after your castling. Meet it with ...Re8, then after 9.f3 d5 10.exd5 Nb4 11.Nde2, play ...e6, lining your rook up behind that pawn against White's bishop on e3. Watch the 10.f4 trap, where ...Ng4 and ...Qb6+ win material. You aim for a sound center against White's queenside majority.
8 linesModern Variation (7.Be2, 7.Qd2, 7.Nxc6)
After 7.Qd2 O-O 8.O-O-O, meet it with ...Ng4 eyeing Nxe3 and Nxd4. If White plays 10.Bd4, pounce with ...Bh6 and ...e5, winning material.
15 linesModern Variation (6.Nxc6)
After 6.Nxc6, recapture with bxc6 and meet 7.Bc4 with Qc7, then Nf6, d6, and Nh5 to hit the bishop on f4. Castle, then push a5 and a4, keeping the b-file half-open for your pieces. Watch the trap line where 9.e5 Ng4 wins material for you. Aim for active piece play against White's queenside majority.
7 linesExchange Variation (5.Nxc6)
White grabs your knight with 5.Nxc6, then jumps the queen to d4 and later pushes e5-e6 to chase your pieces. Recapture bxc6, meet 7.e5 with Nd5, and answer 8.e6 with Nf6, letting White overextend. If White grabs your pawn with 12.Qxe5, hit back with Bb4+ and win material. Aim for an endgame where your active pieces and extra material are winning.
10 linesSidelines (5.Be3)
White develops with 5.Be3, usually continuing 6.Nc3. Meet it with 5...Nf6, attacking e4, then fianchetto with 6...Bg7. If White tries 6.f3 Bg7 7.c4 Qb6 8.Qd2, take material with 8...Nxe4. Aim for structures where you land the bishop pair and push your kingside pawns.
4 linesRossolimo Variation (3.Bb5)
Our knight takes the e4 outpost in front of White's e5 pawn. Next ...Qb6 attacks the bishop on b5, and ...Bg4 pins the knight on f3...
17 linesDelayed Alapin Variation (3.c3)
We recapture with the queen after trading off White's strong knight. Next ...e6, ...Be7 and ...O-O complete development, and ...Rd8 puts...
12 linesOld Sicilian (3.Bc4, 3.Nc3)
With our king safe, next ...Bf5 or ...Be6 develops, ...Rc8 takes the open c-file, and ...a6 asks the bishop on b5 to decide.
22 lines
Learn Maróczy Bind (5.c4) on the board
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