A Maroczy unbound

by Oliver Reeh
11/1/2019 – In the diagram position the central pawns c4 and e4 guarantee White a typical space plus. But if he wants to play for an advantage, 12.b3 is not the way to go. Why?
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"The Maróczy Bind"

A well-known pawn formation in chess, the Maróczy Bind, named after the Hungarian grandmaster Géza Maróczy, is primarily played against the Sicilian Defence. "It is characterized by white pawns on c4 and e4 with White's d-pawn having been exchanged for Black's c-pawn. White's c- and e-pawns control the d5-square, making it difficult for Black to free his position with ...d5." (I can't improve on Wikipedia!)

 
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1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Qxd4 Nc6 5.Bb5 Bd7 6.Bxc6 Bxc6 7.c4 Nf6 8.Nc3 g6 9.0-0 Bg7 10.Qd3 0-0 11.Nd4 Rc8 In the diagram position the central pawns c4 and e4 guarantee White a typical space plus. But if he wants to play for an advantage, 12.b3 is not the way to go. Why? 12.b3 Safeguarding the pawn c4 and preparing the counter fianchetto Bb2 - what could be more natural than that? Here is an example how White might work with his space advantage against Black's bishop pair: 12.Rd1 a6 13.f3 Nd7 14.Qe2 Nc5 15.Be3 Na4 16.Nxa4 Bxa4 17.b3 Bd7 18.Rac1 Qa5 19.a4 Rc7 20.Qf2 Qb4 21.Rd3 Rcc8 22.Nc2 Qa5 23.Bb6 Qg5 24.f4 Qf6 25.e5 Qf5 26.Rcd1 Bc6 27.Ne3 Qh5 28.exd6 exd6 29.Bd4 Bxd4 30.Rxd4 Rfe8 31.Rxd6 Rc7 32.h3 Qc5 33.Ng4 Qxf2+ 34.Kxf2 Kg7 35.Nf6 Ree7 36.g4 b5 37.g5 1-0 (37) Kovalev,V (2641)-Tran,T (2522) Moscow 2018
How can Black get active immediately?
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Visakh N R2518Yeletsky,I2438½–½2019B5323rd Alekhine Master 20194.10

Oliver Reeh in ChessBase Magazine

Do you like these lessons? There are plenty more by tactic expert Oliver Reeh in ChessBase Magazine, where you will also find openings articles and surveys, endgames, and of course annotations by the world's top grandmasters.

88 times, IM Oliver Reeh leads you step by step through the most brillant game conclusions of the world champions - in interactive Fritztrainer format, enabling you to enter the winning moves yourself.

Highlights of this issue

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  • The Chinese Dragon
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  • Who surprises whom first?
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  • Attacking ideas vs. the Italian Game
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  • An exciting sideline!
    Imre Hera on 4.Qc2 c5 5.dxc5 Na6 in the Nimzo
  • Greek gift details
    Discover with Oliver Reeh stunning points of the classical sacrifice Bxh7+!
  • Queen sac versus Nakamura
    Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu shows his spectacular success from the FIDE World Cup
  • Carlsen-So 1-0!
    Enjoy Karsten Müller’s analysis of this top-notch endgame (video)
  • Revival in the Petroff
    Erwin l’Ami explains why the “new engines” like White’s position in the line 3.d4 Nxe4 4.Bd3 (video)

Analyses by Giri, Anand, Nisipeanu, Huschenbeth, Vidit, Vitiugov, Tomashevsky and many more. Plus videos by King, Shirov and l'Ami, 11 opening articles with new repertoire ideas and training sessions in strategy, tactics and endgame!

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Oliver Reeh has been working for ChessBase for many years as a translator and presenter of the internet show TV ChessBase, and he also looks after the tactics column in ChessBase Magazine, for which he has also been responsible as editor-in-chief since 2019. The International Master has contributed to the CB "MasterClass" series and is the author of the DVDs "Strike like the World Champions" and "Master Class Tactics - Train your combination skills!" Volumes 1 & 2. Oliver Reeh lives in Hamburg.

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