Sicilian Defense: Accelerated Dragon, Maróczy Bind
Sicilian Defense: Accelerated Dragon
Definition
The Accelerated Dragon is a hyper-modern variation of the Sicilian Defense that arises after the moves
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 g6
Black fianchettoes the king-side bishop on g7 before playing …d6, aspiring to strike in the center with …d5 in a single move. This subtle difference from the “classical” Dragon (where Black plays …d6 first and only then …g6) is the defining hallmark of the Accelerated Dragon.
Strategic Ideas
- Quick …d5 break: Because …d6 has been omitted, Black can often equalize immediately with …d5, especially if White neglects to prevent it.
- Fianchetto Power: The bishop on g7 exerts long-range pressure on the a1–h8 diagonal, often targeting the c3- and d4-squares.
- No Yugoslav Attack: By delaying …d6, the feared Yugoslav Attack with Be3, Qd2, and long castling is largely avoided; those lines generally require …d6 to allow Bc4 sacs on f7.
- Piece Activity vs. Space: Black aims for fluid piece play while conceding central space if White adopts the Maróczy Bind (pawns on c4 & e4).
Typical Move Orders
- Maróczy Route: 5. c4 Bg7 6. Be3 (Maróczy Bind, see next section)
- Open Accelerated Dragon: 5. Nc3 Bg7 6. Be3 Nf6 7. Bc4 — resembles a Dragon but still without …d6.
- Exchange Variation: 5. Nxc6 bxc6 6. Qd4 (Fischer line)
Historical Significance
The system gained traction in the mid-20th century thanks to grandmasters such as Gedeon Barcza and Paul Keres, but it was the consistent use by Danish GM Bent Larsen in the 1960s that popularized the name “Accelerated Dragon.” Modern proponents include Hikaru Nakamura, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, and Magnus Carlsen, who all value its fighting nature and flexibility.
Illustrative Game
Carlsen – Radjabov, Shamkir 2014
This dynamic struggle shows both sides’ plans: White erected an early Maróczy Bind (c4 + e4), while Black fought for …b5 and piece activity. The game ultimately simplified to an ending where Black’s pair of bishops and queenside pawn majority compensated for structural weaknesses.
Interesting Facts
- The ECO codes for the Accelerated Dragon are B34–B39.
- In some databases, the line 5. Qc7 6. c4 is called the “Accelerated Fianchetto Defence,” highlighting the bishop’s role.
- Bent Larsen famously recommended the variation to Bobby Fischer, who used it sporadically during his 1970 Palma de Mallorca Interzonal run.
Maróczy Bind
Definition
The Maróczy Bind is a pawn formation—rather than a single opening line—characterized by White pawns on c4 and e4, usually supported by a knight on d4. Named after Hungarian GM Géza Maróczy (1870-1951), it most often appears against the Sicilian Accelerated Dragon and certain Hedgehog and King’s Indian structures.
How It Arises
Most commonly from the Accelerated Dragon:
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 g6 5. c4
but it can also spring from:
- The English Opening (1. c4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4)
- Alapin Sicilian lines (1. e4 c5 2. c3 Nf6 3. e5 Nd5 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. c4)
Strategic Themes
- Space Advantage: The pawns on c4 and e4 clamp down on the critical d5 and b5 squares, restricting Black’s typical Sicilian counterplay.
- Piece Manoeuvring: White often places pieces behind the pawn chain (Be3, Rc1, Qd2) and probes on the queenside with b3, Bb2, and f3 to shore up e4.
- Black’s Counter-Plans: With …b5 or …d5 hard to achieve, Black adopts the Hedgehog setup (…e6, …d6, …a6, …b6) and relies on pawn breaks at well-timed moments.
- Endgame Edge: In many simplified positions the space edge endures, giving White freer piece activity while Black remains cramped.
Historical Importance
Géza Maróczy used the structure extensively in the early 1900s, but it reached modern prominence in the 1953 Zurich Candidates, where players like Tigran Petrosian demonstrated its suffocating effect. The Bind soon became a staple weapon celebrated in the writings of Boleslavsky and later in the influential book “Beating the Sicilian” by John Nunn and Joe Gallagher.
Model Game
Anand – Topalov, Dortmund 1997
Anand gradually increased the pressure, exploiting the d6 weakness and Black’s lack of counterplay. The bind stifled …d5 forever and eventually the position collapsed.
Typical Plans for Each Side
White Plans
- Maintain the pawn duo (c4, e4) at all costs.
- Use heavy pieces on the c- and d-files (Rc1, Qd2, Rad1).
- Break on f4-f5 or even c5 when advantageous to open lines.
Black Plans
- Prepare …b5 with …a6 & …Rb8; if achieved, the light-squared bishop often lands on b7.
- Set up …e6 & …d6, then look for the freeing …d5 break supported by …Ne5 or …Re8.
- Target the c4-pawn via …Be6, …Rc8, and control of the c-file.
Interesting Anecdotes
- Garry Kasparov once called the Maróczy Bind “an anaconda—you think you are safe, but it keeps squeezing until you cannot breathe.”
- The Bind is so respected that many modern Accelerated Dragon specialists voluntarily transpose to standard Dragon lines with …d6 just to sidestep it.
- In a famous blitz game (Hikaru Nakamura vs. Magnus Carlsen, Internet 2020), Nakamura used a delayed Maróczy (via an English move order) and won after restricting Carlsen’s queenside play.