tempo: 6& Nd4 7.Qd4 d6.
Georg Mohr:
An ideal move order? Yes and no! Black
has succeeded strategically but White can
THE MAROCZY PAWN
develop his bishops. He will develop his
STRUCTURE: dark-squared bishop to an active g5 square,
because he does not need to protect the
The withdrawal of the knight
knight on d4. After Qd2 he will put his
from the center
light-squared bishop to d3 and he will start
to prepare the play on the kingside.
The strategy of the withdrawal of White s
The move 5& Bg7 has its advantages. It is
knight from the center is as rule very
allowing the withdrawal of the knight
unpleasant for Black. White can move the
6.Nc2 which for a long time believed to be
knight to three different squares: to c2,
less dangerous due to Black not developing
from where the knight will return into play
the knight on the kingside. The practice
in different ways (over a3 to b5, over e3 to
showed that Black has a good counter play
d5& ) to b3, from where is supporting the
against the plan with the withdrawal of the
move c4-c5, to e2 (an often withdrawal in
knight to c2 with the move f7-f5. He can
Moscow Variation of the Sicilian).
develop the knight to h6 and as soon as
Why is this withdrawal unpleasant for
possible play f7-f5 (with the already
Black? Especially because White has more
developed knight he would need to lose yet
space and Black wants to exchange pieces
another move to withdraw, usually to d7)
to gain space. Due to that Black is
or he can play f7-f5 and only then develop
generally exchanging early (Nd4) against
the knight. White players later on found
the Maroczy pawn structure. But
good chances for the development of the
everything has its advantages and
initiative.
disadvantages. It is true that Black s bishop
Most of the players prefer to defend the
can move to (Bd7-c6): from where it will
knight  6.Be3 Nf6 7.Nc3. Black finds
be able to put pressure on the center and
himself on a new crossroads. He can
also to present a threat to the e4-pawn. But
exchange a pair of knight with the help of a
on the other hand Black is releasing
typical maneuver 7& Ng4! 8.Qg4 Nd4 and
tension in the center because of the
White does not have a better move than
exchange (Nc6 is pressuring on d4) and
9.Qd1, meanwhile Black can move to an
White, which often has problems with the
active square  9& Ne6. He can decide for
development, because of the unprotected
a classical continuation 7& d6 8.Be2 0-0
knight, can choose between playing on the
9.0-0 Bd7 with the idea 10& Nd4 and
kingside and in the center.
11& Bc6. White play the unpleasant
Let us see a typical psychological battle in
10.Nc2 (or 10.Nb3 with the idea c4-c5),
our variation!
which destroys Black s plans and due to
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cd4 4.Nd4 g6 5.c4
that the experts improved the move order
The first critical moment. Black is afraid
for Black. After d4 Black takes already in
that White will move the knight as soon as
the 9. move: 9& Nd4 10.Bd4 and only
possible (Nc2). What to do? The taking
after that 10& Bd7. White needs to move
5& Nd4 6.Qd4 is too early because of the
the knight to the c2 square earlier and that
weakness on the long diagonal 6& Nf6
brought to new researches of the positions
7.e5!). So Black arrives to the first
after the immediate withdrawal  6.Nc2!
crossroads. Many chess players choose the
Firstly let us have a look how White can
move 5& Nf6, which forces White into
effectively defend himself against the early
6.Nc3 that leaves Black with a significant
f7-f5.
FIDE Surveys  Georg Mohr 1
Voitsekehovsky S. : Aronian L. which is not weaker than the opponent s
Minsk 1998 light-squared bishop.
13& Nf5 14.Nc3 d6 15.Bd3 Nfd4 16.Nd4
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cd4 4.Nd4 g6 5.c4 Qd4 17.Qd4 Nd4 18.0 0 0 Nc6 19.Rhe1
Bg7 6.Nc2 Nh6 7.Bd2! White s play is simple: he will put pressure
This move is allowed by last development on the central lines, on the backward
of the knight: 7& Bb2? 8.Bh6 Ba1 9.Na1! pawns d6 and e7.
Due to that Black often chooses 6& d6, 19& 0 0 20.f3 Bf5 21.Be4 Be4 22.Ne4
where White fights against 7& f5 with a Rf5 23.Kb2 Re5 24.f4 Rh5 25.Rh1 Rf8
simple development 7.Bd3! 26.g3 a5 27.a3 Rhf5 28.Rd2 Nb8 29.Re1
Very interesting is a recommendation of P. b5!?
H. Nielsen 6& Qb6, after which White Of course Black wanted to get some
cannot come up with a good defence of the counter play but the outcome will be good
b2-pawn. After logical« move 7.Nc3 for White.
Black takes 7& Bc3!? 8.bc3 Nf6 and tries 30.Nc3 bc4 31.Re7 g5 32.fg5 Nc6 33.Rc7
to play without his pair of bishops against Rf2 34.Ne4 Rd2 35.Nd2 Rf2 36.Rc6 Rd2
the weak White s pawns. In practice White 37.Kc3 Rh2 38.Kc4 Rg2 39.Rd6 Rg3
players have more success. They can 40.Rd5 a4 41.ba4 Kf7 42.Re5 Ra3 43.a5
develop a strong initiative with the dark- Ra1 44.Kb5 Rb1 45.Kc6  1:0.
squared bishop, for example: 9.Bd3 d6
10.Ne3 0 0 11.0 0 Ne5 12.Nd5 Nd5 The young Levon Aronian definitely
13.cd5 Qa5 14.Be2 Qc3 15.Rb1 Qc7 16.f4 learned a lot from the defeat and due to
Nd7 17.Bb2 f6 18.Qd2 Nc5 19.Qe3 e5 that he later on probably started to play this
20.de6 Be6 21.f5 gf5 22.ef5 Ba2 23.Ra1 variation with white pieces.
Bd5 24.Qd4 Qc6 25.Ra3 Nd7 26.Rd1 Rae8
27.Bh5 Re5 28.Qd2 Rf5 29.Rg3 Kh8 Aronian L. : Vorobiov E.
30.Qh6 Rg8 31.Bg6 Rg7 32.Bf5 Qb6 Moscow 2004
33.Bd4 1:0, Eljanov : Zubarev, Harkov
2001. 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cd4 4.Nd4 g6 5.c4
7& f5 8.ef5 Nf5 9.Bc3! Qb6 10.Qd2 Bh6 Bg7 6.Nc2 Nf6 7.Nc3 0 0 8.Be2 d6 9.0 0
11.Qd5 Bg7 12.Bg7 Ng7 13.b3 Nd7!?
An interesting plan. Black wants to take
XIIIIIIIIY
Bc3 and set up the blockage on the dark
9r+l+k+-tr0
squares. The plan is practically  stolen
9zpp+pzp-snp0
from the English Opening: 1.c4 c5 2.Nc3
9-wqn+-+p+0
Nf6 3.g3 d5 4.cd5 Nd5 5.Bg2 Nc7 6.Qb3!?
(a provocation  White is waiting for Nc6)
9+-+Q+-+-0
6& Nc6 7.Bc6!? bc6 8.Qa4. White even
9-+P+-+-+0
gave up a tempo, because he believes in his
9+-+-+-+-0
pawn structure. There is no reason for
9PzPN+-zPPzP0
Black not to act the same way&
Most of the players do not like the
9tRN+-mKL+R0
positions with the destroyed pawn structure
xiiiiiiiiy
and because of that they almost
White has a slight advantage. His pawns
automatically respond with:
are more connected and without
10.Bd2 Nc5 11.b4!?
weaknesses. The exchanges in the center
A very interesting pawn sacrifice.
brought to life a light-squared bishop,
Especially because 11.f3 Qb6!? 12.Kh1
FIDE Surveys  Georg Mohr 2
Qb2!? 13.Rb1 Bc3 looks promising for The opening of the a-file seems more
Black. logical, where Black is prevailing: 12...a5
11& Ne6 13.a3 ab4 14.ab4 and only then 14& Ned4
Critical is the taking: 11...Bc3 12.Bc3 Ne4 15.Nd4 Nd4 16.Be3. Black can continue
13.Bb2 (a new comparison with the actively 16& e5, practice showed that the
English Opening is interesting and again most active continuation for White is
with the pieces of the opposite color: 1.c4 17.Nb5 Nb5 18.cb5 Be6 19.b6 f5 20.Bc4
c5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.g3 d5 4.cd5 Nd5 5.Bg2 Bc4 21.Rc4 f4 22.Qd5 Kh8 23.Bd2 Qb6
Nc7 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.0-0 e5 8.d3 Be7 9.Nd2 24.Rfc1 with a good compensation.
Bd7 10.Nc4 0-0 11.Bc6 Bc6 12.Ne5). (Aalgard)
13.Nd4 Nd4 14.Be3
XIIIIIIIIY
In the position where the a-file is not
9r+-wq-trk+0
opened yet, the maneuver seems even
9zppsn-vlpzpp0
better. The bishop pair is not important
9-+l+-+-+0
because White can exchange the dark-
squared bishops any time he wants.
9+-zp-sN-+-0
14& Ne2 15.Qe2 b6 16.Rfd1 Bb7 17.Bd4
9-+-+-+-+0
Bd4
9+-sNP+-zP-0
17& f6 is possible, weaker seems to be
9PzP-+PzP-zP0
17...Rc8 18.Bg7 Kg7 19.e5.
18.Rd4 Qc7 19.h4!
9tR-vLQ+RmK-0
Again a typical plan with the attack on the
xiiiiiiiiy
king. Look at the kingside where Black has
A very popular position almost equal to the
no pieces! He is facing the unpleasant
previous one. The only difference is that
choice: whether to let the h-pawn progress
Black cannot play b7-b5 and he is forced
or weaken himself even more with the
to withdraw 12& Be8. This position was
move h7-h5.
played even by the World Champions!
19& Rac8 20.h5 a6 21.Nd5 Bd5
You can imagine how much easier is the
XIIIIIIIIY
position on the diagram where White can
9-+r+-trk+0
move his bishop to the most logical square
b2 & 13& .Be6 (Black players also tried
9+-wq-zpp+p0
with 13...e5 14.Qe1 Qg5 15.Rd1 Be6
9pzp-zp-+p+0
16.Bd3 f5 17.f3 Nf6 18.f4 or 13...Qb6
9+-+l+-+P0
14.a3 Be6 15.Ne3, in both cases with a
9-zPPtRP+-+0
strong initiative for White - Aalgard) 14.b5
Ne5 (because of the move being practically
9+-+-+-+-0
lost, the commentators later recommended
9P+-+QzPP+0
14...Na5 15.Qd4 Nf6 16.Ne3 Qc7 17.Rac1
9+-tR-+-mK-0
Qc5 18.Qh4 Rac8 19.Rfd1 or 14...Nb8
xiiiiiiiiy
15.Qd4 Nf6 16.g4 Qb6 17.g5 Qd4 18.Bd4
Ne4 (18...Nfd7 19.Bf3) 19.Bf3 d5 20.Bg2, A typical position: considering the rules
again with the initiative for White) 15.Qd4 that we were following the best move for
Nf6 16.f4 Ned7 (16...Neg4 17.h3 Nh6 White would be the taking 22.Rd5!? But
18.g4) 17.g4 Qb6 18.f5 White won a piece even the taking with the e-pawn, which
and quickly won as in the game Svidler : was Aronian s choice, is not bad in the
Tivjakov, Halkidika 2002. current position. White is combining the
12.Rc1 Ned4 positional play with the attack on the king
FIDE Surveys  Georg Mohr 3
and opening the fourth rank for his rook 2.f3
for the possible transposition to the h-file. A typical move  an additional defence of
At the same time the e7-pawn is weak. the e4-pawn. White wants to free from this
22.ed5 Rfe8 23.Re4 Qd7 24.Re1 b5 assignment his knight on c3, which is also
25.cb5 ab5 26.h6! Kf8 27.Qb2 f6 actively preventing the move b7-b5.
2& Rc8 3.Qd2
XIIIIIIIIY
Possibly the strongest move is 3.Rac1 Ne5
9-+r+rmk-+0
4.Na3 Qa5 (preparing b7-b5) 5.Qb3! with
9+-+qzp-+p0
an unpleasant threat Bb6.
9-+-zp-zppzP0
3& Re8 4.Rac1 Qa5 5.Rfd1
The plan 5.Na3 Be6 6.Nab1 is interesting
9+p+P+-+-0
but too slow, it did not bring success to
9-zP-+R+-+0
White in the game Gulko : P. H. Nielsen,
9+-+-+-+-0
Esbjerg 2000.
9PwQ-+-zPP+0
5& Ne5
Or 5& Red8
9+-+-tR-mK-0
XIIIIIIIIY
xiiiiiiiiy
9-+rtr-+k+0
28.Re7!
The transposition to a winning endgame.
9+p+lzppvlp0
28& Qe7 29.Re7 Ke7 30.Qe2 Kf7 31.Qb5
9p+nzp-snp+0
Rc1 32.Kh2  1:0.
9wq-+-+-+-0
9-+P+P+-+0
Black can fight against the withdrawal of
the knight to c2 with the plan a7-a6 and
9+-sN-vLP+-0
b7-b5, like love to play the Scandinavians
9PzPNwQL+PzP0
(in the past Bent Larsen and Ulf
9+-tRR+-mK-0
Andersson, nowadays P. H. Nielsen).
xiiiiiiiiy
Short N. : Felgaer R. 6.b4!  a typical trick, linked with the
Argentina 2001 placement of the queen and the undefended
e7-pawn: 6& Nb4? 7.Nd5 Nc6 8.Qa5 Na5
XIIIIIIIIY
9.Ne7 and 10.Nc8. Remains 6& Qh5
9r+-wq-trk+0
7.Nd5 and White is better.
9zpp+lzppvlp0
XIIIIIIIIY
9-+nzp-snp+0
9-+r+r+k+0
9+-+-+-+-0
9+p+lzppvlp0
9-+P+P+-+0
9p+-zp-snp+0
9+-sN-vL-+-0
9wq-+-sn-+-0
9PzPN+LzPPzP0
9-+P+P+-+0
9tR-+Q+RmK-0
9+-sN-vLP+-0
xiiiiiiiiy
9PzPNwQL+PzP0
1& a6
9+-tRR+-mK-0
The weaker plan is 1& Qa5? 2.f4 Rac8
xiiiiiiiiy
3.Rb1! a6 4.b4 Qd8 5.Qd3 and White was
much better in the game Short : Andersson, 6.b4
Wijk aan Zee 1990. Much better than 6.Na3 h5 7.Kf1 Ba4!?
FIDE Surveys  Georg Mohr 4
8.Re1 Bc6 with an excellent counter play his partner on c3 is already prepared for
for Black, Anand : Larsen, Roquebrune action (on b5 or d5).
1992 & 0:1. 2& Nd7
The game would be practically decided The second logical possibility is 2& Ne8
after 6.c5! and Black would be facing big with the play against the d4 square, for
troubles. example: 3.Rc1 (3.Nf3 Nf6!) 3& Nd4
6& Qd8 7.Na3 a5 8.b5 Be6 9.Na4 Nfd7 4.Nb3 Ne2 5.Qe2 a4! 6.Nd4 Nc7, like in
10.b6! and White had a huge advantage. the game Cvetkovic : Martinovic,
Yugoslavia 1991.
For some years was very popular a plan 3.Rc1 Nd7
with the withdrawal of the knight on b3 After the principled 3.c5 dc5 4.Bc5 Be6
and with the preparation of the move c4- 5.Nc4 Nd7 6.Be3 Rc8 the position is at
c5. We have in mind the next position: least equal for Black.
4.Nb3!?
XIIIIIIIIY
Korchnoi in his provocative style! The
9r+-wq-trk+0
knight that recently spent two moves for
9zpp+lzppvlp0
the maneuver Nd4-b3-d2 will in the
9-+nzp-snp+0
following two moves return over the same
squares: Nd2-b3-d4! What an absurd
9+-+-+-+-0
action!
9-+P+P+-+0
3& b6 4.Nd4
9+NsN-vL-+-0
Anand probably did not understand
9PzP-+LzPPzP0
White s play, though it was not so
unreasonable. What did achieve Black
9tR-+Q+RmK-0
while the White s knight was dancing
xiiiiiiiiy
around? He moved the a7-pawn and b7-
Black can choose between two plans:
pawn to a5 and b6, which has its pros and
1& a5 with the play against the unusual
cons. The pawns did set up a blockage on
placement of the knight or 1& b6 with
the dark squares but they made many light
placement of some kind of wall, which is
squares weak (b5, c6). The bishop did
preventing White s planned move. The
move to c8 and left an important d7 square
first plan is concrete and the second one is
to the knight, which has a task on c5.
connected with a complicated strategic
After the return of the knight to d4 Black
play.
has no choice but to exchange a pair of
knights. Because of the weak light squares
Kortschnoj V. : Anand V.
it would be unforgivable for one of the
Wijk aan Zee 1990
knights to move to b5 and for the other one
to threat with moving to d5. And the fact is
1& a5!?
that the knight on c6 is not playing a
The old rule says that the progression with
significant role in the position.
a rook pawn, with the unpleasant threat a5
4& Nd4 5.Bd4
(a4), is always good against the placement
of the knight to b6 (b3) .
2.Nd2
It threatened 2& a4 in 3& a3 with the
destruction of the queenside and because
of that White gave up another tempo. The
knight on d2 is defending the e4-pawn and
FIDE Surveys  Georg Mohr 5
13.fg6 hg6 14.Bg5 a4 15.Qe3 ab3 16.ab3
XIIIIIIIIY
Ra2 17.Rf2 Qe6 18.Bf3 draw.
9r+lwq-trk+0
9+-+nzppvlp0
Despite the good experiences with the
9-zp-zp-+p+0
move 1& a7-a5, many players like the
setting up of the wall.
9zp-+-+-+-0
9-+PvLP+-+0
Polugaevsky L. : Ljubojevic L.
9+-sN-+-+-0
Monaco 1992
9PzP-+LzPPzP0
XIIIIIIIIY
9+-tRQ+RmK-0
9r+-wq-trk+0
xiiiiiiiiy
9zpp+lzppvlp0
5& Bh6!
9-+nzp-snp+0
A very instructive moment. Black won a
9+-+-+-+-0
tempo and for him is even more important
9-+P+P+-+0
to keep the dark-squared bishops. If not so
White s attack would become very
9+NsN-vL-+-0
dangerous. For example: 5& Bb7 6.Bg7
9PzP-+LzPPzP0
Kg7 7.Qd4 Kg8 8.f4 Nc5 9.f5. Black
9tR-+Q+RmK-0
would not have enough pieces on the
xiiiiiiiiy
kingside and White s pieces would be able
to attack freely. (Nd5, Rc3-h3). 1& b6
6.f4 Quite illogical move is 1& Na5 2.Nd2!
After 6.Rc2 e5! 7.Be3 Be3 8.fe3 Nc5 with the threat b2-b4.
9.Bf3 Bb7 Black s position would be at 2.f3
least equal. White tried many moves. After 2.a4 a5!
6& Bb7 7.Be3 Nc5 8.b3!? Black would win yet another dark square
White already had problems. After 8.Bf3 on the queenside (b4) and Black s knights
e5! does not work 9.Qd2 ef4 10.Bf4 Bf4 on c5 and b4 would be very unpleasant for
11.Qf4 Nd3. For this reason Korchnoi White, but the most consistent is the set up
decided for complications. with f2-f4, Be2-f3 and the play in the
8& Ne4 9.Ne4 Be4 10.Qd4 Bc6 11.f5!? center. However White does not have a
Korchnoi understandably did not like the direct and clear plan in the center and due
endgame after 11.Qb6 Qb6 12.Bb6 Rfb8 to that the position is easier for Black,
13.Be3 a4, when only Black would be which is simply following the dark-squared
playing with his a5-pawn and b4-pawn. strategy, preparing the dark squares for his
The pawn sacrifice is quite unpleasant. In knights and directing them towards the
the case of Black taking on the challenge: dark squares (especially to c5).
11& Be3 12.Qe3 Kg7 (it Polugaevsky chose a slow plan, connected
threatened13.Qh6), White would after with the conquering of the space and with
13.Rf4 achieve an unpleasant initiative, putting pressure on Black.
which is certainly not in Anand s style. 2& Ne8
11& Bg7 12.Qb6 Qd7 With the idea 2& Bc3.
Why not 12& Qb6 13.Bb6 Rfb8 14.Be3 a4, 3.Qd2 Rc8 4.Rac1 Ne5 5.Nd5 e6!
with the transposition to the already known White s knight does not have a good
position with an undoubted advantage for square to withdraw (because of the
Black? undefended c4-pawn) and Ljubojevic took
FIDE Surveys  Georg Mohr 6
advantage of the favorable moment. It
would be very difficult for White to attack
the d6-pawn.
6.Nf4 Qe7 7.Rfd1 f5 8.ef5 Rf5
Even better would be 8& gf5 9.Nd4 Ng6
10.Nh5
XIIIIIIIIY
9-+r+ntrk+0
9zp-+lwq-vlp0
9-zp-zpp+n+0
9+-+-+p+N0
9-+PsN-+-+0
9+-+-vLP+-0
9PzP-wQL+PzP0
9+-tRR+-mK-0
xiiiiiiiiy
10& Bd4! 11.Bd4 (11.Qd4 e5 12.Qd2 f4)
11& f4! 12.Bf2 (it threatened 12& Qh4)
12& Bc6 with an excellent play for Black.
The maneuver, which needs to be
remembered!
9.Nd4 Rf8
With a very complicated play and draw in
52 moves.
FIDE Surveys  Georg Mohr 7