Chess Openings Lab
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King's Pawn Game: Maróczy Defense

The Maróczy Defense starts 1.e4 d6 2.d4 e5, where Black strikes at the center at once instead of developing with ...Nf6 first. White can trade on e5 or keep the tension, while Black hopes to reach a solid Philidor-style setup without allowing an early queen trade.

Moves
1.e4 d6 2.d4 e5
ECO
B07
Engine
+0.61 · a slight edge for White (Stockfish 17.1, depth 20)
Played
6,188 games in our lichess sample
White scores
53.5%

Key ideas for both sides

White

  • 3.Nf3 is the cleanest: after 3...Nf6 4.dxe5 Nxe4 5.Qd5, the queen hits the knight and f7 at the same time.
  • The trade on e5 followed by a queen swap on d8 takes away Black's castling and leaves the king in the middle.
  • Quiet development with Nc3, Bc4 and O-O keeps a small, safe edge and puts pressure on f7.
  • If Black takes on d4, recapture with the knight or queen and enjoy more central space than Black.

Black

  • Meet 3.Nf3 with ...Nf6 or ...exd4; avoid passive moves that let White play dxe5 under good conditions.
  • After the queen trade on d8, the king can stay on e8 or c7 safely; the endgame is a bit worse but holdable.
  • A setup with ...Nbd7, ...Be7 and ...O-O, as in the second engine line, keeps the e5 point well guarded.
  • Look for ...exd4 and ...Nc6 to hit a centralized queen with tempo when White recaptures on d4.

Plans and pawn structure

If White keeps pieces on with Nf3 and Nc3, the game becomes a Philidor: Black holds e5 with ...Nbd7 and ...Be7, castles, and aims for ...c6 and ...b5 or a timely ...exd4 with play against e4. White develops Bc4, castles, and uses the extra central space for Re1 and a later f4 or a4. If White trades on e5 early, Black's d-pawn is gone and the d-file opens, so the side with better development controls d5 and d4.

What the engine plays from here

Stockfish 17.1 at depth 20 rates the position +0.61: a slight edge for White. Its three top choices for White:

  1. +0.61 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.dxe5 Nxe4 5.Qd5 Nc5
  2. +0.45 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 Nbd7 5.Bc4 Be7
  3. +0.43 3.Ne2 Nf6 4.Nbc3 c6 5.h3 h5

Pawns, from White's side.

How it scores on lichess

6,188 rated lichess games reached this position; White scored 53.5%.

under 120053.3%
1200–159953.8%
1600–199953.9%
2000 and up51.0%

Light: White wins. Grey: draws. Dark: Black wins. About the sample.

How to play against it

As White, do not rush into the queen trade if you dislike endgames; 3.Nf3 asks harder questions. Watch for ...Nxe4 tricks after dxe5 and answer with Qd5. Keep the bishop on c4 aimed at f7 until Black has castled.

Questions

What are the moves of the King's Pawn Game: Maróczy Defense?

The King's Pawn Game: Maróczy Defense starts 1.e4 d6 2.d4 e5. Its ECO code is B07.

Is the King's Pawn Game: Maróczy Defense good for Black?

Stockfish 17.1 rates the position +0.61 at depth 20, which is a slight edge for White. In 6,188 lichess games from our sample, White scored 53.5%. Fine for solid Black players who know the Philidor plans, but White has a simple, comfortable edge with natural development.

What is the main idea of the King's Pawn Game: Maróczy Defense?

Black challenges d4 right away with ...e5, heading for a Philidor-type position. White chooses between a queenless middlegame after the trade on e5 or keeping pieces with 3.Nf3 and lasting pressure on e5 and f7.

What should White play next?

The engine's first choice is Nf3, with Nc3 and Ne2 close behind. 3.Nf3 adds a third attacker to e5 and sets up the Qd5 double attack if Black grabs on e4.

Updated October 2026. Sources and method.