Sicilian Defense: Accelerated Dragon, Maróczy Bind

Key ideas for both sides

White

Follow with Nc3, Be2 or f3, Be3 and Qd2, guarding c4 and e4 and keeping ...d5 off the board.
After ...Nxd4, recapture Qxd4 and use the queen to cover the long diagonal against the g7 bishop.
Play b3 at the right time so the c4 pawn is safe from ...Qa5 and ...Be6 pressure.
Aim for a queenside space grab with a later c5 or b4 when Black's pieces are passive.

Black

Trade the d4 knight with ...Nxd4 to ease the cramp; fewer pieces means less space problems.
Use ...Be6, ...Qa5 and the rooks on the c-file to hit c4, the base of the bind.
Look for ...a5 to stop b4 and to fix a weakness on b3 later.
Your main breaks are ...b5 and ...f5; prepare them before White completes the bind.

Plans and pawn structure

White's c4 and e4 pawns control d5 and give a long-term space edge. White develops calmly and tries to keep Black passive, often with f3, Be3 and Qd2, then expands on the queenside. Black trades pieces, plays ...d6 and ...Be6, and puts pressure on c4 with the queen and rooks. The key Black breaks are ...b5, often prepared with ...a6, and ...f5. If White is careless, Black's g7 bishop and the c-file give sharp counterplay.

Where the engine's main line heads: Maroczy bind: White pawns on c4 and e4. The Maroczy bind: White pawns on c4 and e4 clamp the d5 square, so Black's ...d5 and ...b5 breaks are hard to play.

What the engine plays from here

Stockfish 17.1 at depth 20 rates the position +0.35: a slight edge for White. Its three top choices for Black:

+0.35 5...Nf6 6.Nc3 d6 7.f3 Nxd4 8.Qxd4
+0.38 5...d6 6.Nc3 Nf6 7.f3 Nxd4 8.Qxd4
+0.48 5...Bg7 6.Be3 Nf6 7.Nc3 O-O 8.Be2

Pawns, from White's side.

How it scores on lichess

1,629 rated lichess games reached this position; White scored 54.0%.

1200–159944.7%

1600–199955.0%

2000 and up54.3%

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

Where it goes next

Accelerated Dragon, Maróczy Bind, Gurgenidze Variation5...Nf6 · rare
Accelerated Dragon, Maróczy Bind, Breyer Variation5...Bg7 · rare

How to play against it

With Black, trade a pair of knights with ...Nxd4 early, then target c4 with the queen and bishop. Do not wait passively, or White's space slowly squeezes you. With White, keep c4 and e4 safe, use f3 and Be3 and do not rush; your space edge lasts.

Other lines with this name

The lichess opening list also files these lines under the same name, though they reach a different position: 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 g6 5.c4 Bg7; 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 g6 5.c4 Bg7 6.Be3.

Questions

What are the moves of the Sicilian Defense: Accelerated Dragon, Maróczy Bind?

The Sicilian Defense: Accelerated Dragon, Maróczy Bind starts 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 g6 5.c4. Its ECO code is B36, B37, B38.

Is the Sicilian Defense: Accelerated Dragon, Maróczy Bind good for White?

Stockfish 17.1 rates the position +0.35 at depth 20, which is a slight edge for White. In 1,629 lichess games from our sample, White scored 54.0%. Suited to patient White players who like squeezing, while Black needs good maneuvering skills and a clear plan with ...Nxd4 and ...Be6.

What is the main idea of the Sicilian Defense: Accelerated Dragon, Maróczy Bind?

White locks d5 with pawns on c4 and e4, gaining space. Black trades pieces and looks for ...b5 or ...f5 breaks to free the position.

What should Black play next?

The engine's first choice is Nf6, with d6 and Bg7 close behind. 5...Nf6 develops and hits e4, so White must decide how to protect it with Nc3 or f3.

Updated October 2026. Sources and method.