The Sicilian Dragon Part 9: The Accelerated Dragon an Introduction to The Maróczy Bind
The Maróczy Bind is the position that occurs after white seizes the opportunity to play 5.c4. The opening is exclusive to the accelerated dragon because white hasn't been forced to play 5.Nc3 like in the traditional dragon. The move 5.c4 has the idea of preventing d5 and b5 from black and is considered drawish at top level. The variation is much quieter than the other Dragons and for a lot of players its a good reason not to play the Accelerated dragon. If black plays actively they'll have good equalizing chances and they have plenty of systems to choose from.
The Classical Variation
In the Classical White holds a space advantage and can therefore try to slowly improve the position and play on both sides of the board. Black's plan will be to re-route the knight to c5 with a5 to secure b4 and to try to get into a favorable minor piece endgame
The Gurgenidze System
In the Gurgenidze System Black makes an early exchange on d4 forcing the queen to recapture on d4 rather than the bishop which hasn't yet developed. Blacks plan should include ...Qa5, ...Rfc8, and a ...b7-b5 push prepared with ...a7-a6 and possibly ...Rab8.
The Breyer Variation
As per usual in the Maróczy Bind, in the Breyer Variation black seeks to exchange a pair of knights, because white has a space advantage and exchanging some pieces will help black's defensive task. After capturing white's centralized knight 9...Ne6 leaves black with an open Dragon bishop a centralized knight. black can continue developing by putting the light-square bishop on the a8-h1 diagonal and castling.
The Knight Retreat
The Knight Retreat can arise from different move orders, but white's idea is simple, with a space advantage don't trade pieces.