#1
This is certainly playable and has been played at GM level.
Most logical for black is to fianchetto 7...Nf6, 8...g6, 9...Bg7 to drive the white queen out of d4.
As compared to the Maroczy Bind in the Accelerated Dragon, black has the bishop's pair.
Chekhover Sicilian ; Maroczy Bind
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Between 7... f5 and the 3... Nf6 move-order it's not clear White will get what he wants. Nowadays many players are reluctant to give up the two bishops and go for 5. Qe3 instead (the option to play c4 is still there but there are more pressing matters in the next few moves).
After 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Qxd4 Nc6 5.Bb5 Bd7 6.Bxc6 Bxc6 7.c4 f5, 8.Ng5 is interesting.
I trialled this for a while and scored 36-18-45 for eleven games on chess.com
For Nc3 instead of c4, I played 21 games and scored 67-10-24
I think white may be mixing two themes here. Up until c4, white has a development edge he gets in return for the bishop pair and usual depletement of a two pawn centre. c4 is an attempt at space control rather than building on rapid development that the "minor exchange" gives.
When black allows the Marcozy normally, he is the "chess sinner", but the Checkover-Maroczy (?)seems to me to possibly be better for black.
But, yeah, I love the normal Maroczy positions for white.
Lately, I’ve been trying out a line in the Chekhover Sicilian in which White creates a Maroczy Bind formation. It differs from the most common Maroczy Bind in the sense that it (1) Immediately trades White’s LSB for a knight, (2) has a knight on f3 instead of on d4 or c2, (3) allows Black a bishop on c6 which is generally considered to be good for Black in Maroczy-type setups, and (4) allows White the opportunity to play the Bind against the Mainline Sicilian.
What are your thoughts on this version of the Bind? Perhaps it is inferior to the typical Maroczy Bind. But it does allow White to play a Bind against the mainlines.
Is there a better version of this Bind that could be played against the Main Line Sicilians?
Thoughts appreciated!