Understanding Maroczy Structures

Thinker’s Publishing has recently published a book that is a good companion volume to Panjwani’s. Understanding Maroczy Structures by the experienced trainers Adrian Mikhalchisin and Georg Mohr is an excellent teaching manual covering this important system for both sides. The two veteran Grandmasters cover all the typical ideas for both sides through a series of well-chosen model games (127 in all). 

Players from 1800 on up will increase their positional understanding by playing over the carefully annotated games where explanatory prose takes center place over tons of variations. Note the Maróczy lines examined here are those where Black meets the Bind with a kingside fianchetto – both from the English or Accelerated Dragon move order (1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 g6 5.e4 or 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 g6 5.c4) as well as the Moscow Variation (1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5+ Bd7 4.Bxd7 Qxd7 5.c4 Nf6 6.Nc3 g6 7.d4). Maróczy lines where Black’s bishop is developed to e7 – for example in the Taimanov Sicilian (1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 e6 5.Nb5 d6 6.c4) or the Hedgehog – are not covered in this book.

These books are well produced, with the text cleanly laid out. They are published on good paper and feature sturdy bindings.