SC Week 4/1: Maroczy Theory (Open Files)

 "The minor pieces play a major role in determining who controls open files. The side with the more active minor pieces can generally count on gaining access to any files that may open up."

Michael Stean

Notes and Observations

Stean doesn’t give a complete game. I’ve taken this one from Jacob Aagaard’s very interesting book, Inside the Chess Mind which also analyses this position.

White’s knight occupies a semi-outpost (Outposts/7). Black often has to trade it off in such positions and frequently, chooses … Bxd5 although it looks counter-intuitive to give up bishop for knight.

White typically answers with 14 cxd5 in Maroczy positions to get the open file. Occasionally  exd5 and play up the e-file against e7 (Weak Pawns). When is this preferable?

15 Rxc8 is a difficult move to play or even consider - why give up the open file? - until you ask the question "Where does the light-squared bishop want to go?" On the h3-c8 diagonal it controls the base of the open file so White will get the c-file back.

Reminders

Mednis shows a very similar game with an identical Rxc8 and g2-g3 plan in From the Opening into the Endgame.

Aagard’s chapter on the position before Rxc8+ is very instructive. He considers White to be better but, in contrast to Stean, not close to winning.