Maróczy Variation

The Maróczy Variation, 1. e4 Nf6 2. d3, declines the invitation at the heart of the Alekhine Defense. White does not gain space by driving the knight with 2. e5, and does not develop with 2. Nc3. White simply supports the attacked e-pawn with a pawn and opens the diagonal of the c1-bishop. Because Black is never provoked into the usual knight maneuvers, the hypermodern bargain of the parent opening does not arise. Black faces no immediate problems and can choose a central setup freely.

The most frequent reply is 2...e5, which stakes out the center with a pawn. It is followed in popularity by 2...d5, which challenges e4 at once, and the more reserved 2...d6. Engines also suggest 2...c5 and 2...Nc6, and they regard the position as essentially level. Results bear this out, with the two sides scoring almost identically. The line is fairly common in online play, but its character is modest and lightly theoretical, and the middlegame tends to be decided by general understanding rather than prepared lines.