To Maroczy or Not To Maroczy ;p

This is a position reached after 1.e4 c5 2.c4 Nc6 3.Nf3. If I play g6, the line transposes into a familiar Maroczy bind position. In such positions, the statistics definitely favor White. (not quite sure why) However, if I play the best move by theory (e5) I will be in a position I am not familiar with. What should I do? Is the Maroczy bind really that tough of a beast (the final lines of it the way I play it lead to equality) that I should avoid it despite being familiar with it? Should I just learn e5? What would you do?

Originally posted by exigentsky
[fen]r1bqkbnr/pp1ppppp/2n5/2p5/2P1P3/5N2/PP1P1PPP/RNBQKB1R b KQkq - 2 3[/fen]

This is a position reached after 1.e4 c5 2.c4 Nc6 3.Nf3. If I play g6, the line transposes into a familiar Maroczy bind position. In such positions, the statistics definitely favor White. (not quite sure why) However, if I play the best move by theory (e5) I will be in a posi ...[text shortened]... hat I should avoid it despite being familiar with it? Should I just learn e5? What would you do?

If you can reach equality by playng g6 and you are comfortable with g6, why waste time learning a new line?

Originally posted by exigentsky
[fen]r1bqkbnr/pp1ppppp/2n5/2p5/2P1P3/5N2/PP1P1PPP/RNBQKB1R b KQkq - 2 3[/fen]

This is a position reached after 1.e4 c5 2.c4 Nc6 3.Nf3. If I play g6, the line transposes into a familiar Maroczy bind position. In such positions, the statistics definitely favor White. (not quite sure why) However, if I play the best move by theory (e5) I will be in a posi ...[text shortened]... hat I should avoid it despite being familiar with it? Should I just learn e5? What would you do?

Get a db and check out the game from that position. Find the one you are comfortable with and play that line.