Semi-Open · a defense for Black

Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Yugoslav Attack, Topalov Variation

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1.e4c52.Nf3d63.d4cxd44.Nxd4Nf65.Nc3g66.Be3Bg77.f3O-O8.Qd2Nc69.Bc4Bd710.O-O-ORc811.Bb3Nxd412.Bxd4
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Yugoslav Attack, Topalov Variation45k games · Black to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
87%39k60%
4.4%2.0k48%
3.4%1.5k34%
2%87831%
0.7%32634%
0.6%28325%
0.5%20731%
0.3%14824%
0.3%12335%
0.1%4928%
Famous games in this line592 master games
Jakovenko, Dmitrij (2742)Radjabov, Teimour (2757)20091–0Karjakin, Sergey (2722)Shirov, Alexei (2730)2009½–½Short, Nigel D (2695)Topalov, Veselin (2750)1996½–½Shirov, Alexei (2706)Topalov, Veselin (2733)20011–0Anand, Viswanathan (2790)Tiviakov, Sergei (2597)20011–0Yu Yangyi (2747)Jones, G. (2625)20160–1Le Quang Liem (2704)Mamedov, Rau (2650)20191–0Polgar, Judit (2705)Jones, Gawain C (2644)2012½–½
Heroes of this opening Jakovenko, Dmitrij · Shirov, Alexei · Anand, Viswanathan · Jones, G.
Category
Semi-Open
First move
1.e4
ECO
B78
Line
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3 O-O 8. Qd2 Nc6 9. Bc4 Bd7 10. O-O-O Rc8 11. Bb3 Nxd4 12. Bxd4
SharpAggressive
Read the guide: Sicilian Defense: Dragon VariationExplore all 388 Sicilian Defense lines
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No reply to 1.e4 is played more. Fischer made the Najdorf his main weapon, and Kasparov's Sicilians are pillars of chess history — the Scheveningen against Karpov, the Dragon he unveiled against Anand in 1995. When you play 1...c5 you refuse symmetry, the same refusal that carried two world champions.

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