← All openings
B70 · Semi-Open · a defense for Black

Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation

10/10
1.e4c52.Nf3d63.d4cxd44.Nxd4Nf65.Nc3g6
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation4.9M games · White to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
Bc414%697k47%
Bg512%612k44%
f39.2%456k51%
Bd35.4%267k43%
Bb5+3.3%164k43%
h31.2%60k47%
Famous games in this line20k master games
Karjakin, Sergey (2771)Carlsen, M. (2881)2014½–½Grischuk, Alexander (2777)Carlsen, Magnus (2863)20201–0Anand, Viswanathan (2800)Carlsen, Magnus (2826)2010½–½Dominguez Perez, L.. (2758)Carlsen, M.. (2862)20210–1Carlsen, M. (2832)Nakamura, Hi (2786)2018½–½Caruana, F. (2803)Nakamura, Hi (2799)2015½–½Anand, Viswanathan (2790)Carlsen, Magnus (2810)2010½–½Kramnik, Vladimir (2791)Aronian, Levon (2807)2011½–½
Heroes of this opening Grischuk, Alexander · Carlsen, M..
Keep exploring
Go deeper — named lines from here
Nearby lines in the family
From the archives

No defense has won more games at every level than the Sicilian. Bobby Fischer played almost nothing else against 1.e4, and Kasparov's Najdorf battles with Karpov and Anand are pillars of chess history. When you play 1...c5, you're refusing symmetry — the same refusal that carried two world champions.

Category
Semi-Open
First move
1.e4
ECO
B70
Line
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6
Sharp
Read the guide: Sicilian Defense: Dragon VariationExplore all 388 Sicilian Defense lines
Study this opening elsewhere