Semi-Open · a defense for Black
Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Classical Variation, Alekhine Line
18/18
1.e4c52.Nf3Nc63.d4cxd44.Nxd4g65.Nc3Bg76.Be3Nf67.Be2O-O8.O-Od69.Nb3a5
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Classical Variation, Alekhine Line4.4k games · White to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
76%3.3k49%
7.3%32347%
6.6%29141%
3.2%14345%
1.8%8038%
0.9%3845%
0.8%3536%
0.7%2936%
0.6%2848%
0.5%2330%
Famous games in this line76 master games
Galkin, Alexander (2540) – Tiviakov, Sergei (2655)Timofeev, Artyom (2552) – Tregubov, Pavel V (2627)Galkin, Alexander (2510) – Malakhov, Vladimir (2540)Thipsay, Praveen Mahadeo (2463) – Kotsur, Pavel (2572)Shamkovich, Leonid (2460) – De Firmian, Nick E (2540)Roos, Louis (2360) – Tregubov, Pavel V (2625)Khamrakulov, Dzhurabek (2554) – Durarbeyli, Vasif (2413)Tringov, Georgi P (2475) – Khalifman, Alexander (2490)Heroes of this opening Malakhov, Vladimir · De Firmian, Nick E · Tregubov, Pavel V · Durarbeyli, Vasif
- Family
- Sicilian Defense
- Category
- Semi-Open
- First move
- 1.e4
- ECO
- B74
- Line
- 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 g6 5. Nc3 Bg7 6. Be3 Nf6 7. Be2 O-O 8. O-O d6 9. Nb3 a5
FianchettoSharp
★ Read the guide: Sicilian Defense: Dragon VariationExplore all 388 Sicilian Defense lines →Keep exploring
Nearby lines in the family
From the archives
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.
Study this opening