Semi-Open · a defense for Black

Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Classical Variation, Spielmann Variation

23/23
1.e4c52.Nf3Nc63.d4cxd44.Nxd4g65.Nc3Bg76.Be3Nf67.Be2O-O8.Nb3d69.O-OBe610.f4Na511.f5Bc412.Bd3
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Classical Variation, Spielmann Variation175 games · Black to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
38%6635%
35%6249%
11%1955%
6.3%1168%
5.1%933%
2.3%450%
1.1%20%
0.6%1100%
0.6%10%
Famous games in this line65 master games
Solozhenkin, E. (2441)Rakhmanov, Ale (2629)20190–1Kupreichik, Viktor D (2500)Shipov, Sergei (2540)1997½–½Kupreichik, Viktor D (2470)Tukmakov, Vladimir B (2570)19851–0Parma, Bruno (2540)Rajkovic, Dusan (2490)1978½–½Savon, Vladimir A (2510)Rashkovsky, Nukhim N (2520)1980½–½Asrian, Karen (2555)Dgebuadze, Alexandre (2470)19981–0Hecht, Hans Joachim (2515)Tarjan, James Edward (2475)1974½–½Khodashenas, M. (2466)Priasmoro, Novendra (2502)20211–0
Heroes of this opening Rakhmanov, Ale · Kupreichik, Viktor D · Asrian, Karen · Khodashenas, M.
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. Nb3 d6 9. O-O Be6 10. f4 Na5 11. f5 Bc4 12. Bd3
FianchettoSharp
Read the guide: Sicilian Defense: Dragon VariationExplore all 388 Sicilian Defense lines
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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.

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