Semi-Open · a defense for Black

Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Yugoslav Attack, Byrne Variation

18/18
1.e4c52.Nf3d63.d4cxd44.Nxd4Nf65.Nc3g66.Be3Bg77.f3O-O8.Qd2Nc69.Bc4a5
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Yugoslav Attack, Byrne Variation4.1k games · White to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
45%1.9k55%
14%57254%
11%44962%
8.8%36051%
7%28752%
4%16553%
3.1%12848%
3.1%12854%
1.8%7547%
0.7%3047%
Famous games in this line37 master games
Karpov, Anatoly (2630) – Byrne, Donald (2470)19721–0So, Wesley (2531) – Li, Chao B (2548)20070–1Svetushkin, Dmitry (2471) – Istratescu, Andrei (2549)1999½–½Browne, Walter S (2530) – Byrne, Donald (2475)19731–0Li, Chao B (2613) – Sharma, Dinesh Kumar (2376)20100–1Dueball, Juergen (2425) – Marovic, Drazen (2465)19731–0Prandstetter, Eduard (2450) – Banas, Jan (2395)1986½–½Horvath, Tamas (2435) – Banas, Jan (2410)1995½–½
Heroes of this opening Karpov, Anatoly · Li, Chao B · Browne, Walter S · Sharma, Dinesh Kumar
Family
Sicilian Defense
Category
Semi-Open
First move
1.e4
ECO
B77
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 a5
SharpAggressive
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Nearby lines in the family
Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Main Line5…a6 6.Bg5 e6 7.f4 Be7 8.Qf3 …Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Browne Variation5…a6 6.Bg5 e6 7.f4 Be7 8.Qf3 …Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Goteborg Variation5…a6 6.Bg5 e6 7.f4 Be7 8.Qf3 …
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
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