B78 · Semi-Open · a defense for Black
Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Yugoslav Attack, Old Line
20/20
1.e4c52.Nf3d63.d4cxd44.Nxd4Nf65.Nc3g66.Be3Bg77.f3O-O8.Qd2Nc69.Bc4Bd710.O-O-ORc8
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Yugoslav Attack, Old Line172k games · White to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
Bb388%151k51%
Kb14.4%7.5k30%
g42.4%4.1k28%
h42.2%3.9k33%
Nxc61.5%2.6k52%
Bh60.7%1.1k40%
Be20.6%95554%
a30.2%31027%
Nb30.1%19742%
Bd30.1%15554%
Famous games in this line1.9k master games
Ivanchuk, Vassily (2781) – Carlsen, Magnus (2775)Topalov, Veselin (2777) – Carlsen, Magnus (2775)Leko, Peter (2741) – Carlsen, Magnus (2765)Jakovenko, Dmitrij (2742) – Radjabov, Teimour (2757)Polgar, Judit (2711) – Carlsen, Magnus (2775)Karjakin, Sergey (2727) – Radjabov, Teimour (2744)Karjakin, Sergey (2722) – Shirov, Alexei (2730)Short, Nigel D (2695) – Topalov, Veselin (2750)Heroes of this opening Topalov, Veselin · Jakovenko, Dmitrij · Carlsen, Magnus · Radjabov, Teimour
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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.
- Family
- Sicilian Defense
- 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
SharpAggressive
★ Read the guide: Sicilian Defense: Dragon VariationExplore all 388 Sicilian Defense lines →Study this opening elsewhere