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
88%151k51%
4.4%7.5k30%
2.4%4.1k28%
2.2%3.9k33%
1.5%2.6k52%
0.7%1.1k40%
0.6%95554%
0.2%31027%
0.1%19742%
0.1%15554%
Famous games in this line1.9k master games
Ivanchuk, Vassily (2781)Carlsen, Magnus (2775)2008½–½Topalov, Veselin (2777)Carlsen, Magnus (2775)20081–0Leko, Peter (2741)Carlsen, Magnus (2765)2008½–½Jakovenko, Dmitrij (2742)Radjabov, Teimour (2757)20091–0Polgar, Judit (2711)Carlsen, Magnus (2775)20080–1Karjakin, Sergey (2727)Radjabov, Teimour (2744)20080–1Karjakin, Sergey (2722)Shirov, Alexei (2730)2009½–½Short, Nigel D (2695)Topalov, Veselin (2750)1996½–½
Heroes of this opening Topalov, Veselin · Jakovenko, Dmitrij · Carlsen, Magnus · Radjabov, Teimour
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
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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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