Semi-Open · a defense for Black
Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Yugoslav Attack, Soltis Variation
24/24
1.e4c52.Nf3d63.d4cxd44.Nxd4Nf65.Nc3g66.Be3Bg77.f3O-O8.Qd2Nc69.Bc4Bd710.O-O-OQa511.h4Rfc812.Bb3h5
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Yugoslav Attack, Soltis Variation2.1k games · White to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
47%98153%
25%52947%
6.6%13835%
5.7%12052%
4.3%8944%
3.4%7145%
3%6247%
2.2%4734%
1.4%3037%
0.6%1254%
Famous games in this line18 master games
Naroditsky, D. (2633) – Nakamura, Hi (2798)Karjakin, Sergey (2769) – Van Wely, L. (2640)Tsanas, A. (2282) – Istratescu, A. (2668)Kurnosov, Igor (2577) – Kachar, Vladimir (2342)Kulaots, Kaido (2390) – Golubev, Mikhail (2525)Zambrana, Oswaldo (2472) – Roselli Mailhe, Bernardo (2420)Rosenberger, Frank (2275) – Golubev, Mikhail (2570)Neumeier, Klaus (2330) – Golubev, Mikhail (2500)Heroes of this opening Golubev, Mikhail · Nakamura, Hi · Istratescu, A. · Kurnosov, Igor
- Family
- Sicilian Defense
- Category
- Semi-Open
- First move
- 1.e4
- ECO
- B79
- 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 Qa5 11. h4 Rfc8 12. Bb3 h5
SharpAggressive
★ 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