Semi-Open · a defense for Black
Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation
10/10
1.e4c52.Nf3d63.d4cxd44.Nxd4Nf65.Nc3g6
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation4.9M games · White to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
14%697k47%
12%612k44%
9.2%456k51%
5.4%267k43%
3.3%164k43%
1.2%60k47%
Famous games in this line20k master games
Karjakin, Sergey (2771) – Carlsen, M. (2881)Grischuk, Alexander (2777) – Carlsen, Magnus (2863)Anand, Viswanathan (2800) – Carlsen, Magnus (2826)Dominguez Perez, L.. (2758) – Carlsen, M.. (2862)Carlsen, M. (2832) – Nakamura, Hi (2786)Caruana, F. (2803) – Nakamura, Hi (2799)Anand, Viswanathan (2790) – Carlsen, Magnus (2810)Kramnik, Vladimir (2791) – Aronian, Levon (2807)Heroes of this opening Grischuk, Alexander · Carlsen, M..
- Family
- Sicilian Defense
- Category
- Semi-Open
- First move
- 1.e4
- ECO
- B70
- Line
- 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6
Sharp
★ Read the guide: Sicilian Defense: Dragon VariationExplore all 388 Sicilian Defense lines →Keep exploring
Go deeper — named lines from here
Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Classical Variation6.Be2 · 4 deeper linesSicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Levenfish Variation6.f4 · 1 deeper lineSicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Fianchetto Variation6.g3Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Levenfish Variation, Main Line6.f4 Nbd7
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