Christer Sundqvist: New ideas in the Dragon Sicilian
This is a summary of a massive analysis package that includes the Dragon Sicilian. I'd like to demonstrate a typical line of play in order to pique your interest in this rapidly evolving chess opening.
With a small investment from your side, I can send the entire package (6 PGN files) to your e-mail address. I use this blog to help me cope with the enormous number of draws in correspondence chess. I'm only doing it for fun, not for financial gain. I also provide you with regular updates at no additional cost. I use PayPal, MobilePay, and standard IBAN bank transfers. Please tell me how you want to receive the chess opening package. My email is turpaduunari@outlook.com.
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Dragon Sicilian
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.Bc4
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.Be2
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.Be3 Bg7
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.Be3 Nc6
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.g3
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.other
I have used these resources:
Batsford's Modern Chess Openings (15th edition) = MCO
Chess Cloud Database Query Mode (https://www.chessdb.cn/queryc_en/) = CCD
Chess Informant 150, 152, 166
Chessbase software
Encyclopedia of Chess Openings, 4th edition. (2008) = ECO
Anish Giri. Chessable Lifetime Repertoires: Dragon Sicilian, 2022
ICCF Games Archive (https://www.iccf.com/message?message=454 ) 1961-2026
Gawain Jones. The Dragon Part I. Quality Chess, 2015
Gawain Jones. The Dragon Part II. Quality Chess, 2015
Opening Master Chess Database (https://www.openingmaster.com/)
Personal chess database (approx. 90 million games)
Stockfish 18 chess engine
Sundqvist, Christer. The Dragon Sicilian Chess Opening played by a strong correspondence chess player 2019-2026
The Week in Chess (https://theweekinchess.com/twic ) 1994-2026
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6
This is the move that defines the Dragon Sicilian. This opening is named after the pawn structure h7–g6–f7–e7–d6 that has the shape of a Dragon and, incidentally, the name also reflects the spirit of the variation. The Dragon is notoriously ambitious, risky and reckless. The Dragon has always been a popular and very successful opening for amateurs and club players, but it can be played all the way up to the very highest level. An important characteristic of this setup is that we have basically no weaknesses (the e7–pawn at the base of the chain barely counts), but it does create a target for a kingside attack and White’s most principled approach of castling long does ask Black some important questions. The Yugoslav attack lines, in which White castles long, are quite important to know move by move, while slower setups with the short castle can be played ‘by ear’. Though to get that ‘ear’ tuned right, it is still good to go over all the variations in great detail and study some model games, but when it comes to memorizing a lot of concrete lines, the long castle beats the short castle hands down. One good thing about the Dragon is that, if White does not take up the challenge and go for the long castle plans, then he should abandon all hope for an opening advantage and Black gets easy and comfortable play thanks to an excellent pawn structure, harmonious development and the semi-open c-file.
6.Be3
By far the most played and also the most dangerous setup, called the Yugoslav Attack. True to the nature of the position, White wants to quickly castle long and start an attack on the kingside. You will encounter this in most of your games, no matter what your level is. Both the amateurs and the professionals are in sync here and most of them take up the challenge and aim for the long castle plans. And rightly so. The Yugoslav Attack is the core of your Dragon Sicilian repertoire.
6...Bg7
The idea of the Dragon is to develop the bishop to the long diagonal, while also keeping the central pawn structure e7–d6 intact. Interestingly, this often means that, besides going for an attack on the queenside, Black is also often happy to enter an endgame, as his pawn structure is excellent and there is not much White can offer in return for our pressure along the semi-open c-file. White, on the other hand, will try to trade off the pride of our position (the g7–bishop) with Qd2 and Bh6 (or Bd4 in some cases) and use the g6–pawn as a target for an attack on the kingside with h4–h5.
7.f3
White needs to secure the bishop, as 7.Qd2 can be met with 7…Ng4!
7.Be2
White is aiming for short castle and throws away all his chances of an initiative.
7...0–0 8.0–0 Nc6 9.f3 d5 10.exd5 Nxd5 11.Nxd5 Qxd5 12.Nxc6 Qxc6
Black has an edge.
7...0–0
7...Nc6
Better castle first!;
7...a6
This is called Dragodorf as it combines both the Dragon and Najdorf. Black is adviced not to play like this, as White often prepares to castle long and often gets the better chances.
8.Qd2
8.Bc4
A very good alternative!
8...Nc6
A) 9.Bb3
This is quite often played, but there is a clever way for Black to get into familiar lines of play with 9…Qa5! 9...Qa5! 10.Qe2? This innocent move is simply wrong. (10.Qd3 This is a very odd move here, now that we still have the knight on c6, ready to jump to e5 with a tempo. Engines like this move. It is interesting, says in Anish Giri in his Chessable course. 10...Bd7 Also very logical is to get Nd7–Nc5 in first. 11.0–0–0 Rfc8 This happened in one correspondence game. 12.Kb1 Rab8 Black keeps the option of Ne5. 13.h4 Ne5 14.Qd2
White lost a tempo on Qd3–Qd2, which can’t be great in an opening as sharp as the Dragon. Still, the position is very complex. 14...b5 15.g4 White pushes his kingside pawns further in typical fashion of the Dragon. 15...Nc4 A typical way for Black of getting good play along the soon opening b-file. 16.Bxc4 bxc4 17.Ka1 White has to take care of his queenside, with the open b-and a-files. 17...h5 18.gxh5 Nxh5 19.Rhg1 Rc5 20.a3 Qa6 21.Rg5 Ra5 22.Rxa5 Qxa5 23.Nde2 Bc6 24.Bd4 Bf8 25.Qg5 Qxg5 26.hxg5 a6 27.Kb1 e6 28.Kc1 ½–½ (28) Moreto Quintana,A (2448)-Tseng,W (2490) ICCF email 2018)
10...Nxe4!!
White loses material.
11.Nxc6 Bxc3+
Black is winning.;
B) 9.0–0 Qb6
Black has at least equalised.
10.Bb3 Ng4! 11.fxg4 Bxd4 12.Bxd4 Qxd4+ 13.Qxd4 Nxd4 14.Nd5 Nc6 15.h3 Kg7 16.Rf2 h6 17.Rc1 Bd7 18.c4 Rad8 19.Rcf1 Be6 20.Nf4 Rc8 21.Nxe6+ fxe6 22.Rxf8 Rxf8 23.Rxf8 Kxf8 24.Kf2 Na5 25.Ke3 e5 0–1 (40) Saharinen,P (1901)-Serna,J (1960) ICCF 2024]
8...Nc6
This is the main tabia of the Dragon Yugoslav Attack. Here, White has to choose between the old main line with 9.Bc4 and the more modern approach with 9.O-O-O.
9.Bc4
This is the old main line and a move you are likely to encounter a lot as a Dragon player.
9.0–0–0
This is the modern main line and a very critical continuation. The established theory is that Black is defending a slightly worse position here, making the whole Dragon a lot less attractive than what it used to be. However, White needs to now exactly how to proceed.
9...d5
Theory implies that whenever we get the chance to execute the ...d5 break we should take it.
10.exd5
This is the main line, although there are quite a few tricky sidelines that I do not cover in this short summary.
10...Nxd5 11.Nxc6 bxc6 12.Bd4
This is possibly the main line at the highest level these days and Anish Giri can understand why, as the trend has shifted from the ambitious 12…e5 towards the defensive 12…Bxd4 . After the trade of bishops, White gets a strategically superior position due to his better pawn structure and also a safe king. Instead of going for the defensive approach, GM Giri proposes in his great Chessable course to look for a solution with the old master (who have kept the Dragon spirit alive by preserving the dark-squared bishops) and inject the old main line with some new knowledge from AI engines. They can save practically anything nowadays.
12...e5
Played in order to keep the g7–bishop alive for now, instead of the modern solution with 12…Bxd4 13.Qxd4 Qb6, where Black is hoping to hold a solid, but not a very fun position. With the help of the most powerful modern chess engines, Anish Giri was able to prove that the old masters weren’t betrayed by their intuition when they decided to go for the natural 12… e5 here. The good old Dragon players have always felt that this was the way to go in the Dragon, but the theory and engines have always come in the way. Now, with the newer and stronger neural network-based engines, Giri was able to make this old move work. Keeping the bishops gives Black something to hope for. It also is still the most popular move. Let’s keep it this way.
13.Bc5
Black should not yet worry about Bxf8 as he would get fine compensation in dark-square play. (13.Ne4 exd4 0–1 (13) Rivas Romero,G (2145)-Taylor,B (2128) ICCF 2024)
13...Re8
This is a case of the simpler, the better. The sophisticated main theoretical move 13…Be6 is flashy and clever, as taking the exchange on f8 would be a bad idea for White. The problem is that White doesn’t usually take the exchange.
14.Ne4
This is the most challenging move.
14...Qc7
The point. We don’t want to spend time on Be6 just yet, explains Anish Giri. With the very rare 14…Qc7, Black prepares the crucial f5–push, which now becomes possible, as Nd6 can be met by Rd8. The queen frees up the d8–square for the rook.
15.h4
The main move. White assumes that f5 is not really a threat and starts direct kingside play. He assumes wrong.
15...f5
Now is the moment! Things seem to work out for Black in the end!
16.Nd6 Rd8 17.Nxc8 Raxc8
Black has a ‘working’ pawn majority in the kingside-center area and a potentially strong bishop on g7. The complications seem to work out and the engines eventually give in even further and admit that Black has nothing to fear here. Black has achieved a beautiful pawn structure on the kingside and White is yet to start his play. This is punch in the face for those that say that the Dragon Sicilian is analyzed to the end. White will be forced to finding the best possible move in very complicated positions. Not an easy task!
18.h5 Nb6
This all happened in a rather anonymous correspondent game Holec-Eschert, 2011. Black held it and it is actually hugely important for the theory of the Dragon, says Giri. Several modern correspondence chess games have studied this line in pretty much detail. Beautiful draws have surfaced!
19.Bxb6
Going for opposite colored bishops is a safe practical attempt by White. The endgame is a draw, even though White ends up on the pressing side.
19...Rxd2 20.Bc4+
A strong intermezzo, connecting the rooks.
20...Kf8 21.Bxc7 Rxd1+ 22.Rxd1 Rxc7 23.hxg6 Bh6+ 24.Kb1 hxg6 25.Rd6
The only try to keep the game going, otherwise, Ke7 would stop the rook from entering.
25...Kg7
After this move, let me just point out some correspondence chess games.
A) 26.b4 Bf4 27.Re6 Rb7 28.a3 a5 29.Kb2! ½–½ (53) Sauceda Salazar,E (2497)-Weglicki,S (2375) ICCF 2025 (29.c3 ½–½ (53) Szerlak,A (2400)-Kazoks,A (2367) ICCF 2024) ;
B) 26.Re6 Rd7 27.b4 Be3 28.Rxc6 Rd2 ½–½ (39) Desquiens,S (2111)-Sonnet,J (2190) ICCF 2024]
9...Nxd4
Anish Giri's main recommendation. It is certainly possible and highly interesting to investigate the slower lines starting with Bd7 and then Rc8 or Rb8. But while some of that is certainly a lot of fun, Black will experience some theoretical difficulties if White knows what he is doing, and it is certainly one of the reasons why the Dragon has faded away from high-level practice.
10.Bxd4
Instead, 10.Qxd4 would be a big mistake due to 10…Ng4 11.Qd2 Nxe3 12.Qxe3 Bd7 , and with the bishop pair and the semi-open c-file, Black has all the fun.
10...Be6
It is amazing how well the bishop is placed on e6, fighting for some vital squares along the a2–g8 diagonal. The idea is to develop the bishop to e6 in one go, now that the white knight is no longer on d4. This is a rather old line that has always been there, but was not thought to give Black adequate play. Now, with the help of modern computers, Anish Giri has managed to fully rehabilitate it and the old conclusions were completely overthrown. Besides being the top choice of the best engines against the 9. Bc4–system, this approach is also very logical and very direct. We want to develop our pieces to the most active squares right away and start our play on the queenside as soon as possible.
11.Bxe6
The bishop trade does double Black’s pawns, but it strongly reinforces the central control, as the important d5–square will now be guarded by an e6–pawn.
11.Bb3
Apart from this being the most popular move, it also feels right. White parks the bishop on b3 and asks Black what he has achieved by playing Be6.
11...Qa5
The perfect square for the queen, from where it not only applies pressure on the c3–knight and the a2–pawn, but also very importantly prepares the b5–b4 push. The standard way of developing the initiative in the Dragon.
12.0–0–0
transposes to a popular line of play.
12...b5
There is a ton of old theory with 12…Rfc8 first too, but the modern computers are in agreement that the direct pawn push is the way to go.
13.Kb1
This is an important move whenever there is an x-ray between the queens on d2 and a5. Now Black has to watch out for the Nd5 Qxd2 Nxe7+ intermezzo. This is a very important motive in the Dragon.
13...b4 Forcing the matters. Continuing with the direct approach.
14.Nd5 The most principled and most common reply.
14...Bxd5 15.exd5
Michail Tal's improvement.
15...Qb5 Pressing down the b3–bishop and intending a5–a4. White will end up having to trade queens with Qd3 or Rhe1/Qe2 and the ensuing endgame is completely fine for Black.
16.Qd3 Trading queens does save the b3–bishop.
16...Qxd3 17.cxd3
This can either be met by 17…Nd7 which brought Zvjaginsev victory over Pershin in the 2018 WCh rapid, or by 17…a5 which after 18.Rhe1 transposes to 16. Rhe1.
17...a5 18.Rhe1 a4
With a direct transposition to the 16.Rhe1 variation. Grabbing some space first.
19.Bc4
Now it’s time to address the e7–pawn. Or is it? asks Giri.
19...Rab8
This is the easiest, improving on Moranda-Klekowski, 2018. We take control over the b5–square to prepare Rfe8, as it turns out that the e7–pawn is not really hanging.
20.Rxe7 Nxd5 21.Bxd5 Bxd4
With equality. The opposite-colored bishops are famously neutralizing each other and, with Rb5 incoming, White will not be able to keep up the pressure on the f7–pawn. But first, we would want to go a3 to create a far-advanced pawn there, just in case our rook gets activated one day.)
11...fxe6 12.0–0–0
White has to castle long if he wants to get anything in this particular line, but also in the Dragon in general.
12...Qa5
The queen belongs on this square, connecting the rooks. It also not only applies pressure on the queenside but also keeps the e5–square in check.
13.Rhe1
Going for e5 is the most critical. Pushing h4–h5 is not so dangerous, the easiest way to stop that is with Nh5. This is the strongest move according to the engines.
13.Kb1
The most often played move. If White starts with 13.h4 , it will likely transpose after 13…Rac8 14.Kb1.
13...Rac8
It is possible to offer the trade of bishops right away with 13…Nd7 , but Giri likes to bring the rook to the semi-open c-file first, before deciding where to jump with the knight. The knight can potentially also go to h5.
14.h4
There is no real threat yet, but this move could be useful in the long run, as now h4–h5 is always in the air.
14...Nh5
This feels right, blocking the kingside offense, but in fact, the computer has a point in proposing the counterintuitive 14…Nd7!? as well.
15.Bxg7 Kxg7
Black has a comfortable position.
16.e5
This is a clever attempt to bring Black off balance, but it doesn’t lead to anything special for White.
16...Qxe5 17.Rhe1 Qf4
Offering a trade of queens.
18.Qf2 Qb4 19.a3 Qc5 20.Qxc5 Rxc5 21.Rxe6 Re8 22.Ne4 Rcc8 23.Re1 Kf8 24.Ng5 h6 25.Nh3 Nf6 26.g4 Rc4 27.c3 Kf7 28.Kc2 ½–½ (28) Tirrell,D (2228)-Zumbado,M (2159) ICCF 2025]
13...Nd7
Given that White is not intending h4–h5 in the near future, it makes more sense to keep the knight closer to the center and go for this move, as opposed to Nh5.
14.Bxg7 Kxg7 15.e5
A challenging push. Taking the e5–pawn would open the e-file and Black would lose the crucial e6–pawn.
15...d5
Keeping the center closed. Black is fine, especially if he keeps the Nb8–Nc6 maneuver in mind, while also keeping the e6–pawn under control with Kf7 when necessary.
16.Kb1
16.a3
This seems like the slightly more accurate way of preparing Ne2. In the arising endgame, the king is possibly better placed on c1 than on b1, as it is closer to the center. Although frankly, it is all very subtle and the differences are minuscule.
16...Rac8
This move never needs commentary in the Sicilian. The rook belongs on this file!
17.Ne2 Qxd2+ 18.Rxd2
The endgame is fine for Black. It is very important that, even if White gets the grip with the pawn chain e5–f4–g3–h4, it is not the end of the world, now that Black no longer has the bishop on g7. White’s knight on d4 will be challenged with the thematic Nb8–Nc6!, the king will likely reroute itself to d7 so as to stay close to e6–pawn while letting the f8–rook have the view over the f-file. And after that, black will keep the ideas of h6–g5 on the kingside and the b5–a5 pawn advance on the queenside in mind.
18...a5
The idea is to grab some space on the queenside.
19.Nd4 Kf7 20.Re3
If 21.f4 there is always the Nc5–Ne4 idea, which is the point of Black keeping the d7–knight flexible.
20.h4
faced the move h4 in one of my correspondence chess games.20...a4 21.Kb1 Rc4 22.b3 Rc3 23.Kb2 Rfc8 24.Ree2 h6 25.Rd1 Nb8 ½–½ (45) omni1 (2590)-turpaduunari (Christer Sundqvist) (2582) https://gameknot.com/chess.pl 2025)
20...a4 21.Kb1
Again, 21.f4 is met with 21…Nc5!
21...g5
16...Rac8 17.Ne2
17.h4 This was played in a correspondence game. White goes for the h4–h5 push after all, now that Black's knight is far away from the h5–square.
17...Nb6
More forcing than 17…Rf5 . The Nc4–threat is strong now, so White has to go for an endgame. If White ignores the threat, he will soon be in trouble, for example after 18.h5 Nc4 19.Qc1 Nxb2 and Black is crushing it.
17...Rf5 18.f4 Rc4 Black increases the pressure and intends Nc5 next. White decided to go for an endgame after all. 19.Ne2 Qxd2 20.Rxd2 Rf8 21.Nd4 Nc5 And draw was agreed in a correspondence game ½ - ½ (21) Molina,R-Mulder,C (1920) ICCF email 2017.)
18.Ne2 Qxd2 19.Rxd2 Nc4
Depending on where the white rook will go, Black will either take on e5 (like after 20.Rd3 Nxe5) or jump with the knight to e3 (after 20.Rdd1 Ne3 or 20.Rd4 Ne3).
17...Qxd2 18.Rxd2
18...Rg8
18...Kf7
Black cannot take on e5 due to 19.Nd4 and White grabs the pawn on e6 with a fork.
19.Nd4 Nb8
Black is fine here, challenging White’s strong d4–knight and potentially starting counterplay against the e5–pawn. A correspondence game that reached this position (Efendiyev-Lecroq, 2017) was eventually drawn.
19.Nd4 Kf7 20.Re3 g5 21.Kc1 Nb8 22.Rb3 b6 23.Ra3 a5 24.f4 Nc6 25.Rh3 Nxd4 26.Rxd4 Rcf8 27.Rb3 Rb8 28.Rh3 Rbf8 29.Rb3 Rb8
½–½ (29) Broniek,M (2502)-Tauber,H (2528) ICCF 2024
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