Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation
ECO B70-B79advanced
The Dragon comes from 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6: Black fianchettoes the dark-squared bishop onto the long diagonal, where it becomes the most dangerous piece on the board. White's critical answer is the Yugoslav Attack (Be3, f3, Qd2, 0-0-0, then h4-h5), producing one of the purest attacking races in chess — White storms the kingside while Black sacrifices down the c-file. Knowing the move orders matters more here than in almost any other opening.
Main line
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.Be3 Bg7 7.f3 O-O
Diagram shows the position after 6 half-moves of the main line. On SpeakChess you can drill this line move by move — the trainer plays the other side and corrects you instantly, then spaced repetition schedules each variation so you review it right before you would forget it.
Win rates by rating
Results from real online games, measured after the line shown in each row. Most opening sites show one aggregate number — how an opening scores depends heavily on who is playing it.
| Rating | Games | White wins | Draws | Black wins | Position after |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 400-600 | 60 | 51.7% | 8.3% | 40% | 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 |
| 600-800 | 25 | 48% | 8% | 44% | 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 |
| 800-1000 | 31 | 48.4% | 6.5% | 45.2% | 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.Be3 |
| 1000-1200 | 197 | 48.7% | 3% | 48.2% | 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.Be3 Bg7 |
| 1200-1400 | 677 | 48% | 3.3% | 48.7% | 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.Be3 Bg7 |
Most played continuations (1200-1400 rating)
After 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.Be3 Bg7:
- Qd2 — played 25.4% of the time (White wins 47.7%, draws 2.3%, Black wins 50%)
- f3 — played 21.4% of the time (White wins 55.2%, draws 4.1%, Black wins 40.7%)
- Bd3 — played 13.7% of the time (White wins 44.1%, draws 0%, Black wins 55.9%)
Related openings
Frequently asked questions
Is the Sicilian Dragon refuted?
No. The Yugoslav Attack scores well in practice and demands precision from Black, but theory holds: the modern ...Qa5/...Rfc8 and Topalov's ...Re8 systems are sound. What is true is that Black cannot improvise — one slow move against h4-h5 can lose by force.
What is Black's plan in the Dragon?
Counterattack on the c-file and the long diagonal: ...Rc8, the thematic exchange sacrifice ...Rxc3 wrecking White's queenside pawns, and the ...Nc4 outpost. If Black's attack lands first, the g7 bishop often decides the game; trading it off is White's dream.
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