Sicilian Dragon

Play as BlackDefence

Black fianchettos the bishop on the long diagonal; both sides attack on opposite wings.

The main line, move by move

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

1. 1. e4 — Claim the center and open lines for the queen and bishop.
2. 1... c5 — The Sicilian: fight for the d4 square from the side.
3. 2. Nf3 — Brings the knight into the game.
4. 2... d6 — Prepare to develop and open the diagonal for the bishop.
5. 3. d4 — Open the center: White is happy to trade a wing pawn for the center pawn.
6. 3... cxd4 — Takes the pawn on d4.
7. 4. Nxd4 — Takes the pawn on d4.
8. 4... Nf6 — Brings the knight into the game.
9. 5. Nc3 — Brings the knight into the game.
10. 5... g6 — The Dragon: prepare to fianchetto the bishop.
11. 6. Be3 — Brings the bishop into the game.
12. 6... Bg7 — Brings the bishop into the game.
13. 7. f3 — Prepare Be3 and Qd2 for an attack on the black king.
14. 7... O-O — Castle: your king gets safe and a rook joins the game.
15. 8. Qd2 — Get ready to castle long and attack.
16. 8... Nc6 — Brings the knight into the game.
17. 9. Bc4 — Brings the bishop into the game.
18. 9... Bd7 — Brings the bishop into the game.
19. 10. O-O-O — Castle long: the king is safe and a rook joins the game.

Related openings

• Sicilian Defense (Najdorf)
• French Defense
• Caro-Kann Defense
• Scandinavian Defense
• Pirc Defense

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