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8/17/2011

Joshua Posthuma & Tony Palmer

The Sicilian Dragon begins 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 which is a popular variation for Black. Last time we covered 6. Be2 (Classical), 6. g3 (Fianchetto) and 6. f4 (Levenfish) for White, while the sharpest line is the Yugoslav Attack starting with 6. Be3. The QB is nicely centralized at e3, attacking both wings plus defending the Nd4. After the almost automatic response 6 … Bg7, White plays 7. f3 to protect the Pe4 and prevent any later … Ng4. When Black commits to Kingside castling with 7 … 0-0, White responds 8. Qd2 preparing to castle Queenside, giving White better attacking chances against Black's King starting with a Pawn storm by the g Pawn and h Pawn. The Main Line continuation is 8 … Nc6 9. Bc4 (inhibiting … d5) Bd7 10. 0-0-0 entering the middlegame.

There are two stock traps right out of the opening:

1) 6 … Ng4? 7. Bb5+ is a famous line winning material (7 … Nc6 8. Nxc6 bxc6 9. Bxc6+; 7 … Bd7?/Nd7? 8. Qxg4), but after 6 … Bg7 the trap is off since Black’s King has an escape square at f8, thus 7. f3 by White prevents any … Ng4 ideas from Black.

2) After 10. 0-0-0 Rc8, White must retreat or defend the Bc4, typically by 11. Bb3. Instead 11. Kb1??/g4??/h4?? Nxd4 (Discovery) 12. Qxd4 Ng4! (Discovery) 13. Qd3 Nxe3 14. Qxe3 Rxc4 wins a piece since the Qd3 is Overloaded.

Diagram 1

After 10. 0-0-0, the chessgames.com database has 862 games, with these statistics for Black's move: 10 … Rc8 49%, 10 … Ne5 19%, 10 … Qa5 16%, 10 … Rb8 9%, and 10 … Qb8 5%.

A. 10 … Rc8 11. Bb3 Ne5

There is substantial overlap between 10 … Rc8 11. Bb3 Ne5 and 10 … Ne5 11. Bb3 Rc8. This has long been considered the Main Line for Black, and now White may choose between 12. h4 (most popular), 12. Kb1 (second) and 12. Bg5 trying for an advantage. 12. g4 can be met by 12 … Nc4 or 12 … b5!? with good play for Black, while 12. Bh6!? leads to 12 … Bxh6 13. Qxh6 Rxc3!? (the standard exchange sacrifice in the Sicilian Dragon) 14. bxc3 and Black has a promising attack against White's King.

1) Anand-Carlsen (Mainz, 2008): 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3 Nc6 8. Qd2 0-0 9. Bc4 Bd7 10. Bb3 Rc8 11. 0-0-0 Ne5 12. Kb1 a6 13. h4 h5 (Black often meets h2-h4 with … h7-h5 which is the Soltis Variation) 14. g4 hxg4 15. h5 Nxh5 (White sacrifices both Kingside Pawns for attack) 16. Rdg1 Qa5 17. Bh6 Rxc3?! (Fritz suggests 17 … Rc5 with slight advantage to White) 18. Bxg7 Kxg7 (18 … Rxb3 19. Qh6) 19. Rxh5! Rxb3 20. Qxa5 (20. Qh6+ is even better) Rxb2+ 21. Ka1 (21. Kxb2? Nc4+) gxh5 22. f4 Be6 23. Nxe6+ fxe6 24. fxe5 and White won (1-0, 50).

2) Mnatsakanian-Cebalo (Bad Zwischenahn, 2008): 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3 0-0 8. Qd2 Nc6 9. Bc4 Bd7 10. 0-0-0 Ne5 11. Bb3 Rc8 12. Bg5 Nc4 13. Qd3!? (White should trade 13. Bxc4 to remove this powerful Knight) b5 14. f4 a6 15. h3 Rc5 16. g4 Qa8 (Fritz 7 suggests 16 … b4!? 17. Nd5 Nxd5 18. exd5 Bb5 =) 17. Bxf6 Bxf6 18. Nd5 Re8 19. Nxf6+ exf6 20. Rhe1 Bc6 21. Nxc6 Qxc6 22. Bxc4 Rxc4 (Major piece endgame) 23. Qxd6?? (23. f5 per Fritz 7 and it's still a game) 23 … Rxc2+ 24. Kb1 Rc1+! 0-1. (25. Rxc1 Qxd6 wins Queen for Rook)

3) Pytlakowski-Dahke (Krakow, 1938): 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3 Nc6 8. Qd2 Bd7 9. Bc4 0-0 10. h4 Rc8 11. Bb3 Ne5 12. 0-0-0 (Reaching the 12. h4 Main Line by transposition) Nc4 13. Bxc4 Rxc4 14. g4 b5!? 15. h5 (White turns down the Pawn) b4 16. Nd5 e6 17. Nxf6+ Qxf6 18. hxg6 hxg6 19. Qh2 Rfc8 20. Rd2 e5 21. Nf5!? (A piece sacrifice to open up Black's Kingside) gxf5 22. gxf5 d5 (Fritz gives 22 … Bxf5 23. exf5 e4 24. fxe4 Qxb2+ with a strong attack) 23. Rg2 Kf8 24. Qh7?! (24. Kb1 Ke8 25. Qg1 per Fritz 7) dxe4? (Instead 24 … d4 is very good for Black) 25. Rxg7! Rxc2+ (25 … Qxg7? 26. Bh6) 26. Kb1 Bxf5 27. Qg8+ Ke7 28. Rxf7+! Kd6 (28 … Qxf7 29. Bg5+) 29. Rxf6+ 1-0.

B. 10 … Qa5

Black often plays a combination of … Qa5 along with … Ne5, in either order. The point of 10 … Qa5 is 11 … Rfc8 (instead of … Rac8) keeping both Rooks on the Queenside to attack White's King, and also freeing up the f8 square for Black's King if needed.

4) Palmer-Sanetullaev (Grand Haven, 2009): 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3 Nc6 8. Qd2 0-0 9. Bc4 Ne5 10. Bb3 Bd7 11. 0-0-0 Qa5 12. Kb1 Rfc8 13. Bg5 (The best scoring line for White) Nc4 14. Bxc4 Rxc4 15. Nb3 Qe5 16. f4 Qe6 17. e5 Ne4 18. Nxe4 Rxe4 19. Qd3 Bc6?! (19 … Ra4 20. Rhe1 h6 is equal per Fritz 7) 20. Nc5! dxc5 21. Qd8+! Be8 (21 … Rxd8 22. Rxd8+ Bf8 23. Bh6 mates) 22. Qxa8 and White won (1-0, 37).

5) R. Byrne-Korchnoi (Sousse, 1967): 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Be3 g6 7. f3 Bg7 8. Qd2 0-0 9. Bc4 Qa5 10. 0-0-0 Bd7 11. Kb1 Rfc8 12. Bb3 Ne5 13. h4 Nc4 14. Bxc4 Rxc4 15. Nb3 Qa6 16. e5 Ne8 17. Nd5 Bxe5 18. Nxe7+ Kf8 19. Nd5 Bf5 20. Bh6+ Ng7 21. Ne3 Rac8!? (Black often counterattacks c2 in the Yugoslav, but this is an exchange sacrifice) 22. Nxc4 Rxc4 23. Rc1 Ra4 24. f4 (Consider 24. Rhe1) Bf6 25. Bg5 Bxg5 26. hxg5 Rxa2 27. Rxh7? (27. Qc3 defending and White is clearly better) Be6 28. Qc3?? (Now White falls into mate) 28 … Ra1+! 0-1. (29. Nxa1 Qa2#/Ba2#)

6) Palmer-Croel (Mesick, 2010): 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3 0-0 8. Qd2 Nc6 9. Bc4 Bd7 10. 0-0-0 Qa5 11. Kb1 Rfc8 12. Bb3 Ne5 13. Bg5 Nc4 14. Bxc4 Rxc4 15. Bxf6 (15. Nb3 is better) Bxf6 16. Nd5 Qxd2 17. Nxf6+ exf6 (17 … Kg7! 18. Nh5+ Kh6 19. Rxd2 Kxh5 20. Re1 Kg5 22. Ne2 Rac8 1/2-1/2 Jansa-Lechtynsky, Havirov 2003) 18. Rxd2 Rac8 19. c3 Kf8 20. Nc2 Ke7 21. Rhd1 R8c6!? 22. Nb4! Rxb4 (22 … Rb6 23. Nd5+) 23. cxb4 Be6 24. a3 and White won (1-0, 46).

C. 10 … Ne5 without … Rc8

This section is primarily the Chinese Dragon with … Rb8 supporting the advance … b5 and anchoring a future Nc4, which is an increasingly popular strategy for Black.

7) Ernst-Carlsson (Stockholm, 2002): 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nf6 4. Nc3 cxd4 5. Nxd4 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3 0-0 8. Qd2 Nc6 9. Bc4 Bd7 10. 0-0-0 Rb8 11. Bb3 Ne5 12. Bh6 Bxh6 13. Qxh6 b5 14. h4 e6 15. h5 Qe7 16. hxg6 fxg6 17. Qg5 Nf7 18. Qg3 a5 19. Nce2 Rfc8?! (19 … Rfd8!? is better) 20. Nf4 e5 21. Nxg6! hxg6 22. Nf5 Bxf5 23. exf5 g5 24. Qxg5+ Kf8 25. Bxf7 Qxf7 (25 … Kxf7? 26. Qg6+ mates) 26. Rxd6 Ng8 27. Rh8 Rxc2+ (Desperation) 28. Kxc2 Qc4+ 29. Kd2 Qb4+ 30. Ke2 1-0.

8) Palmer-Levi (Lansing, 2009): 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3 Nc6 8. Qd2 0-0 9. Bc4 Bd7 10. 0-0-0 Rb8 11. Kb1 Na5 12. Bd3 a6 13. Bh6 b5 14. Bxg7 Kxg7 15. h4 Qb6 16. Nde2 Nc4 17. Bxc4 bxc4 18. Qc1 Rb7 19. h5 Rfb8 20. b3 Be6 (20 … e5!? was found right after the game and gives Black good attacking chances) 21. Nd4 Qa5 22. Kb2 Nxh5!? (22 … cxb3 23. cxb3 gxh5 is equal) 23. 23. Nc6 (Knight Fork) Qc5 24. Nxb8 Rxb8 and White won (1-0, 82).

D. Other Lines

10 … Na5 is the only offshoot with any real independent significance, but White can make the Na5 look silly by simply retreating 11. Bd3.

10 … a6 becomes a combination of the Dragon and the Najdorf (5 … a6), which is sometimes termed a Dragondorf. The traditional teaching is that Black must attack White's Queenside with pieces, as a Pawn storm with … a6 & … b5 is too slow because White breaks through on Black's Kingside first.

9) Fischer-Larsen (Portoroz, 1958): 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 (Any article on the Yugoslav Attack must mention this game) Bg7 7. f3 0-0 8. Qd2 Nc6 9. Bc4 Nxd4 10. Bxd4 Be6 (An old idea, with Black not fearing the doubled Pawns after Bxe6 fxe6) 11. Bb3 Qa5 12. 0-0-0 b5 13. Kb1 b4 14. Nd5 Bxd5 15. Bxd5 Rac8 16. Bb3 Rc7 17. h4 Qb5 18. h5 Rfc8 19. hxg6 hxg6 20. g4 a5 21. g5 Nh5 22. Rxh5!? (Fischer's specialty – sac sac mate!) gxh5 23. g6 e5 (Fritz gives 23 … Bxd4!? 24. Qxd4 Rc4 +/-) 24. gxf7+ Kf8 25. Be3 d5 26. exd5 Rxf7 27. d6 Rf6 28. Bg5 Qb7 29. Bxf6 Bxf6 30. d7 Rd8 31. Qd6+ 1-0. Review Fischer's instructive annotations in M60MG.

10) Konstantinopolsky-Rudakovsky (Corr., 1937): 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. f3 Bg7 7. Be3 0-0 8. Qd2 a6 (Dragondorf) 9. 0-0-0 b5 (Modern theory says the Pawns are too slow) 10. Bh6 Bb7 (10 … Bxh6!? 11. Qxh6 e5 is equal per Fritz 7) 11. Bxg7 Kxg7 12. e5! Ne8 (12 … dxe5? 13. Ne6+!) 13. h4 h5 (Consider 13 … e6 keeping White pieces out of d5) 14. Nf5+! Kg8 (14 … gxf5 15. Qg5+ and Black's King is wide open) 15. Qg5 Nc6 16. Nd5 e6 17. Nde7+ Nxe7 18. Nxe7+ Kg7 19. Bd3 Rh8 20. Bxg6! 1-0. A smashing miniature.

The Yugoslav Attack is very effective against the Sicilian Dragon. It leads to a sharp game with chances for both sides, and hopefully now you will try it out. Good luck!

REFERENCES

1. chessgames.com

2. Fritz 7

Posted at 5:00 PM by Joshua Posthuma | Category: Category 1 | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (0)

1/24/2011

Sicilian Dragon - Overview

By Joshua Posthuma & Tony Palmer

The Sicilian Defense (1. e4 c5) is an aggressive opening for Black, using a wing Pawn to contest the center and unbalance the game. Its name came from Sicily, the island area of Italy, and this opening gained popularity throughout the twentieth century, as previous masters preferred 1. e4 e5 games. When Black answers 1. e4 with 1 … c5, then White can play d2-d4 to trade Pawns and open the center (Open Sicilian), or else advance d2-d3 leaving the Black Pc5 to control d4 with a closed center (Closed Sicilian). This Sicilian variation begins 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 (Open Sicilian) cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3, and now 5 … g6 is the Sicilian Dragon, as Black's Pawns on d6, e7, f7, g6 and h7 resemble the constellation Draco (Latin for “dragon”). Black will fianchetto the Bishop on g7, castle Kingside, and continue fighting for the center. Many of White's set-ups involve castling Queenside, where castling on opposites sides leads to direct attacks against the enemy Kings with a sharp game. Besides the main line Dragon with 5 … g6, Black can try the Accelerated Dragon (1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nc3 g6) saving a tempo by delaying … Nf6 for now, or the Hyperaccelerated Dragon (1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 g6). The Sicilian Dragon has been played at the top level by Kasparov, Topalov, Gufeld, Golubev, and most recently Carlsen.

Diagram 1

After 5 … g6, the chessgames database has 4,723 games, with these results for White's sixth move: 6. Be3 64%, 6. Be2 17%, 6. g3 5% and 6. f4 4%. Other sixth moves like 6. Bc4 (5%) and 6. f3 (2%) typically transpose to the Yugoslav Attack with a later Be3 by White. This first article will discuss the three main alternatives to 6. Be3, then the next installment covers the Yugoslav Attack.

A. Classical Variation = 6. Be2

The Classical Variation begins with 6. Be2 and White frequently continues 0-0, versus other sharper lines with 0-0-0. Black replies 6 … Bg7, and now one trap for White to avoid is 7. Bd2? Nxe4! (Discovery) 8. Nxe4 Bxd4 winning a Pawn. When both sides castle Kingside, the Kings are more secure so the action is quieter. Note 6. Be2 is the second most popular option for White against the Dragon.

1) Kamsky-Shabalov (US Championship, San Diego, 2006): 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be2 (Classical Variation) Bg7 7. 0-0 0-0 8. Be3 Nc6 9. Qd2 Bd7 10. f3 Nxd4 11. Bxd4 (11. Qxd4?! Ng4 lets Black trade down favorably.) Bc6 12. Rfd1 Qd7 13. a4 Rfc8 14. a5 Qe6 15. Ra3 (Only GMs can get away with this.) Nd7 16. Bf2 a6 17. Rb3 Rc7 18. Nd5 Bxd5 19. exd5 Qe5 (The Black Queen is low on squares.) 20. Bf1 Rac8 21. c3 Qf5 22. Rb4 Bf6? (22 … Nc5 is +/- per Fritz 7.) 23. g4 Qg5 24. Be3 Qh4 25. g5 (Discovery) Qh5 26. gxf6 Ne5 27. Bg2 exf6 28. Qf2 Re7 29. Rh4 Qf5 30. Rf4 Qh5 31. Bd4 f5 32. Rh4 Qg5 33. Qg3 1-0.

2) Anand-Topalov (Linares, 1994): 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be2 Bg7 7. 0-0 0-0 8. Bg5 (White's set-up with 0-0 & Bg5 is solid but doesn't pose Black many problems.) a6 9. a4 Nc6 10. Nb3 Be6 (This clumsy QB development fights for the c4 square.) 11. Kh1 Rc8 12. f4 Na5 13. Nxa5 Qxa5 14. Bd3 Rfe8 15. Qe2 Qb4 16. a5 Bg4 17. Qd2 Bd7 18. Qe2 Qxb2 19. Bxf6 Bxf6 20. Nd5 (Last book move!) Bb5 21. Bxb5 Qxb5 22. Qxb5 axb5 23. Rab1 Rc5 24. Rfd1 (24. g4 h6 is =/+ per Fritz 7.) Kg7 25. Nb6 Rxc2 26. Rxb5 Re2 27. Nd5 Rxe4 28. Rxb7 Ra8 (Black blockades the passed a Pawn while aiming to play against White's weak back rank.) 29. g4 Rxa5 30. g5 Ba1 31. Nxe7 Rxf4 32. Nc6 Ra8 33. Rxd6 Ra2 34. Rd1 Rff2 35. Nd8 (35. h4 would improve.) Kg8 36. Rb8 h5! (White threatened 37. Ne6#.) 37. gxh6? (37. Nc6+ Kg7 38. h4 Rh2+ is still -+.) Be5 38. Rb7 Rxh2+ 39. Kg1 Rhg2+ 40. Kh1 Rh2+ 41. Kg1 Rhg2+ 42. Kh1 Rg4 0-1. (White's King is trapped in a mating net.)

B. Fianchetto Variation = 6. g3

The Fianchetto Variation is more positional than tactical, as White's King is safer behind the Bg2 compared to 0-0-0 ideas. Yet this system is much slower compared to more aggressive lines where White's KB is used for attack.

1) Bronstein-Sajtar (Moscow, 1946): 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. g3 Bg7 7. Bg2 0-0 8. h3 Nc6 9. Nde2 a6 10. 0-0 Ne5 11. Kh2 Bd7 12. f4 (This is a very common Kingside set-up for White.) Nc4 13. b3 Na5 14. Be3 Rc8 15. Qd2 b5 16. a3 Qc7 17. Rad1 Bc6 18. Rfe1 (Fritz 7 suggests 18. f5 Nb7 +/=.) Rfd8 19. Nd5 Bxd5 20. exd5 Nb7 21. Nd4 Rd7 22. Nc6 (The c6 square becomes a very useful outpost.) Nd8 23. c4 e6 24. Rc1 bxc4 25. bxc4 Nb7 26. Red1 Bf8 27. Qb2 Bg7 28. Qf2 Nc5!? (Black sacrifices a Pawn to help relieve the bind.) 29. Bxc5 dxc5 30. Qxc5 Bf8 31. Qd4 Ne8 32. c5 exd5 33. Ne5 Rdd8 34. Bxd5 Bxc5 35. Rxc5! Qxc5 36. Qxc5 Rxc5 37. Bxf7+ (Discovery) Kf8 38. Rxd8 Rxe5 39. fxe5 Kxf7 40. Ra8 1-0. (The endgame is an easy win.)

2) Bronstein-Tal (Tbilisi, 1982): 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. g3 Nc6 7. Nde2 Bg4 8. Bg2 Bg7 9. 0-0 0-0 10. h3 Bxe2 (A useful trade for Black since the QB can be hard to utilize against the Fianchetto Variation.) 11. Qxe2 Qb6 12. Nd5 Nxd5 13. exd5 Ne5 14. c3 Rfc8 15. Re1 Qa6!? (Black offers a Queen trade.) 16. Qxa6 bxa6 17. f4 Nd3 18. Rxe7 Rab8 19. Re2 Rxc3?! (A clever but flawed conception; 19 … Re8 is better.) 20. bxc3 Bxc3 21. Bb2 (21. Be4 wins for White.) Bxb2 22. Rd1 Nc5 (Black has one Pawn for the exchange.) 23. Rc2 a5 24. Kf1 a4 25. Rb1 a3 26. Ke2 Rb4 27. Kd1 Kg7 28. Ke2 a5 29. h4 h5 30. Kf3 Ne4 31. Re1 f5?! (31 … Nc3!? 32. Rxc3 Bxc3 and Black is better per Fritz 7.) 32. Rc7+ (Consider 32. Re3 instead.) Kh6 33. Ke3 Bd4+ 34. Kd3 Nc5+ 35. Kc2 Rb2+ 36. Kd1 Bf6 (Black had to prevent 37. Ree7 mating.) 37. Re2 Rb1+ 38. Kc2?! (38. Kd2 is equal per Fritz 7.) Ra1 39. Bf3 Rxa2+ 40. Kd1 Rxe2 41. Bxe2 a2 0-1. (The passed Pawn cannot be stopped.)

C. Levenfish Variation = 6. f4

This line was developed by Grigory Levenfish from Russia. The primary threat is e4-e5 kicking the Nf6, and note 6. f4 Bg7?! 7. e5 forces 7 … Ng8, otherwise 7 … Ng4!? 8. Bb5+ Kf8 and Black cannot castle, or 7 … Nfd7?! 8. e6.

1) Levenfish-Rabinovich (Leningrad, 1939): 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nf6 4. Nc3 cxd4 5. Nxd4 g6 6. f4 Bg7?! 7. e5 Ng4!? 8. Bb5+ Kf8 9. h3 Nh6 10. Be3 Nc6 11. exd6 Nxd4 12. Bxd4 Qxd6 13. Bxg7+ Kxg7 14. Qxd6 exd6 (White heads for the superior endgame.) 15. 0-0-0 Rd8 16. Rd2 Be6 17. Rhd1 Nf5 18. g4 Ne3 19. Re1 a6 20. Rxe3 axb5 21. Nxb5 Rxa2 22. Rxd6 Rxd6 23. Nxd6 Ra1+ 24. Kd2 Rf1 25. Nxb7 Rxf4 26. Nc5 Bd5 (Better is 26 … Bc4 27. Nd3 Bxd3 28. Kxd3 yet White is on top.) 27. Nd3 Rf1 28. b3 Kh6 29. c4 Bg2 30. Ke2 Rb1 31. g5+! Kg7 (31 … Kxg5? 32. Rg3+; 31 … Kh5? 32. Nf4+) 32. Kf2 Bb7 33. b4 Bc8 34. c5 Bf5 35. c6 (White's passed Pawns become very dangerous.) h6 36. gxh6+ Kxh6 37. c7 Rb3 38. h4 Rc3 39. Nc5 Rc4 40. Re5 Bg4 (White threatened 41. Rxf5! Queening.) 41. Re4 Rc2+ 42. Ke3 Bf5 43. Rf4 Bc8 44. Rxf7 Rc4 45. Rf4 1-0.

2) Nunn-Miles (London, 1982): 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. f4 Nc6 (The most common idea for Black against the Levenfish.) 7. Nxc6 bxc6 8. e5 Nd7 9. exd6 exd6 10. Be3 Nf6 11. Qd2 Bg7 12. 0-0-0 d5 13. Bc5 Be6 14. Qd4 Qa5 15. Bb4 Qc7 16. g3 Rb8 17. Ba3 Rg8 (So Black can never castle, yet the unclear nature of this position offers chances for both sides.) 18. Qa4 Qb6 19. Bg2 Nd7 20. Rd3 Bf5 21. Re1+ (Fritz 7 suggests 21. Rd2 Bxc3 22. Re2+ Kd8 23. bxc3 Re8 and Black is slightly better.) Kd8 22. Rf3 (22. Rdd1 Bf6 23. Bf1 improves.) Re8 23. Rxe8+ Kxe8 24. Nd1 Nc5 25. Re3+ Kd8 26. Bxc5 Qxc5 27. c3 d4 28. Rf3 Be4 29. Rf2?! (29. b3 Bxf3 30. Bxf3 dxc3 is still better for Black.) dxc3 30. Bxe4 cxb2+ 31. Kd2 b1=Q (31 … Rb4 is decisive.) 32. Bxb1 Rxb1 33. Rf3 Rb4 34. Rd3+ Kc7 35. Qa3 a5 36. Nc3 Bf8 37. Qc1 Qf2+ 38. Kd1 Qg1+ (38 … Rb2 is even stronger; 39. Rd2? Qf1#.) 39. Ke2?? (Blunder) Qxc1 0-1.

These alternate lines against the Sicilian Dragon are solid and sound, and they still retain real theoretical importance as they are sometimes used for surprise value. Next time we will cover the Yugoslav Attack starting with 6. Be3. Good luck!

REFERENCES

1. chessgames.com

2. Fritz 7

3. Wikipedia – Sicilian Defence, Dragon Variation

Posted at 6:00 PM by Joshua Posthuma | Category: Category 1 | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (0)

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