The dragon variant is a half-open beginning that occurs in the Sicilian defense after the moves:
| Dragon variant | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Initial moves | 1. e2-e4 c7-c5 2. Kg1-f3 d7-d6 3.d2-d4 c5: d4 4.Kf3: d4 Kg8-f6 5. Kb1-c3 g7-g6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ECO | B70 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| First mention | mid 19th century | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Named after | dragon constellations | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Debut Category | Half open debut | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In the database | 365chess | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1. e2-e4 c7-c5
2. Kg1-f3 d7-d6
3.d2-d4 c5: d4
4.Kf3: d4 Kg8-f6
5. Kb1-c3 g7-g6 .
It is characterized by the flanking development of the royal (dark-squared) black bishop. The name was given by the Russian chess player F. I. Duz-Khotimirsky due to the similarity of the location of the black pawns with the constellation Dragon [1] .
This system was used and analyzed by L. Paulsen , Lowenthal, Em. Lasker , Maroci , Capablanca , Tartakover , Alekhine , Botvinnik , Reshevsky , Lilienthal , Boleslavsky , Sabo, Smyslov , Geller , Petrosyan , Larsen , Gort , Portish, Tal , Spassky , Fisher , Karpov , Kasparov .
Content
History
The system arose in the middle of the XIX century . For that time, such a plan was a real revolution, since open principles prevailed in chess then, and if semi-open or closed were used, then they developed according to the principle of open play (rapid development of pieces with an eye on the enemy king ). These principles in the Sicilian defense were most consistent with plans for blacks related to the development of the bishop on the diagonal a3-f8 . For example: 1. e4 c5 2. Kf3 Kc6 3. d4 cd 4. K: d4 e6 5. Kc3 Cb4 (Sicilian attack) or 1. e4 c5 2. Kf3 e6 3. d4 cd 4. K: d4 Cc5 . So, in particular, all the games of the Morphy - Paulsen match ( 1857 ) began, in which Louis Paulsen played black.
Perhaps it was the setbacks in applying this plan that prompted Paulsen to search for more reliable development systems for blacks. In the London tournament ( 1862 ) he started the game against Steinitz , who played with white, as follows: 1. e4 c5 2. Kf3 g6 . So the dragon variant appeared.
Options
- 6. Cf1-e2 - Classic
- 6. Cf1-c4
- 6. Cc1-g5
- 6.f2-f4 - Levenfish attack
- 7. ... Nb8-c6 8.Nd4: c6 b7: c6 9.e4-e5 Kf6-d7 10.e5: d6 e7: d6 11.Fd1-d4 Kd7-f6
- 6. g2-g3 - Oncoming fianchetto
- 6. Cc1-e3 Cf8-g7 7. f2-f3 0-0 8. Qd1-d2 Kb8-c6 - Rauser attack
- 9.0-0-0
- 9.g2-g4 Kc6: d4
- 9. ... Cc8: g4 !?
- 9. ... Cc8-d7 ?!
- 9.Cf1-c4 Kc6: d4
- 9. ... Kf6-d7
- 9. ... Cc8-d7 10 Cc4-b3 Qd8-a5
- 10. ... Ra8-c8 11 0-0-0 Kc6-e5 12 h2-h4
- 12 Kpc1-b1 Rf8-e8
- 12. ... Ke5-c4
- 12 Kpc1-b1 Rf8-e8
- 10. ... Ra8-c8 11 0-0-0 Kc6-e5 12 h2-h4
The Early Dragon 1.e4 c5 2.Kf3 Kc6 3.d4 cd 4.K: d4 g6 The Hungarian version 1.e4 c5 2. Kf3 g6
Notes
- ↑ Martin, Andrew. Intro // Starting Out: The Sicilian Dragon. - Everyman Chess, 2005. - P. 5. - ISBN 1-85744-398-5 .
Literature
- Gufeld E.E. Sicilian defense. Dragon variant. - M .: Physical education and sport , 1982. - 191 p. - ( Theory of openings ). - 100,000 copies.
- E. Gufeld, O. Stetsko Sicilian defense. Dragon variant. AST, Astrel, Moscow, 2003.