The Monthly Dragon - How to win against 9. Bc4!

by Arne Kaehler
2/28/2025 – In the main line of the Yugoslav Attack, the ninth move Bc4 is nearly as popular as castling long. While Bd7 remains the most common response, Chris has some excellent alternative suggestions that can give Black an edge. Interestingly, Bc4 recently proved to be a nightmare for co-host Arne Kaehler, as Chris thoroughly enjoyed predicting and countering Arne’s "amateur" plans. | Photo: John Upham
In this first part, the emphasis is on themes and ideas whereas Part 2 and 3 focus on theoretical knowledge!

The Monthly Dragon

with GM Chris Ward

The British Grandmaster Chris Ward is always delighted if he can play his favourite opening as Black: the Sicilian Dragon.

Ward's knowledge about this strong opening is covered in several of his books, his blog on chesspublishing, and his three, greatly popular FritzTrainers in our ChessBase shop.

In this first part, the emphasis is on themes and ideas whereas Part 2 and 3 focus on theoretical knowledge!

With the new ChessBase series "The Monthly Dragon", the passionate Salsa dancer is showing us the newest tactics, plans, and development of this fascinating opening.

Lucky for us, the dragon is an opening, played by some of the best players in the world. This means, Chris probably won't run out of fuel for new content.

Full analysis by Chris Ward

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MoveNResultEloPlayers
1.e41,177,40254%2421---
1.d4954,68955%2434---
1.Nf3284,54356%2441---
1.c4183,75756%2442---
1.g319,82356%2427---
1.b314,51754%2428---
1.f45,93148%2377---
1.Nc33,87350%2384---
1.b41,77748%2379---
1.a31,24554%2406---
1.e31,07649%2409---
1.d396450%2378---
1.g467046%2361---
1.h446554%2381---
1.c343651%2426---
1.h328956%2420---
1.a411759%2462---
1.f310047%2427---
1.Nh39267%2511---
1.Na34762%2476---
1.d4 c5 2.e4 cxd4 3.Nf3 d6 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.Be3 Bg7 This was a novel move order to reach the Dragon and there is a big reminder that Black is not compelled to enter main lines. For example the Hungarian Dragon continues to gain popularity with a model game being: 6...Nc6 7.f3 h5 8.Qd2 Nxd4 9.Bxd4 Bh6 10.Be3 Bxe3 11.Qxe3 Be6 12.Bb5+ Kf8 13.0-0 Qa5 14.h3 Rc8 15.Bd3 Kg7 16.f4 Qc5 17.Qxc5 Rxc5 18.Ne2 Bc4 19.b3 Bxd3 20.cxd3 Rc2 21.Kf2 e5 22.Ke3 h4 23.Rf2 Nh5 24.a4 Rhc8 25.Raf1 f6 26.fxe5 dxe5 27.Ng1 Ng3 28.Rd1 f5 29.exf5 gxf5 30.Rxc2 Rxc2 31.d4 e4 32.d5 Kf6 33.Kd4 f4 34.d6 Ke6 35.d7 Kxd7 36.Ke5+ Ke7 37.Kxf4 Rxg2 38.Re1 Rxg1 0-1 (38) Oparin,G (2653)-Dubov,D (2693) New York USA 2024 6...a6 7.f3 might look set for an 'Accelerated Dragadorf' but an example of new ideas/ systems cropping up is: e5 8.Nb3 Be6 9.g4? d5! 10.g5 Nc6! Not 10...d4? 11.Nxd4 exd4 12.Qxd4 11.gxf6 d4 12.Bg5 dxc3 13.Qxd8+ Nxd8 14.bxc3 Rc8 15.Kd2 Ba3 16.Rb1 b5 17.Bh6 Nb7 18.h4 Kd7 19.h5 Rhd8 20.Bd3 Nd6 21.Rhg1 Nc4+ 22.Ke2 Nb6 23.Bd2 Na4 and Black went on to convert his endgame advantage in Azarya,J (2417)-Dau Khuong Duy (2410) Hanoi VIE 2025 7.f3 0-0 8.Qd2 Nc6 9.Bc4 Nxd4 The 9 Bc4 variation of the Yugoslav Attack is the most theoretical with Black having plenty of systems to choose from including: 9...Bd7 10.0-0-0 Rb8 Chinese System 10...Qa5 11.Bb3 Rfc8 10...Rc8 11.Bb3 Ne5 11...Nxd4 12.Bxd4 b5 The Topalov System 12.h4 or 12.Kb1 Re8 Prophylaxis 12...h5 Soltis Variation 11.Bb3 Na5 and even 9...Nd7 10.Bxd4 Be6 11.Bxe6 Intriguingly humans decided over time that White was better off eschewing the bishop trade on e6 with 11.Bb3 remaining twice as popular in practice. Nevertheless as a kick in the teeth to the living, top engines prefer the text! 11...fxe6 So this pawn handily covers the d5-square but could also potentially be a key weakness. White would also like to successfully get in e4-e5 whilst he might consider the g6-pawn to be flimsy cover for the black king. 12.0-0-0 Qa5 The natural developing move, activating her majesty, adding cover to the e5-square and connecting the rooks along the back rank. Soon White will have a decision to make as to whether he should try to attack the black king or look to break through in the centre in order to pressurise Black's e-pawns. For now though he keeps his options open as the vast majority have also done before him. 13.Kb1 Alternatively 13.Rhe1 Nd7 14.Bxg7 Kxg7 15.e5!? Nxe5 15...d5 being the other approach. 16.f4 Nc6 17.Rxe6 Qf5 18.Re4 should be okay for Black. 13...Rac8 14.h4 14.Rhe1 Nd7 15.Bxg7 Kxg7 16.Ne2 Qxd2 17.Rxd2 isn't a problem for Black who can even play e5 if he wants to keep the white steed away from attacking that same pawn on e6. As it guarded the a2-pawn, White's last move facilitated 14.Ne2 but whilst Black could ponder keeping the queens on, Qxd2 15.Rxd2 Nd7 16.Bxg7 16.Bxa7? b6 is bad news for the greedy bishop! 16...Kxg7 17.Nd4 can comfortably see Black guard the e6-pawn with either 17. ..Kf7, 17...Kf6 or 17.. .Rf6. 14...Nh5 Totally logical. The other advantage to Black that came with ...fxe6 is a half-open f-file and the text facilitates the use of that e.g with the black steed able to move to f4. For now though at least White's h-pawn is prevented from advancing further. 15.Bxg7 Kxg7 16.g4? White wants to budge the knight in order to make inroads against the black king but this doesn't work out. Alternatively: 16.Qd4+ e5 17.Qe3 Qc5 18.Qg5 Rf7 offers equal chances whilst 16.e5!? is a familiar mixer where after Qxe5 17.Rhe1 Qf4 18.Rxe6 Qxd2 19.Rxd2 Kf7 20.Rde2 Rfe8 21.Nd5 Black would have the neat defensive resource Rc5!? i.e. 22.Rxe7+ Note 22.Nxe7? Nf4 22...Rxe7 23.Rxe7+ and 23.Nxe7 Nf4 24.Re4 Nxg2 23...Kf8 netting the knight for pawns. 16...Ng3! Possibly White was expecting 16...Nf4 17.h5 where g5 would keep the wolves at bay. However the text is stronger. 17.Rh3 Or 17.Rhg1 Rxf3 The f-pawn was always going to fall with the main question revolving around whether the black steed will escape from behind enemy lines. 17...Rxf3 18.Qg2 White had clearly figured that this would safely win material but he's in for a rude awakening. Rcxc3! 19.bxc3 Qxc3 The black queen descends closer now to the exposed white king but more importantly both the rook and knight are now well supported along that 6th rank. 20.Rg1 A visual end would come via 20.Rd3 Qe1+ 20...Rxd3 21.cxd3 Qxd3+ 22.Kb2 Qd4+ 23.Kb1 Nxe4 also looks quite appealing with that queen and knight pairing. 21.Kb2 Qb4+ 22.Rb3 Qd4+ 23.Ka3 Qc5+ 24.Kb2 Rf2 25.Qxg3 Qxc2+ 26.Ka3 Qc1+ 27.Kb4 Qc5+ 28.Ka4 Rxa2+ 29.Ra3 Qc4+ 30.Ka5 b6# 20...Qb4+ 21.Ka1 Qc3+ Black shows who's boss by repeating with the intention of deplying an alternative strong move. Nevertheless neat would also have been 21...Qd4+ 22.Kb1 Qb6+ 23.Ka1 Rf2! i.e. 24.Qxg3 Rxc2 forcing mate or at least for now a very significant gain of material. 22.Kb1 Nxe4! 23.Qxf3 Because of the simple fork on d2 this came with a resignation. Instead though 23.Rxf3 Nd2+ 24.Kc1 24.Qxd2 Qxd2 25.Rgf1 Qb4+ 26.Kc1 Qxg4 leaves two rooks for a queen and too many pawns! 24...Nxf3 would have attacked the remaining rook whilst also threatening mate on a1. Basically curtains! 0–1
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Hojjatinejad,I2163Doroodgar,A23710–12024B77Satranc Arena IM Chess 99.3

In this first part, the emphasis is on themes and ideas whereas Part 2 and 3 focus on theoretical knowledge!

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Arne Kaehler, a creative mind who is passionate about board games in general, was born in Hamburg and learned to play chess at a young age. By teaching chess to youth teams and creating chess-related videos on YouTube, Arne was able to expand this passion and has even created an online course for anyone who wants to learn how to play chess. Arne writes for the English and German news sites, but focuses mainly on content for the ChessBase media channels.
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