The Monthly Dragon - Key resource: Annoying the white queen with 9.0-0-0 d5

by Arne Kaehler
9/27/2023 – The Dragon Master is back with a new episode! We already reviewed the possibility of trapping the white queen in an earlier show. In today's video, Chris points out how important this resource is to gain a strong advantage over White.| 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.e41,170,31954%2421---
1.d4949,86755%2434---
1.Nf3282,62856%2440---
1.c4182,73156%2442---
1.g319,74556%2427---
1.b314,34754%2427---
1.f45,91748%2377---
1.Nc33,81651%2384---
1.b41,75948%2379---
1.a31,22254%2404---
1.e31,07349%2409---
1.d395550%2378---
1.g466646%2361---
1.h444953%2374---
1.c343551%2426---
1.h328356%2419---
1.a411460%2465---
1.f39346%2435---
1.Nh39066%2505---
1.Na34262%2482---
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 9.0-0-0 d5 10.Nxc6 bxc6 11.Bh6 Still quite a fashionable option for White. 11.exd5 cxd5 12.Bh6 Bxh6 13.Qxh6 leaves Black with reasonable choices. Regards e5 14.h4 Bb7 14...d4 looking very reasonable too. 15.h5 Qe7 16.hxg6 fxg6 17.Bd3 Black does need to be a little careful as Rac8 18.Rde1 a6?! 18...e4! blocks the diaonal to g6. 19.Qg5 Rfe8? 20.Bxg6! hxg6 21.Rh6! shows i.e. Kf7 21...Nh7 22.Rxg6+ Kh8 23.Rg8+! is a spot of overloading. 22.Qxg6+ Ke6 23.g4 Rc4 24.Qf5+ Kd6 25.Rxf6+ Kc5 26.Rf7 Qh4 27.Rxe5 Qh1+ 28.Nd1 Rd4 29.b4+ Kb5 30.Rxb7+ Ka4 31.Kb2 1-0 (31) Ustiyanovich,N (2314)-Olsson,W (2400) Gothenburg SWE 2023 11...Bxh6 12.Qxh6 Rb8 Note the analogous variation 12...Qb6 13.e5 Nd7 14.h4 Nxe5 15.h5 Bf5 16.g4 f6 where 17.Qf4 is the recommended continuation for White. And certainlt not 17.gxf5? g5! 12...e5 is a popular selection these days for Black, halting White's e-pawn in its tracks, In that instance, though unusual, it could potentially transfer to the reference above if White traded pawns on d5 now. 13.e5 Nd7 14.h4 The main alternative mode of attack is 14.Rd4 preparing a rook swinger to h4. Then after Re8 vacating the f8-square for the knight (i.e. in the event of Rh4), a recent idea saw the pawn offering 15.e6!? met by Nf6!? 16.exf7+ Kxf7 14...Nxe5 15.h5 Bf5 16.g4 f6! The key defensive resource that is vital to get to grips with. 17.Qf4? As touched on in my notes to 12...Rb8, this move is probably best with the queen on b6 and the rook back on a8 but here it is probably just an error. Upon 17.hxg6 Bxg6 Black is a pawn up and with that rock of a bishop on g6 and arguably with the better attacking chances too! In case you were wondering, the point is of course that after 17.gxf5?? g5 the white queen is trapped behind enemy lines with the upcoming ...Nf7 looking to spell her majesty's demise. Finally 17.Qe3 Bd7 18.hxg6 Qb6! 19.gxh7+ Kh8 20.Qxb6 axb6 would see Black absolutely okay in the endgame. Temporarily a pawn down yes, but with just one pawn island and enemy weaknesses to attack. 17...Qd6 Bringing the queen winning ...Nd3+ into the equation. 18.Qa4 18.Kb1? can be met by Rxb2+! i.e. 19.Kxb2 Nd3+ 20.Bxd3 Qxf4 when 21.gxf5 basically loses to either 21...Qb4+ or Rb8+ 22.Ka1 Qd4 18.Qd2 Qb4 19.b3 simply drops the f3-pawn whilst 18.Qe3 Qb4 19.b3 Qa3+ could see 20.Kb1 Rxb3+! 21.axb3 Qxb3+ 22.Ka1 or 22.Kc1 Qxc2# 22...Qa3+ 23.Kb1 Rb8+ 18...Bd7 This bishop was en prise and with the white queen awol, there were no longer serious problems down the h-file. 19.hxg6 hxg6 We're not far out of theory and already White's position is grim. Black has centre pawns, is a pawn up with good pieces. White in turn is more concerned about a liquidating ...Qb4 than his hanging f-pawn. 20.a3?! To be fair though 20.Be2 Qb4 would be no fun at all. 20...Nxf3 21.Bd3 c5 22.Bb5 White would much rather not be swapping off pieces but 22.Qxa7? Ra8 23.Qb7 Bc6 24.Qb3 or 24.Qb6 Rfb8 24...c4 just gifts more material. 22...Bxb5 23.Nxb5 Qe5! Leaving the white knight pinned to the mate on b2. 24.Rd3 Ng5 Not that much was happening there but this doesn't even allow the white rooks to double on the h-file. 25.Nc3 c4 26.Rdd1 Qe3+ And it's game over. If the white king nudges to b1 then the knight on c3 would be handing whilst blocking the check with the rook would run into ...Nf3. 0–1
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Avila Pavas,S2510Fedorovsky,M23950–12023B7624th Sants Open 20235.8

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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