5/19/2024 – The Sicilian Dragon is full of options for White, after the first 8-12 moves have been played. One of them is, to place the Knight on e4. But is this a good idea for White? Chris Ward doesn't think so, and shows us a couple of ideas for Black to deal with this unusual progression. Luckily, a Dragon player is in for some fun because some tactics are rolling in. | Photo: John Upham
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Chess Festival Prague 2025 with analyses by Aravindh, Giri, Gurel, Navara and others. ‘Special’: 27 highly entertaining miniatures. Opening videos by Werle, King and Ris. 10 opening articles with new repertoire ideas and much more.
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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.
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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1.e4c52.Nf3d63.d4cxd44.Nxd4Nf65.Nc3g66.Be3Bg77.f30-08.Qd2Nc69.0-0-0d510.exd510.Nxc6bxc6is still quite fashionable if White follows up with 11 Bh6 but11.exd5would pretty much compel White to accept the pawn offering.10...Nxd511.Nxc611.Nxd5?!Qxd512.Nxc6Qxc6is rather nice for Black.11...bxc612.Ne4?!A first for me as I can't recall ever seeing this move before. Of course we're used to12.Bd4e513.Bc5Be6and then14.Ne4but here White riskily deploys the move whilst the Dragon bishop still has a clear view of the white queenside.12.Nxd5cxd513.Qxd5Qc7of course being that main pawn sac line.12...Rb8A natural and logical response instantly targeting b2. Nevertheless there are a few sensible options:12...Qc7when after13.Bd4Bxd414.Qxd4there was certainly no compulsion for Black to place a pawn on e5 any more conceding squares and indeedRd815.Bc4Bf5was equal at best for White in Dos Santos,L (2014)-Ronka,E (2355) Chess.com INT 202212...Bf5when after say13.Bh6Qb614.Bxg7Kxg715.Qd4+f6trading queens would merely leave Black with the far superior structure.12...f513.Nc5Qb6and again Black benefits from not having a pawn on e5. So yes, plenty of choice!13.Bd4White can't contemplate conceding holes around the king as for example13.b3?Bf514.g4?(okay admittedly this accentuates the situation!)Bxe415.fxe4Nxe316.Qxe3Bb2+or simply16...Qa5with mate in mind!17.Kxb2Qxd1demonstrates.13...Bxd414.Qxd4With the knight on d5 pinned to the queen, White is threatening c2-c4 and of course if he could trade a whole bunch of pieces then Black's queenside isolanis could be highlighted as big weaknesses. Alas for White neither of those outcomes will occur.Qc7Unpinning the knight and ensuring the queens stay on as Black is planning on doing the attacking.15.h4?!Apparently White hasn't read that memo though, still harbouring desires for a kingside offensive. This is too slow though and probably White should settle for15.g3controlling f4 or15.Bc4developing and connecting the rooks, both with approximate equality.15...Bf516.Bc4After16.h5Rfd8suddenly big discovered attacks such as ...Nb4 enter the equation.Meanwhile highlighting danger is16.g4?Bxe417.Qxe4Rxb218.Kxb2Rb8+19.Kc1or19.Ka1Nc320.Qd4Nxd121.Qxd1Qe5+19...Nc316...Rfd817.Ng5?Black was already better but this is way too optimistic and punished accordingly.c5!18.Qd2or18.Qf2Qf4+netting the bishop and so much more.18...Qe5!Simply threatening mate on b2.19.c319.Bb3would seec4(again netting the bishop and so much more) but the rest of this game is beautiful.19...Nxc3‼20.Nxf7Alternatively20.Qxc3Qxc3+21.bxc3Rb1#20.Qxd8+Rxd821.Rxd8+Kg7and Black's initiative is devastating with mate or huge material gain inevitable.22.bxc3Qxc3+23.Kd120.Bxf7+Kg7merely delaying the problems for a move.21.Ne6+Bxe622.Qxc3Qxc3+23.bxc3Kxf720...Ne2+!21.Qxe221.Bxe2would survive longer butRxd221...Kxf7also rather good bearing in mind22.Qxd8Qxb2#22.Nxe5or22.Nh6+Kf823.Rxd2Qc3+24.Kd1Rxb2and White's position is in tatters.22...Rc2+23.Kb1Rbxb2+24.Ka1Rxa2+25.Kb1Rcb2+26.Kc1Rb1#is rather visual!21...Qc3+22.bxc3Rb1#0–1
Arne KaehlerArne 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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