The Monthly Dragon - This new g3 variation is getting quite popular!

by Arne Kaehler
1/17/2024 – As everybody knows by now, d5 is perhaps one of the best continuations for Black in the main variation of the Yugoslav attack. But more and more players accept the variation and try to swap off queens on d4 differently, by playing the knight to a4! Finally, a trendy move for White is now to move the g-pawn forward one square!? How to deal with this as a Dragon lover? Chris Ward knows the answer, and it leads to spectacular, beautiful outcomes, of course. | 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.e41,165,57054%2421---
1.d4946,47455%2434---
1.Nf3281,31256%2441---
1.c4181,93756%2442---
1.g319,68856%2427---
1.b314,23654%2427---
1.f45,88648%2377---
1.Nc33,79651%2384---
1.b41,75348%2380---
1.a31,19754%2403---
1.e31,06848%2408---
1.d394850%2378---
1.g466246%2361---
1.h444653%2374---
1.c342651%2425---
1.h327956%2416---
1.a410860%2468---
1.f39147%2431---
1.Nh38966%2508---
1.Na34262%2482---
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 9.0-0-0 d5 10.exd5 Nxd5 11.Nxc6 bxc6 12.Bd4 12.Nxd5 cxd5 13.Qxd5 Qc7 14.Qxa8 Bf5 15.Qxf8+ Kxf8 modern engines actually like for Black. 12...Bxd4 Rather than the still considered main line of 12...e5 13.Bc5 Be6 14.Ne4 13.Qxd4 Qb6 14.Na4 14.Nxd5 cxd5 15.Qxd5 Be6 is good compensation for the pawn e.g. 16.Qb5 Qc7 17.Bd3 Rfb8 18.Qg5 a5 or 18...Bxa2 14.Qxb6 axb6 sees Black's structure repaired! 14...Qc7 Black has no intention of acquiescing to fair swaps when his isolated queenside pawns might be exploited in the long term. One debate though is whether Black should retreat immediately or plump for 14...Qa5 15.b3 Qc7 implying that the inclusion of b2-b3 might be detrimental. 15.Bc4 15.c4?! Nf4 16.g3 Ne6 17.Qe3 c5 is quite nice for Black. 15...Rd8 16.g3 16.Nc5 Bf5 (threatening ...Bxc2) 17.Bb3 is most common. alongside the prophylactic 16.Bb3 However the currently in third place text is a tad fashionable with White freeing his king's rook from the shackles of protecting the h2-pawn, whilst simultaneously grasping control of the f4-square. 16...Bh3!? It does however concede a hole, which Black now provocatively invades. Now of course Black's rooks are connected and so White needs to beware discovered attacks against his queen. 17.Qh4!? Alternatively 17.Qf2 Nb6! 18.Bb3 18.Nxb6 axb6 19.a3 b5! with some handy queenside play. 18.Rxd8+ Rxd8 19.Nxb6 axb6 again okay for Black and much better in the case of 20.g4?? (it's not so easy to trap the bishop!) Qf4+ 18...Nxa4 19.Bxa4 c5! 20.Rxd8+ Rxd8 21.Rd1 Rxd1+ 22.Kxd1 Be6 with advantage Black. Note then 17.g4? seeking to incarcerate the bishop is flawed on so many levels e.g. Bg2 or the immediate. 17...Nb6 18.Rhe1 Nb6 17...Bf5 17...Qa5! is very reasonable too but the main game turns out super cute. 18.Rhe1 Activating the rook and specifically covering the e3-square whilst setting sights on the e7-pawn. Rab8 Black does likewise, scrutinising the b2-pawn but with ...Rb4 potentially a serious annoyance. 19.Bb3 And not 19.Bxd5?! cxd5 20.Qxe7?? 20.Rxe7 Qxc2# 20...Qxc2# Oops! 19...Qa5 Instead then Black immediately activates her majesty with ...Rb4 serious now given the double attack to the white knight. 20.Re5? Pinning the knight so that 20...Rb4? could now be met by 21 Qxe7!. However... Ne3‼ Not as good but certainly 20...Nc3 would be just as visual i.e. 21.Bxf7+ 21.Rxd8+ Rxd8 22.bxc3 Qxe5 21...Kh8! Rather than 21...Kxf7? 22.Rxe7+ Kg8 23.Qxh7+ or 21...Kg7 22.Bd5‼ Nxd5 23.Rdxd5! 22.Rxd8+ Upon 22.Bd5 , the knight could just take that bishop although Nxa2+! 23.Kb1 Bxc2+ 24.Kxc2 Nb4+ is even stronger. 22...Rxd8 23.Nxc3 Of course the point is still 23.Rxa5 Rd1# or amusingly 23...Ne2+ followed by 24...Rd1 mate! 23...Qxe5 21.Bxf7+ So obviously there is 21.Rxa5?? Rxd1# Also of course 21.Rxd8+ Rxd8 Black has multiple threats and upon 22.Rxe3 Again 22.Rxa5 Rd1# 22...Qd2+ 23.Kb1 he could take the rook or Qd1# or neater still 23...Qxc2+ 24.Bxc2 Rd1# 21.Rxe3 Rxd1+ 22.Kxd1 Rd8+ 23.Rd3 23.Kc1 Qd2+ 24.Kb1 Bxc2+ 24...Qxc2+ 25.Bxc2 Rd1# 25.Bxc2 23.Ke2 Qd2+ 23...Bxd3 24.cxd3 Rxd3+ 25.Ke2 Qd2+ 26.Kf1 Rxf3+ 27.Kg1 Qe1+ 28.Kg2 Qf1# 21...Kh8! As it stands White's d-file issues remain... Note 21...Kg7? allows 22.Bd5! dealing with Black's threats for a moment but bringing a serious one of his own into play on e7. 22.Bd5 Avoiding being mated on d1 but given Black's accurate king placement last turn, the problem is that a future Rxe7 won't come with check. 22.Rxd8+ Rxd8 with familiar themes: 23.Rxe3 and 23.Rxa5 Rd1# 23...Qd2+ 22...Rxd5 Hence Black has time for this. 23.Rexd5 Upon 23.Rxe3 Black has Rxd1+ 24.Kxd1 Rd8+ 25.Rd3 Or 25.Ke2 Qd2+ 26.Kf1 Qxe3 25...Bxd3 26.cxd3 26.Qxe7 Bxc2+ 27.Kxc2 Qxa4+ 26...Rxd3+ 27.Ke2 Qd2+ 28.Kf1 Rxf3+ with mate incoming. 23...Nxd5 23...cxd5 was also good as after 24.Qd4+ Kg8 we mustn't forget that taking the black knight would leave the white knight hanging. 24.Qd4+ Kg8 And basically Black is a piece for a pawn up. 25.g4 Rb4 Or 25...Bxc2 26.Kxc2 Rb4 26.Qe5 Rxa4 27.gxf5 Rxa2 Now of course threatening mate on a1. 28.Qe6+ Kf8 29.Qc8+ Kg7 And White's own checks have dried up! 30.c3 Ra1+ 30...Qb5 should lead to mate, even quickly via 31.Rd2? Ra1+ 32.Kc2 Ne3# However Black is enjoying himself! 31.Kd2 Rxd1+ 32.Kxd1 Qa4+ 33.Kc1 Qf4+ 0–1
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Tonndorf,M2206Kargin,A23910–12023B7626th OIBM 20236.20

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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