Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Yugoslav Attack, Modern Line

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In this post we’ll be looking at the Dragon variation of the Sicilian; the modern line.

Honestly, I feel like every line is called the modern line so it can be confusing.

The position looks like this when black gets a d5 in in the Sicilian, which is always the main goal.

This post shows the main ideas for both sides and a few games. I’ll branch off with specific games that go into this line in other areas of the site.

Here’s the full study if you want to follow along on lichess, but I feel it’s easy enough to follow the key points of the game with the images below.

The Main Line

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3 O-O 8. Qd2 Nc6

All of this is standard in the Yugoslav. The main line of the Yugoslav continues with Bc4.

The entire point is to not allow d5. If black gets a chance to play d5, then he equalizes.

This variation will show the second most common move (the third being g4)

where you allow d5 the next move.

9. O-O-O d5

There are many instances where I have done these moves out of order thinking that they all lead to the same place.

The preferred move here is exd5 first rather than nxc6, however, nxc6 can allow the light-squared bishop to develop, which we’ll look at in a sideline.

10. exd5 Nxd5 11. Nxc6

Sideline

11. Nxd5

Capturing the knight on d5 can transpose into a sideline that avoids the main scenario we will be looking at.

11… Qxd5 12. Nxc6 Qxc6

With the queen on c6 and the b file not open, black has less deadly threats on b2.

11… bxc6 12. Nxd5 cxd5 13. Qxd5 Qc7

This is the main line to consider. Black offers the rook on a8 to force the exchange of queen for two rooks after Bf5, threatening checkmate.

The power of the open board and bishop pair for black gives a ton of activity. White is also not very active in this scenario.

To avoid all of this and go into the mainline, the queen needs to block the threat right away and force the queen to move again.

14. Qc5

Capturing the queen will not give black much activity and should be avoided. Black needs to focus on the open b file and very active dark-squared bishop on g7, eyeing checkmate ideas on b2.

14… Qb7

White has the best chances when continuing with Qa3 to defend mate. It helps the light-squared bishop develop to an eventual a6 in some scenarios.

15. Qa3

The biggest moves here are Bf5 and Rb8. Also likely is Be6

15… Bf5

This is the moment I have often struggled to remember the line. My first thought is Bd3, which is the most common move and wins 26% of the time according to the lichess master database.

It makes sense to develop the bishop and try to force trades as white is up a pawn, and does have a passed pawn. Trading benefits white here.

16. Bd3 Rab8

A great follow-up that forces white to make concessions with the kingside pawns. It’s not a bad one as these pawns will need to move forward, but do you block the checkmate or block the bishop.

Because of the bishop and eventual Rfc8 move that is incoming quick, the best move is b3. c3 leads to a lot of tactical wins for black on the c3 square.

17. b3

White now just needs to keep improving their pieces. Black’s options are Qc6, Rfc8 and Rbc8. Both rook moves lead to great winning chances for white.

17… Qc6

Sideline

17… Rfc8 18. Bxf5 gxf5 19. Rd3

Sideline

17… Rbc8 18. Bxf5 gxf5 19. Qa5

18. Bxf5 Qc3 19. Qc5 Qb2+ 20. Kd2 gxf5 21. Qxf5 e6 22. Qe4

Though probably an even game, this line gives a slight edge to black. The weaknesses on a2 and c2 are tough to stop and black’s bishop controls a ton of space. That being said, white has a passed pawn on c2 and it could go either way.

Example game I played

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3 O-O 8. Qd2 Nc6 9. O-O-O d5 10. Nxc6

In this game, I captured incorrectly, but as mentioned, it’s not a serious loss, it just means I play a different version of this opening. It’s up to the player which you want to venture into and study.

10… bxc6

A great recommendation here is Bc4 (we will look at it in the next section), transposing into a possibly more favorable version of the Yugoslav mainline.

11. exd5 Nxd5

More people here stop the trading and continue with Bd4.

Because of the order of the moves with Nxc6, the pawn is stuck on c6, seemingly giving white a small edge because of the isolated pawn islands. The intermezzo of Bd4 is more commonly played than what I played.

12. Nxd5

Sideline

12. Bd4 e5 13. Bc5 Be6

I remember studying a line like this long ago. Black allows the exchange sacrifice in order to gain tremendous influence on the dark squares.

14. Bxf8 Qxf8 15. Nxd5 cxd5

If white can hold on, then white wins, however black is reasonably ahead here due to development and the bishop pair. The centralized connected pawns are nice, but not overwhelming by any means just yet. This game could go either way.

12… cxd5 13. Qxd5 Qc7 14. Qc5 Qb7 15. Qa3 Bf5 16. Bd3 Rab8 17. c3 Bxd3 18. Rxd3 Qb5 19. Rhd1 Rfc8 20. Bd4 Bh6+ 21. Kb1 e5 22. Bf2 Bf8 23. Qb3 Qxb3 24. axb3 Rxb3 25. Bxa7 Ba3 26. Rd8+ Rxd8 27. Rxd8+ Kg7 28. Ka2 Rb7 29. Kxa3 Rxa7+ 30. Kb3 f5 31. c4 Re7 32. c5 e4 33. fxe4 fxe4 34. c6 e3 35. Rd7 Rxd7 36. cxd7 e2 37. d8=Q e1=Q 38. Qd4+ Kh6 39. Qf4+ Kg7 40. Qf3 Qe6+ 41. Kc2 Qc4+ 42. Qc3+ Qxc3+ 43. Kxc3 Kf6 44. Kd4 Ke6 45. g4 h5 46. gxh5 gxh5 47. Ke4 Kf6 48. Kf4 Ke6 49. Kg5 Ke5 50. Kxh5 Kd4 51. Kg6 Ke5 52. h4 Ke6 53. h5 53… Ke7 54. h6

1-0 White wins