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ANNOTATED GAME
A typical Sicilian Dragon attack
metalac (1590) vs. l-d-j (1430)
Annotated by: l-d-j (1747)
Chess opening: Sicilian (B70), dragon variation
metalac (1590) vs. l-d-j (1430)
Annotated by: l-d-j (1747)
Chess opening: Sicilian (B70), dragon variation
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This is a game I played a few months ago in a mini-tournament. Although it's far from mistakeless, I think it shows very well how an attack in the Sicilian dragon is played (as Black) and what White should be ready for. This was part of the mini-tournament "Drman's Sicilian XXI", just like my previous annotated game ("The power of a queen"). | |||||
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1. e4 c5 |
This was the starting position. The Sicilian often makes for very great and exciting games. Usually White gets a lead in development and chances of attack on the King's side while Black has counterplay on the queen's side and on the open c-file. | ||||
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2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 |
Open Sicilian. In this opening the motifs I mentioned are shown very clearly. | ||||
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3... cxd4 4. Nxd4 |
After this exchange, Black has an open c file and two central pawns (white only has one), but White can develop faster and more easily. | ||||
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4... Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 |
The first time I deviate from the most-played moves in the database. Usually 5...a6 is played here, which is called the Najdorf. 5...g6, as played in the game, is the Dragon variation. This is a very sharp opening with chances for both sides. Black is planning to play ...Bg7, ...O-O, ...Rc8, ...Qa5 and push the pawns on the queenside (in this game we don't see Black pushing his pawns) and his attack often involves a Rook sac on c3 after it has moved to c8. White has ideas of an attack on the position of the Black King (which will be on g8), for example with Be3, Bc4 (or Be2 as in this game), Qd2, O-O-O and push the pawns on the kingside. I like to play this as both sides. | ||||
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6. Bg5 |
!? A rare response from White, usually considered quite harmless. 6.Be3 is the book move. | ||||
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6... Bg7 |
This Bishop will become a monster later on. | ||||
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7. Qd2 Nc6 8. Be2 |
?! White misses something. | ||||
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8... O-O |
?! And so does Black. He could have played 8...Nxe4 9.Nxc6 Nxd2 10.Nxd8 Bxc3 11.bxc3, as pointed out by the GK analysis as well as Fritz on my computer. This gives him a slight advantage. | ||||
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9. h4 |
White starts his attack on the kingside. | ||||
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9... Nxd4 |
Black exchanges as he can later gain a tempo with a discovered attack on the Queen. Moreover the Knight on d4 was strong. | ||||
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10. Qxd4 h6 |
Chasing the Bishop away. | ||||
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11. Be3 |
?! Better was 11.Bd2 because Black has a way to gain the Bishop pair now. | ||||
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11... h5 |
!? But Black wants to stop the pawn march on the king's side first. However, the immediate 11.Ng4 was better. White has to move the Queen (12.Qd3) and then Black can exchange on e3 gaining the bishop pair in a fairly open position. | ||||
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12. O-O-O |
?! Obviously White doesn't care about the Bishop pair and continues his plan (as mentioned on move 5). | ||||
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12... Ng4 |
But now Black does take advantage of that. | ||||
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13. Qd3 Nxe3 14. Qxe3 Be6 |
The immediate 14...Qa5 was better as the Knight has to remain on c3 to protect a2. Now it can jump to d5 with a slight advantage for White according to Fritz. | ||||
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15. f3 |
?! However, White doesn't take advantage of that. | ||||
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15... Qa5 16. a3 |
Freeing the Knight from the defence of a2. | ||||
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16... Rac8 |
Fritz likes 16...Bxc3 17.Qxc3 Qxc3 18.bxc3 but I didn't want to exchange those strong pieces of mine. | ||||
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17. Nd5 Qa4 |
?! This is my only real oversight of the game. I was planning to exchange on d5 and play ...Qa4 and thought the move order didn't matter because ...Qa4 would threaten mate. However, I missed something important... | ||||
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