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ANNOTATED GAME
Amateur Dragon Series #1
dbohm (1585) vs. scottyad (1917)
Annotated by: scottyad (1200)
Chess opening: Sicilian (B70), dragon variation
dbohm (1585) vs. scottyad (1917)
Annotated by: scottyad (1200)
Chess opening: Sicilian (B70), dragon variation
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1. e4 |
This is the beginning of my "Amateur Dragon Series." I want to show some of sample games on both sides of the Dragon that illustrate key ideas in the opening. This is instructive for me as well as anyone interested in the Dragon. I will restrict my notes to key concepts and ideas, with a tilt towards those I have not yet discussed. Hope you enjoy! |
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1... c5 |
This simple game illustrates the "bite" in the Dragon for unsuspecting White players who play "normal" Sicilian moves without considering the dangers of allowing Black his ideal piece formation on the queenside. |
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2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. f3 Bg7 7. Be3 O-O 8. Qd2 Nc6 9. Nxc6 |
A dubious idea against the Dragon; After ..bxc6 Black's central control has increased appreciably; he has the b-file, and he can now play ..Be6 (more natural than ..Bd7) without worrying about Nxe6. Indeed, the pressure on e6 and c6 that Nd4 provides is often so great that Black voluntarily plays ..Nxd4 himself to free his position. This is even better for Black. |
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9... bxc6 10. g4 |
This normal Rauzer plan, storming Black with h and/or g pawns, no longer works after White's 9th move. It transpires that Black's central b-file pressure is too great. White's immediate problem is the b2 pawn - how will he defend it after the obvious ..Rb8? If 0-0-0, Black will play ..Rb8, ..Be6, and ..Qa5(-b4) with intolerable pressure. White must counter with the immediate Bc4-b3 maneuver (covering b2), or with the Classical plan Be2 and Rb1 (planning 0-0). I encourage the reader to consider just how crucial it is to protect the b2 square (indeed the whole a3-b2-c3 dark-square complex) when facing the Dragon. Alternative variation: 10. Be2 Rb8 |
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10... Be6 |
Alternative variation: 10... Rb8 11. O-O-O Qa5 12. h4 Qb4 |
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11. h4 Rb8 12. h5 Rxb2 13. Bh6 |
White was already worse, but now he is dead lost. And all he has done is play "normal" Dragon moves (save 9. Nxc6?). With the b-file, Black crashes through a few tempi before White can even get started. Alternative variation: 13. Bd4 c5 |
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13... Bxh6 14. Qxh6 Rxc2 15. hxg6 fxg6 |
Also crushing is the immediate ..Rxc3, as white can get nowhere along the h-file with the f6 knight guarding h7. |
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16. g5 Qa5 |
White resigns. Black will take the knight and the a1 rook with tempo after 17.gxf6, while he covers h7 easily enough with ..Rf7. |
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