1.e4 — the open games
Sicilian Dragon
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6ECO B70–B79
Black fianchettoes the 'dragon' bishop on g7, aiming it down the long diagonal at White's queenside. Opposite-side castling leads to a legendary attacking race — White storms h-file, Black the c-file — with no quarter given.
Key ideas
- …g6 and …Bg7 point the bishop at b2 and White's king after O-O-O.
- The Yugoslav Attack (Be3, f3, Qd2, O-O-O, h4–h5) is the critical, hair-raising main line.
- Both sides attack the enemy king at maximum speed — a single tempo often decides.
Who it suits
Fearless attackers who relish sharp, opposite-side-castling races.
Add it to your repertoire.
Drill the Sicilian Dragon move by move against the board until it's second nature.
Open the trainer