Sicilian Defence — Accelerated Dragon
B35 · Played as black · Intermediate · Sicilian
The Dragon without …d6 — saving a tempo to hit d4 with …d5 in one go
The main line
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 g6 5.Nc3 Bg7 6.Be3 Nf6 7.Bc4 O-O 8.Bb3 d6 9.f3 Bd7
Strategic ideas
- Skip …d6 so the …d5 break arrives in a single move rather than two
- Aim the g7 bishop at d4 and the long diagonal from move one of the setup
- Meet the Maróczy Bind (c4) with …Nxd4 and …Bg7 pressure rather than passive defence
- Trade a pair of knights on d4 to loosen White's grip before breaking with …d5
- Keep the queenside pawns flexible — …a5 and …Qa5 hit c3 while the bishop watches a1
Key themes
- Dynamic — Black accepts a slightly loose structure in return for fast, concrete piece play against d4 and c3
- Piece Activity — The g7 bishop, c6 knight and c-file rook all bear down on White's centre before Black commits a pawn
- Counterattack — Black doesn't equalise by copying White — the …d5 break and pressure on c3 create counter-chances
Typical plans
Black fianchettoes immediately, leaving the d-pawn at home so that …d5 can be played in one move instead of two. That saved tempo is the whole point of the opening: in many Dragon positions Black spends moves on …d6 and then …d5, and the Accelerated version skips the first. White's most testing reply is the Maróczy Bind with c4, clamping down on d5 and forcing Black to find piece play instead. Against normal development Black gets the healthy Dragon bishop with none of the Yugoslav Attack's terror.
Move by move
- e4 — White claims the centre and opens lines for rapid development.
- c5 — Black answers asymmetrically, fighting for the centre without mirroring White.
- Nf3 — White develops and prepares to challenge c5 with d4.
- Nc6 — Black develops the knight to its most natural square, already eyeing d4.
- d4 — White opens the centre, offering the trade that defines the Open Sicilian.
- cxd4 — Black captures toward the centre, gaining a tempo on White's f3-knight.
- Nxd4 — White recaptures centrally with the knight, taking a strong central post.
- g6 — Black starts the fianchetto — and crucially leaves the d-pawn at home so …d5 can come in one move.
- Nc3 — White develops and defends e4.
- Bg7 — Black completes the fianchetto, aiming the bishop straight at d4 and the long diagonal.
- Be3 — White shores up d4 and prepares to castle either way.
- Nf6 — Black develops, hitting e4 and preparing to castle.
- Bc4 — White develops toward f7 — but this bishop will need a retreat square once …Na5 or …d5 arrives.
- O-O — Black castles into safety before opening the centre.
- Bb3 — White tucks the bishop away from …Na5 tricks while keeping it trained on the a2–g8 diagonal.
- d6 — Black finally plays the modest …d6, having gained a tempo elsewhere while White spent moves on the bishop.
- f3 — White supports e4 and takes g4 away from Black's knight, the standard Dragon-style clamp.
- Bd7 — Black develops the last minor piece, connecting the rooks and readying …Rc8 with pressure down the c-file.