I am interested in the following variation:
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.Be3 Bg7 7.f3 0-0 8.Qd2 Nc6 9.Bc4 Bd7 10.Bb3 Rc8 11.0-0-0 Ne5 12.Kb1 a6 113.h4 h5 14.g4

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. Bc4 Bd7 10. Bb3 Rc8 11.
O-O-O Ne5 12. Kb1 a6 13. h4 h5 14. g4 hxg4 15. h5 Nxh5 16. Rdg1 gives white a powerfull attack. Whites score has been high at elite level and there are even better improvments for white (in many games black has improvments in the actual continuesons), see for example Khalifmans Opening for White according to Anand anti Dragon book.

It appears that Carlsen preferces Chinese to avoid this, the only quesiton is what he preferces after 10 Bb3 since it rules out chinese...

Khalifman's book must be the best choice here. I can also mention the short survey about this line by GM Rogozenko in Chessbase Magazine 127. He mentions:

• Karjakin-Radjabov, Sochi 2008: 16. ... Qa5 17. Bh6 Bf6 18. fxg4 Bxg4 19. Bxf8 Kxf8 20. Qe3 Rxc3 21. Qxc3 Qxc3 22. bxc3 e6 etc. (0-1, 52) – Black was fine after 22 moves, so White might better have played 19. Bf4. Rogozenko gives some lines here.
  
• Topalov-Carlsen, Bilbao 2008: 16. ... Rc5 17. Bh6 Kh7 18. Bxg7 Kxg7 19. f4 Nc4 20. Bxc4 Rxc4 21. f5 e5 22. Nde2 Rh8 23. b3 (1-0, 48) – Here, Carlsen erred with 23...Rc6? He better had played 23...Rc8, unclear.
  
• One suggestion is 16... Rxc3N 17. bxc3 a5, still untested.
  

Topalov-Carlsen Rc5 then f4 is strong with idea of f5 Bh6.

I suppose I'm always tempted after Bb3 to try Na5 and get that B off o diagonal. Then Qa5 and sac rook so other rook can go to c file and provide an escape route for the black king.

i have always met 12.a6 with 13.h4 h5 14.Nd5! a suggestion of chris's which seems to give white an advantage because now 14...Nxd5 15.Bxd5 Nc4?! 16.Bxc4 Rxc4 17.g4! and black has no Ra4 because of 12.Kb1
i have 85% win rate with this
14.g4 is very sharp and complicated but in my opinion not as critical as some other moves

What is the problem with meeting 14.g4 hxg4 15.h5 Nxh5 16.Rdg1
with 16...Qa5 just like in the variations without Kb1 and a6 thrown in. Rogozenko suggests this.
Presumably the main objection was losing the e7 pawn from Nd5 but this shouldnt matter because white has already dumped 2 pawns on the kingside.

16...Qa5 17.Bh6 Bf6 and black is ok despite the double exchange sac that occurs after 18.fxg4 Bxg4 19.Bxf8 Kxf8  and then Rxc3 is coming

As white i actually find it difficult to construct a plan in these kinds of position.

Anyone want to suggest a defence for black after 14.Nd5! which is looking rather dangerous in my opinion?
for that matter is anyone interested in a 12.Kb1 a6 correspondence game?

           

Chessmoby wrote on 03/20/09 at 17:17:27:

i have always met 12.a6 with 13.h4 h5 14.Nd5! a suggestion of chris's which seems to give white an advantage because now 14...Nxd5 15.Bxd5 Nc4?! 16.Bxc4 Rxc4 17.g4! and black has no Ra4 because of 12.Kb1 i have 85% win rate with this 14.g4 is very sharp and complicated but in my opinion not as critical as some other moves What is the problem with meeting 14.g4 hxg4 15.h5 Nxh5 16.Rdg1 with 16...Qa5 just like in the variations without Kb1 and a6 thrown in. Rogozenko suggests this. Presumably the main objection was losing the e7 pawn from Nd5 but this shouldnt matter because white has already dumped 2 pawns on the kingside. 16...Qa5 17.Bh6 Bf6 and black is ok despite the double exchange sac that occurs after 18.fxg4 Bxg4 19.Bxf8 Kxf8  and then Rxc3 is coming As white i actually find it difficult to construct a plan in these kinds of position. Anyone want to suggest a defence for black after 14.Nd5! which is looking rather dangerous in my opinion? for that matter is anyone interested in a 12.Kb1 a6 correspondence game?

Qa5 is simply bad bad course white does not have to take the exchange. Bf4 and black has a extremly difficult defence ahead of him.

Nd5 is also prommesing.

Some detailed analysis of what he, Dennis Monokroussos, thinks about Khalifman's analysis in "According Anand 11" can be found at his blog http://chessmind.powerblogs.com/ (posted 2009-Mar-19). One of the lines he is examining is 12. Kb1 a6 13. h4 h5 14. g4 hxg4 15. h5 Nxh5 16. Rdg1, see the game labelled "Khalifman - Carlsen Dragon".

Papageno wrote on 03/21/09 at 13:57:26:

Some detailed analysis of what he, Dennis Monokroussos, thinks about Khalifman's analysis in "According Anand 11" can be found at his blog http://chessmind.powerblogs.com/ (posted 2009-Mar-19). One of the lines he is examining is 12. Kb1 a6 13. h4 h5 14. g4 hxg4 15. h5 Nxh5 16. Rdg1, see the game labelled "Khalifman - Carlsen Dragon".

I read that blogs review of Khalifman and about 10 .. Bxd4 11 Bxd4 b5 system with white playing h4, the blogger still fails to show blacks best move (18 .. Qb6! instead of a3, early h6 changes nothing, still tranposes to a similar position only that white has moved the h6 pawn a squere futher down and black Bishop is at h8 so Qb6 comes one move later.).
However, I did not like to be black becouse of Khalifmans 12 a4 lines.

I still think 16.Rdg1 Qa5 is the way to go.

16.Rdg1 Qa5 17.Bh6 Bf6 18.fxg4 Nxg4     Why is this verbatim?
I got an excellent double exchange sac against my computer but to be fair whites play can almost certainly be improved

18...Nxg4 19.Bxf8 Kxf8 20.Be6 Bxe6 21.Nxe6 fxe6 22.Rxg4 Rxc3! 23.bxc3 Bxc3 24.Qe3 Nf6 25.Rxg6 Qb4+ 26. Kc1 Nxe4  and according to fritz black has the advantage.

Presumably the exchange on f8 must not be accepted which leaves 19.Nf5 as the only realistic option, other moves meet with common sense replies.
the first thing to establish is 19...gxf5? 20.Rxh5 +-

19...Bxf5 20.exf5 Qxf5 is unclear. Candidats include 21.Qe2, 21.Nd5 and 21.Bxf8 which can now be followed up with 22.Nd5 avoiding Rxc3

Hello, I have two question about a line of the Dragon:

First question: for thoses who have Khalifman's series of Anand 11 (Dragon), what does he recommand after 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6
6.Be3 Bg7 7.f3 Nc6 8.Qd2 Bd7 9.0–0–0 Rc8 10.Kb1 Re8?

Second question: what is your thoughts about that position after 10..Re8 and about the best continuation for both at this point?

ArKheiN wrote on 04/25/10 at 21:37:22:

Hello, I have two question about a line of the Dragon: First question: for thoses who have Khalifman's series of Anand 11 (Dragon), what does he recommand after 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.Be3 Bg7 7.f3 Nc6 8.Qd2 Bd7 9.0–0–0 Rc8 10.Kb1 Re8? Second question: what is your thoughts about that position after 10..Re8 and about the best continuation for both at this point?

[Event "Blitz:1'+3""]
[Site "Eskilstuna"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "New game"]
[Black "Rybka 3 32-bit"]
[Result "*"]
[PlyCount "56"]
[TimeControl "60+3"]

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. Bc4 Bd7 10. Bb3 Rc8 11.
O-O-O Ne5 12. Kb1 Re8 13. h4 h5 14. Bh6 (14. g4 {
is more dangerous especielly after a recent Polgar game}) 14... Nc4 15. Bxc4
Rxc4 16. Bxg7 Kxg7 17. g4 {is Khalifmans recommendation but} (17. Nd5 {
was recommended by de la Villa in Dismatling the sicilian} e5 18. Nxf6 Qxf6 19.
Nb3 Rec8 {is best move, played in for exampel Leko-Carlsen} 20. Qxd6 Be6 21. c3
b5 {Khaflifman stops here called it unclear} 22. Rd2 {is commenly given as an improvment and is given as best by de la Villa}
R4c6 23. Qd3 Qf4 $13 {see http://openingtheory.wordpress.com/ and go to
annotated games and select Ruggeri-Lilleoren}) 17... hxg4 18. h5 Rh8 19. hxg6
fxg6 20. f4 Rxh1 21. Rxh1 Kf7 {
white ahs nothing in this position. Khalifman recommended} 22. Qd3 Rc5 23. e5
dxe5 24. Nb3 {and here I propose the unmention move} Rxc3 (24... Rc8 {
is Rybkas suggestion and Khalifman gives} 25. fxe5 Bc6 26. Rf1 Qxd3 27. cxd3
Rd8 (27... Rh8 {and Rybka thinks black is better}) 28. exf6 exf6 29. d4 {
Khalifman think white is better bacouse of the extra piece while Rykba think
is completly equal.}) 25. Qxc3 Bc6 26. Rf1 exf4 27. Rxf4 Qd1+ 28. Nc1 g5 {
in this positon only black can win} *

Thank you, this is a good starting point to begin my own analysis!

I have done a bit of analysis, I am not sure that Polgar's Rdg8 is better than the immediate Bh6, because of Qa5 as you mentionned somewhere. On 16.Bh6, I don't see any easy way for Black to equalize. But nowhere I have found analysis of 16..Bf6!? This move has been played 4 times in chesslive database, and Black scored 0,5/4 but Black's play may have somes improvments. White's best way to play here is not so obvious, and the computer gives something like 0.00 in many lines. At the moment I have played human moves with sacrifices where computer finally find an advantage to White but I am not sure if this is sufficient to win. Do you have analysed that move before? I may post my own analysis later.

ArKheiN wrote on 05/03/10 at 15:19:21:

I have done a bit of analysis, I am not sure that Polgar's Rdg8 is better than the immediate Bh6, because of Qa5 as you mentionned somewhere. On 16.Bh6, I don't see any easy way for Black to equalize. But nowhere I have found analysis of 16..Bf6!? This move has been played 4 times in chesslive database, and Black scored 0,5/4 but Black's play may have somes improvments. White's best way to play here is not so obvious, and the computer gives something like 0.00 in many lines. At the moment I have played human moves with sacrifices where computer finally find an advantage to White but I am not sure if this is sufficient to win. Do you have analysed that move before? I may post my own analysis later.

I have never looked at Bf6 before. However the recent book "Cutting edge: the Open sicilian 1" has an article about Re8 written from whites point of view and they recommened the g4 line. Bf6 is the first move they consider and in the main line white gets a strong attack but there are some unmetioned moves. They call Bf6 risky.

They lines presented here that where ummentoned in the article are only quick analyse and I suspect white has stronger moves but Rybka 3 on an older computer fails to fine an inmideate win.

---

Dear Tomas

You may consider using a new engine for your dragon analysis. It seems to me that Firebird 1.2 is better than Rybka 3 for heavily tactical dragon positions (especially if you do a quick analysis). It is free (use google to find it). There is a rumour that Firebird is a Rybka-clone, but so far this is just an unbased claim of the Rybka team.

Running through your lines quickly with Firebird, I found immediately that after 17.Nd5 gxf3 18.Nxf6+ exf6 19.Rdg1 Bg4 20.Nf5 d5 White wins at once with 21.Bg7. It's not easy to improve over 20...d5, as White seems to be clearly better at this stage. So Black should consider either 18...Nxf6 or 19...Ng4.

Hello Bragesjo, thank you for your response, indeed I believe that 17..gxf3 is a very serious move here, if not the best.

Hello Swiss_Dragon, I think 19..Ng4! the move I looked at, have good chances to equalize. I have found a very long and forced line at this point with a draw in the end. According to my last analysis, 18.Rdg1 may be better than 18.Nxf6. I will post some deep analysis soon.

@Swissdragon
Thanks for the engine tip. I downloaded it and even at my old computer it finds the move at once! Now I have to spend my weekend at double checking some key lines in the dragon and in some other openings.

If someone plays a6 with either colour this game played ysterday from Swedish champinship, Junior class might be interested. a move played in this game was unmentioned by Dismantling the Sicilian and Khafifman recommendation was not that convincing either. However, computer disocvered a unplayed move where white appears to be sligtly better.

---

Swiss_Dragon wrote on 05/04/10 at 21:08:16:

Dear Tomas You may consider using a new engine for your dragon analysis. It seems to me that Firebird 1.2 is better than Rybka 3 for heavily tactical dragon positions (especially if you do a quick analysis). It is free (use google to find it). There is a rumour that Firebird is a Rybka-clone, but so far this is just an unbased claim of the Rybka team. Running through your lines quickly with Firebird, I found immediately that after 17.Nd5 gxf3 18.Nxf6+ exf6 19.Rdg1 Bg4 20.Nf5 d5 White wins at once with 21.Bg7. It's not easy to improve over 20...d5, as White seems to be clearly better at this stage. So Black should consider either 18...Nxf6 or 19...Ng4.

Is Firebird 1.2 the best tactical engine nowadays?. What about the Fritz Engine line?

Chessmoby wrote on 03/23/09 at 19:47:41:

I still think 16.Rdg1 Qa5 is the way to go. 16.Rdg1 Qa5 17.Bh6 Bf6 18.fxg4 Nxg4     Why is this verbatim? I got an excellent double exchange sac against my computer but to be fair whites play can almost certainly be improved 18...Nxg4 19.Bxf8 Kxf8 20.Be6 Bxe6 21.Nxe6 fxe6 22.Rxg4 Rxc3! 23.bxc3 Bxc3 24.Qe3 Nf6 25.Rxg6 Qb4+ 26. Kc1 Nxe4  and according to fritz black has the advantage. Presumably the exchange on f8 must not be accepted which leaves 19.Nf5 as the only realistic option, other moves meet with common sense replies. the first thing to establish is 19...gxf5? 20.Rxh5 +- 19...Bxf5 20.exf5 Qxf5 is unclear. Candidats include 21.Qe2, 21.Nd5 and 21.Bxf8 which can now be followed up with 22.Nd5 avoiding Rxc3

21.Qe2 Bxc3 22.Qxg4 doesn't win a piece and the game?

bragesjo wrote on 04/26/10 at 08:22:15:

ArKheiN wrote on 04/25/10 at 21:37:22: Hello, I have two question about a line of the Dragon: First question: for thoses who have Khalifman's series of Anand 11 (Dragon), what does he recommand after 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.Be3 Bg7 7.f3 Nc6 8.Qd2 Bd7 9.0–0–0 Rc8 10.Kb1 Re8? Second question: what is your thoughts about that position after 10..Re8 and about the best continuation for both at this point? [Event "Blitz:1'+3""] [Site "Eskilstuna"] [Date "????.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "New game"] [Black "Rybka 3 32-bit"] [Result "*"] [PlyCount "56"] [TimeControl "60+3"] 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. Bc4 Bd7 10. Bb3 Rc8 11. O-O-O Ne5 12. Kb1 Re8 13. h4 h5 14. Bh6 (14. g4 { is more dangerous especielly after a recent Polgar game}) 14... Nc4 15. Bxc4 Rxc4 16. Bxg7 Kxg7 17. g4 {is Khalifmans recommendation but} (17. Nd5 { was recommended by de la Villa in Dismatling the sicilian} e5 18. Nxf6 Qxf6 19. Nb3 Rec8 {is best move, played in for exampel Leko-Carlsen} 20. Qxd6 Be6 21. c3 b5 {Khaflifman stops here called it unclear} 22. Rd2 {is commenly given as an improvment and is given as best by de la Villa} R4c6 23. Qd3 Qf4 $13 {see http://openingtheory.wordpress.com/ and go to annotated games and select Ruggeri-Lilleoren}) 17... hxg4 18. h5 Rh8 19. hxg6 fxg6 20. f4 Rxh1 21. Rxh1 Kf7 { white ahs nothing in this position. Khalifman recommended} 22. Qd3 Rc5 23. e5 dxe5 24. Nb3 {and here I propose the unmention move} Rxc3 (24... Rc8 { is Rybkas suggestion and Khalifman gives} 25. fxe5 Bc6 26. Rf1 Qxd3 27. cxd3 Rd8 (27... Rh8 {and Rybka thinks black is better}) 28. exf6 exf6 29. d4 { Khalifman think white is better bacouse of the extra piece while Rykba think is completly equal.}) 25. Qxc3 Bc6 26. Rf1 exf4 27. Rxf4 Qd1+ 28. Nc1 g5 { in this positon only black can win} *

Am I wrong or in Dearing's book mentions 20...Rh3.

I gotta correct on my last comment. Dearing mentions 20...e5 21.fxe5 dxe5 22Nde2 Rh3

bragesjo wrote on 03/21/09 at 20:59:35:

Papageno wrote on 03/21/09 at 13:57:26: Some detailed analysis of what he, Dennis Monokroussos, thinks about Khalifman's analysis in "According Anand 11" can be found at his blog http://chessmind.powerblogs.com/ (posted 2009-Mar-19). One of the lines he is examining is 12. Kb1 a6 13. h4 h5 14. g4 hxg4 15. h5 Nxh5 16. Rdg1, see the game labelled "Khalifman - Carlsen Dragon". I read that blogs review of Khalifman and about 10 .. Bxd4 11 Bxd4 b5 system with white playing h4, the blogger still fails to show blacks best move (18 .. Qb6! instead of a3, early h6 changes nothing, still tranposes to a similar position only that white has moved the h6 pawn a squere futher down and black Bishop is at h8 so Qb6 comes one move later.). However, I did not like to be black becouse of Khalifmans 12 a4 lines.

Anybody has details of this analysis from this blog?. It looks like it is no longer available.

I will have a look on my old computer next week to see if I have keept any pgn file where I analysed the line.

bragesjo wrote on 11/28/10 at 11:38:38:

I will have a look on my old computer next week to see if I have keept any pgn file where I analysed the line.

I just rembered that that computer crashed and got restored. So I instead took some Whiskey and logically recreated part of the analyse from memory.

---

bragesjo wrote on 11/28/10 at 17:48:01:

bragesjo wrote on 11/28/10 at 11:38:38: I will have a look on my old computer next week to see if I have keept any pgn file where I analysed the line. I just rembered that that computer crashed and got restored. So I instead took some Whiskey and logically recreated part of the analyse from memory.

Thanks for that info Bragesjo. But I have seen before that you said that the blogger fails to find the best move 18...Qb6.  I guess you referred yourself to the main line that you created in the analisys.

Nobody has anything about that 18...a3 from the blogger??.

Bragesjo I have seen that in the analysis that you are posting in the pgn file it says that a variation could be... "17.hxg6 hxg6 18.Bd5 Nxd5 19.exd5 Qb6 (19...a3 is also possible)". Wouldn't this 19...a3 be almost the same thing as going 18...a3 from the blogger??.

Well, maybe, not sure but it is very likely :-)