bragesjo wrote on 04/29/10 at 09:48:20:


I think you should ask Aagard the money back as your copy seems faulty!
I just got it and therefore haven't made any serious analisys (just like you did if I understand) but the conclusions at the end of the chapters aren't so grim.

Not only Carlsen still plays it, but below the very top level the power of the dragon lies in the sheer vast amount of possible lines. I really doubt there are many otb players not preparing for a WC match that know how to extract an edge in every position. Even then, unless you walk into a very strong attack, it's still a game of chess, with black having taken some risks. That's the life of a dragon player, is it not?

You don't have to play Re8 after Kb1. You can try a6, b5 pawn sac, the "burnett variaton" or you can even play the old Nc4 lines that may be under some pressure but things still aren't so clear cut and there's still room for new ideas.

Maybee it is just me being pessemistic but the new book "The cutting edge : The open sicilian 1" by Milos Pavlovic has coem out now.

I have scimmed the 3 dragon chapters without using board or engine and things look very bad for black in most lines. 

The glorious chinese appears to be in trouble by two lines, looking at diagrams suggests that black is in deep trouble, particelly in Bb3 Na5 h4 b5 h5 line. However author still thinks more tests a needed in these lines.

In 12 Kb1 Re8 line h4 h5 g4 looks realy depression for black after some given improvments over several games. Author also looks at h4 h5 Bh6 Nc4 Bxc4 Rxc4 Bxg7 Kxg7 g4 hxg4 the suggestion b3 Rc5  Bxg4 Nd5 looks interesting but I need to look at this with an engien to draw any conclusions.

But there is still some hope for black and that is in Topalov system. Author examens old mainline and compares to Shirovs novelty and fails to find any improvment over Karjakins play.

I will have a better look later using Rybka 3.