dfan wrote on 05/11/14 at 17:39:35:


As the Accelerated Dragon features an early ...g6 by Black, I'd always thought of it as an extremely aggressive version of Sicilian. I remember reading something similar to what you say in Carsten Hansten's book on it. I think the primary difference between the Accelerated line and the Dragon is that Black can avoid playing (or falling into the trap) of...pawn d6

The thing that most bothers me about the Dragon is that the currently approved methods for combating the 9.0-0-0 variation are rather dry.  I don't think it's completely a two-result situation for White but it's closer than I'd like.

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I agree with the above, and especially the comment that the antidote to anti-sicilians is to begin with 1 e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6.  The Dragon is not a good thing to dabble with, unfortunately; it requires a certain amount of theoretical knowledge, especially in the main Yugoslav lines.  There are places where multiple successive sacrifices are not only theoretical, but forced... and not always easy to find, because the resulting positions do not fit your preconceived notions unless you are already a dragon player.  (For instance, "I'm down a rook for four passed pawns!  Excellent!")

For a French player, the ...e6 lines (which can be either a route to the Scheveningen, Taimanov, or Kan depending on your preference) make a lot of sense because one of the main anti-sicilian lines ends up being an Exchange or Advance French (2 c3 e6 3 d4 d5 / 2 Nf3 e6 3 c3 d5).  This is especially important because THE main Anti-Sicilian line (3 Bb5) just doesn't work against 2...e6, so you'll see a lot of 3 c3.

bragesjo wrote on 05/12/14 at 07:00:13:


A good eye for tactical defences against being mated is also necessary. Although many refinements have been discovered for the defender, there is an underlying plan for White, which  as Fischer put it is, "Open the h file, sac, sac, mate".

Pingudon wrote on 05/11/14 at 19:37:05:


Sure, but if you'd picked 2.Nf3 e6, then you'd be able to meet a lot of Anti's with 2...e6 and 3...d5 (without fearing a transposition to an Open Sicilian you don't play). I don't have a problem with being handed easy equality out of the opening, but horses for courses.

The two issues I think you may run into are

1) The Dragon has a reputation as a super-tactical opening, so many White players will be scared off from heading into it unless they actually know what they're doing. So I think you will encounter fewer "I'll play 8 moves and then I can wing it from there" opponents than in your French games.

2) A lot of the players that don't fit the above category will play Anti-Sicilians, so you're going to have to prepare for all of them too, and they may not be as much fun.

Does this mean that you wont be following Nigel Short's repertoire now? 

Unfortunately, as a 1500 i am in no position to answer your question, however you will notice that the Dragon's sub forum does appear to be fairly quiet. Also, one of the guys who had done much of the posting here, Bragesjo, now apparently plays the Caro Kann instead. Although, he recently played it against a GM with a reputation in the Dragon circles and almost came out on top. (he also seems to be a really nice bloke from his posts and you could probably get some good advice from him).

I would think that it is nowwhere near as popular anymore as other lines in the Sicilian and so there is a good chance that white players will not know the lines as well as they do in the Najdorf etc.

I also think that most of the lines are fine for black outside of the Yugoslav stuff (Levenfish and g3 setups etc). Key problems  are probably still in the 9.0-0-0 and 9.g4 lines of the Dragon so if you look at those and find lines you are comfortable with you shouldnt have too many problems.

Not sure at 2300 level but against people 1800 and below most favoured 9. Bc4 lines of Yugoslav (probably because they knew no theory and it seemed logical) which although dangerous is probably not as much as the other two lines. It maybe that people play this because they have a simple idea of what they are trying to do, without knowing the theory. It's a fairly thematic opening which is part of the fun of learning it (at least at lower levels). 

I would say give it a go and see for yourself how well 2300 players know it.