Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Classical Variation (7. Be2 Nc6)
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. Be2 Nc6
The Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Classical Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO B72, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. Be2 Nc6. It is a line of the Sicilian Defense. White is to move. 1 named line continues from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 53 times by this move order. White won 36%, 4% were drawn and Black won 60%. The most popular continuation is 8. O-O (36% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.14 (Stockfish, depth 50; best line 8. Qd2 O-O 9. O-O-O Ng4 10. Bxg4 Bxg4)
- ECO
- B72
- Moves
- 14 plies
- FEN
r1bqk2r/pp2ppbp/2np1np1/8/3NP3/2N1B3/PPP1BPPP/R2QK2R w KQkq - 4 8- PGN
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. Be2 Nc6
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 3 | |
| 1500-1999 | 23 | |
| 2000+ | 27 | |
| All | 53 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 8. O-O | 19 (36%) | |
| 8. Qd2 | 15 (28%) | |
| 8. f3 | 6 (11%) | |
| 8. g4 | 4 (8%) | |
| 8. Nb3 Dragon Variation, Classical Variation (7… Nc6 8. Nb3) | 4 (8%) | |
| 8. f4 | 2 (4%) | |
| 8. h4 | 2 (4%) | |
| 8. a3 | 1 (2%) |
Master games
172 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 38%, draw 29%, Black 33%). The strongest:
- GM Magnus Carlsen (2832) – GM Hikaru Nakamura (2786) 1/2-1/2 · chess.com Speed 3m+2spm 2017 · 2018-01-03
- GM Alexey Sarana (2640) – GM Gawain C B Maroroa Jones (2677) 0-1 · Titled Tuesday 15th June · 2021-06-15
- GM Alexey Sarana (2649) – GM Rauf Mamedov (2654) 1-0 · Ville d'Orsay On/L Blitz · 2021-02-07
- GM Ediz Gurel (2645) – GM Rauf Mamedov (2645) 1/2-1/2 · World Blitz 2025 · 2025-12-29
- GM Markus Ragger (2701) – GM Nico Georgiadis (2534) 1/2-1/2 · TCh-AUT 2018-19 · 2018-11-15
Highest-rated Lichess games
- Voyfiaum (2423) – Alessandro4534 (2283) 1-0 · 2026-09-06 · 180 + 2s
- dk1210 (2310) – indayrhonda (2316) 1/2-1/2 · 2026-09-05 · 180 + 0s
- Advisor60 (2242) – Korolenko (2302) 1-0 · 2026-09-05 · 180 + 2s
Comes from
Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Classical Variation (6… Bg7 7. Be2) 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. Be2
Continuations
- Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Classical Variation (7… Nc6 8. Nb3) B72 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. Be2 Nc6 8. Nb3
More Sicilian Defense lines (all)
- Sicilian Defense (1. e4 c5) B20
- Sicilian Defense: Amazon Attack B20
- Sicilian Defense: Big Clamp Formation B20
- Sicilian Defense: Bowdler Attack B20
- Sicilian Defense: Brick Variation B20
- Sicilian Defense: Czerniak Attack B20
- Sicilian Defense: Czerniak Attack, Queen Fianchetto Variation B20
- Sicilian Defense: Euwe Attack, Prins Gambit B20
- Sicilian Defense: Gloria Variation B20
- Sicilian Defense: Grob Variation B20
- Sicilian Defense: Keres Variation B20
- Sicilian Defense: King David's Opening B20
Opening names and moves from the Lichess openings dataset; statistics from the Lichess open database, 2026-09 (CC0), sample of 12.6 million games, bots excluded; evaluations from Lichess cloud analysis (all CC0). Master games from The Week in Chess #920–#1664 by Mark Crowther, used with permission.