Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Classical Variation (7… Nc6 8. Be3)
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be2 Bg7 7. O-O Nc6 8. Be3
The Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Classical Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO B73, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be2 Bg7 7. O-O Nc6 8. Be3. It is a line of the Sicilian Defense. Black is to move.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 13 times by this move order. White won 46%, 23% were drawn and Black won 31%. The most popular continuation is 8… O-O (62% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.10 (Stockfish, depth 38; best line 8… O-O 9. a4 Nxd4 10. Bxd4 Qa5 11. Qe1)
- ECO
- B73
- Moves
- 15 plies
- FEN
r1bqk2r/pp2ppbp/2np1np1/8/3NP3/2N1B3/PPP1BPPP/R2Q1RK1 b kq - 5 8- PGN
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be2 Bg7 7. O-O Nc6 8. Be3
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 1500-1999 | 7 | |
| 2000+ | 6 | |
| All | 13 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 8… O-O | 8 (62%) | |
| 8… a6 | 2 (15%) | |
| 8… Bd7 | 2 (15%) | |
| 8… Nxd4 | 1 (8%) |
Master games
60 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 58%, draw 22%, Black 20%). The strongest:
- GM Vladimir Kramnik (2753) – GM Vladimir Zakhartsov (2545) 1-0 · Titled Tue 20th Jun Late · 2023-06-20
- GM Alexander Kovchan (2558) – GM Gawain C B Maroroa Jones (2645) 1/2-1/2 · 33rd Zalakaros Open 2014 · 2014-05-29
- GM Kirill Alekseenko (2650) – GM Simon K Williams (2467) 1-0 · Titled Tue 23rd Jan Early · 2024-01-23
- GM Gata Kamsky (2609) – IM Vasiliy Korchmar (2429) 1-0 · Titled Tue 24th Dec Late · 2024-12-24
- GM Aleksandar Indjic (2606) – IM Richard G Pert (2410) 1/2-1/2 · Titled Tue 26th Sep Late · 2023-09-26
Highest-rated Lichess games
- IM Angelicanmade (2574) – ArabChess48 (2588) 1/2-1/2 · 2026-09-03 · 180 + 0s
- OmarBche (2207) – reinel_23 (2136) 1/2-1/2 · 2026-09-03 · 180 + 0s
- Ngandung (2302) – Gondolin (2007) 1-0 · 2026-09-04 · 180 + 2s
Comes from
Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Classical Variation (5… g6 6. Be2) 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be2
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.