Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Classical Variation, Alekhine Line
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 g6 5. Nc3 Bg7 6. Be3 Nf6 7. Be2 O-O 8. O-O d6 9. Nb3 a5
The Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Classical Variation, Alekhine Line is a chess opening classified as ECO B74, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 g6 5. Nc3 Bg7 6. Be3 Nf6 7. Be2 O-O 8. O-O d6 9. Nb3 a5. It is a line of the Sicilian Defense. White is to move.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 1 times by this move order. White won 100%, 0% were drawn and Black won 0%. The most popular continuation is 10. a4 (100% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.33 (Stockfish, depth 30; best line 10. a4 Be6 11. Nd4 Nxd4 12. Bxd4 Nd7)
- ECO
- B74
- Moves
- 18 plies
- FEN
r1bq1rk1/1p2ppbp/2np1np1/p7/4P3/1NN1B3/PPP1BPPP/R2Q1RK1 w - - 0 10- PGN
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 g6 5. Nc3 Bg7 6. Be3 Nf6 7. Be2 O-O 8. O-O d6 9. Nb3 a5
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 1500-1999 | 1 | |
| All | 1 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 10. a4 | 1 (100%) |
Master games
2 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 0%, draw 50%, Black 50%). The strongest:
- GM Sinisa Drazic (2424) – GM Mikhail M Ivanov (2373) 1/2-1/2 · Hotel Sajam 16 Open 2016 · 2016-02-26
- Richard J Cannon (1990) – FM Chukwunonso Oragwu (2220) 0-1 · Gibraltar Challenger A · 2020-01-24
Highest-rated Lichess games
- A_c_k_e_r_m_a_n (1921) – Davidtiba (1977) 1-0 · 2026-09-06 · 300 + 3s
Comes from
Sicilian Defense: Accelerated Dragon, Modern Variation 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 g6 5. Nc3
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.