Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Classical Variation, Normal Line
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be2 Bg7 7. O-O O-O 8. Be3 Nc6 9. Nb3
The Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Classical Variation, Normal Line is a chess opening classified as ECO B74, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be2 Bg7 7. O-O O-O 8. Be3 Nc6 9. Nb3. It is a line of the Sicilian Defense. Black is to move. 2 named lines continue from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 20 times by this move order. White won 45%, 5% were drawn and Black won 50%. The most popular continuation is 9… a6 (30% of games).
Engine evaluation: 0.00 (Stockfish, depth 51; best line 9… Be6 10. f4 Rc8 11. Kh1 Na5 12. f5)
- ECO
- B74
- Moves
- 17 plies
- FEN
r1bq1rk1/pp2ppbp/2np1np1/8/4P3/1NN1B3/PPP1BPPP/R2Q1RK1 b - - 7 9- PGN
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be2 Bg7 7. O-O O-O 8. Be3 Nc6 9. Nb3
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 1500-1999 | 5 | |
| 2000+ | 15 | |
| All | 20 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 9… a6 | 6 (30%) | |
| 9… Be6 | 5 (25%) | |
| 9… Bd7 | 5 (25%) | |
| 9… a5 | 4 (20%) |
Master games
62 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 42%, draw 24%, Black 34%). The strongest:
- GM Kirill Alekseenko (2654) – GM Arman Mikaelyan (2492) 1-0 · Chess.com Classic Play-In · 2025-05-19
- GM Kirill Alekseenko (2675) – FM Gaston Manuel Martin Carmona (2371) 1-0 · TCh-ESP Rapid 2023 · 2023-09-23
- GM Pavel Eljanov (2705) – FM Michal Koziorowicz (2321) 1-0 · Titled Tue 11th Apr Late · 2023-04-11
- GM Kirill Alekseenko (2650) – FM Hanan Mordechai (2329) 1-0 · Titled Tue 20th Feb Early · 2024-02-20
- IM Arystanbek Urazayev (2437) – GM Nikita Matinian (2454) 0-1 · Titled Tuesday 9th Nov · 2021-11-09
Highest-rated Lichess games
- IM Angelicanmade (2574) – contrapunctus_XI (2676) 0-1 · 2026-09-03 · 180 + 0s
- IM Angelicanmade (2529) – DailyTornado (2568) 0-1 · 2026-09-04 · 180 + 0s
- DED1961D (2348) – Wollukav (2482) 1-0 · 2026-09-03 · 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
Continuations
- Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Classical Variation, Maróczy Line B74 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be2 Bg7 7. O-O O-O 8. Be3 Nc6 9. Nb3 Be6 10. f4 Na5
- Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Classical Variation, Tartakower Line B74 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be2 Bg7 7. O-O O-O 8. Be3 Nc6 9. Nb3 Be6 10. f4 Qc8
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.