Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Classical Variation, Zollner Gambit

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 g6 5. Be3 Bg7 6. Be2 Nf6 7. Nc3 O-O 8. O-O d6 9. f4 Qb6 10. e5

The Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Classical Variation, Zollner Gambit is a chess opening classified as ECO B73, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 g6 5. Be3 Bg7 6. Be2 Nf6 7. Nc3 O-O 8. O-O d6 9. f4 Qb6 10. e5. 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 1 times by this move order. White won 100%, 0% were drawn and Black won 0%. The most popular continuation is 10… dxe5 (100% of games).

Engine evaluation: −0.38 (Stockfish, depth 34; best line 10… dxe5 11. fxe5 Nxe5 12. Nf5 Qxb2 13. Nxe7+)

ECO

B73

Moves

19 plies

FEN

r1b2rk1/pp2ppbp/1qnp1np1/4P3/3N1P2/2N1B3/PPP1B1PP/R2Q1RK1 b - - 0 10

PGN

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 g6 5. Be3 Bg7 6. Be2 Nf6 7. Nc3 O-O 8. O-O d6 9. f4 Qb6 10. e5

Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess

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.