Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Modern Bc4 Variation
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 g6 5. Nc3 Bg7 6. Be3 Nf6 7. Bc4 d6
The Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Modern Bc4 Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO B35, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 g6 5. Nc3 Bg7 6. Be3 Nf6 7. Bc4 d6. 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 73 times by this move order. White won 51%, 5% were drawn and Black won 44%. The most popular continuation is 8. f3 (40% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.33 (Stockfish, depth 42; best line 8. f3 Qb6 9. Bb5 Qc7 10. Qd2 a6)
- ECO
- B35
- Moves
- 14 plies
- FEN
r1bqk2r/pp2ppbp/2np1np1/8/2BNP3/2N1B3/PPP2PPP/R2QK2R w KQkq - 0 8- PGN
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 g6 5. Nc3 Bg7 6. Be3 Nf6 7. Bc4 d6
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 2 | |
| 1500-1999 | 38 | |
| 2000+ | 33 | |
| All | 73 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 8. f3 | 29 (40%) | |
| 8. O-O | 21 (29%) | |
| 8. Bb3 | 8 (11%) | |
| 8. h3 | 5 (7%) | |
| 8. Qd2 | 3 (4%) | |
| 8. Nxc6 | 3 (4%) | |
| 8. Bb5 | 1 (1%) | |
| 8. h4 | 1 (1%) |
Master games
166 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 40%, draw 18%, Black 42%). The strongest:
- GM Ivan Cheparinov (2659) – GM Yuriy Kuzubov (2618) 1-0 · I Benalmadena Rapid Open · 2023-02-26
- GM Vasif Durarbayli (2627) – GM Yuriy Kuzubov (2624) 1/2-1/2 · ChessKid Cup Play-In · 2023-05-01
- GM Ulvi Bajarani (2494) – GM Rauf Mamedov (2642) 0-1 · 70th ch-AZE 2015 · 2015-01-07
- IM Jan-Krzysztof Duda (2506) – GM Bartlomiej Macieja (2600) 1/2-1/2 · 14th Euro Indiv 2013 · 2013-05-14
- GM Yuri Solodovnichenko (2557) – IM Roberto Mogranzini (2489) 1/2-1/2 · 15th Padova Open 2012 · 2012-12-20
Highest-rated Lichess games
- NM coco_cr (2413) – GAOLINhao (2524) 0-1 · 2026-09-05 · 180 + 2s
- nabil-doghri-1964 (2505) – dzas871 (2340) 1-0 · 2026-09-04 · 180 + 2s
- Brenjos (2378) – jnanichess (2394) 1-0 · 2026-09-01 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Sicilian Defense: Accelerated Dragon, Modern Bc4 Variation 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 g6 5. Nc3 Bg7 6. Be3 Nf6 7. Bc4
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.