B73 Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Classical Variation
B73 holds three named lines, all under the name Sicilian Defense. It leaves B70, a position of the same name, with 6...Bg7 7.O-O Nc6 8.Be3. That final move, by the bishop, opens a line for the rook on a1 and the queen on d1. Of all other reference positions, the board of B74 (Dragon Variation, Classical Variation, Normal Line) comes closest, six squares apart.
| # | White | Black |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | e4 | c5 |
| 2 | Nf3 | d6 |
| 3 | d4 | cxd4 |
| 4 | Nxd4 | Nf6 |
| 5 | Nc3 | g6 |
| 6 | Be2 | Bg7 |
| 7 | O-O | Nc6 |
| 8 | Be3 |
Moves only B73 plays
Same as B74 up to 7.O-O, then:
- 7...Nc6 The knight leaves b8 for c6, opening a line for the rook on a8, attacking the knight on d4.
- 8.Be3 The bishop leaves c1 for e3, opening a line for the rook on a1 and the queen on d1.
Lines filed under B73
All three share the start 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 and then split two ways at Black’s move 2.
| Name | After the shared start | Plies | At the end |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Classical Variation | 2...d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.Be2 Bg7 7.O-O Nc6 8.Be3 | 15 | White castled |
| Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Classical Variation, Battery Variation | 2...d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.Be2 Bg7 7.O-O O-O 8.Be3 Nc6 9.Qd2 | 17 | both castled |
| Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Classical Variation, Zollner Gambit | 2...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 | 19 | both castled |
Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Classical Variation, Battery Variation
- 2...d6 The d-pawn advances to d6, covering c5 and e5, opening a line for the bishop on c8 and the queen on d8.
- 3.d4 The d-pawn advances two squares to d4, covering c5 and e5, opening a line for the bishop on c1 and the queen on d1.
- 3...cxd4 The c-pawn takes the pawn on d4, covering c3 and e3.
- 4.Nxd4 The knight on f3 takes the pawn on d4, opening a line for the queen on d1.
- 4...Nf6 The knight leaves g8 for f6, opening a line for the rook on h8.
Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Classical Variation, Zollner Gambit
- 2...Nc6 The knight leaves b8 for c6, opening a line for the rook on a8.
- 3.d4 The d-pawn advances two squares to d4, covering c5 and e5, opening a line for the bishop on c1 and the queen on d1.
- 3...cxd4 The c-pawn takes the pawn on d4, covering c3 and e3.
- 4.Nxd4 The knight on f3 takes the pawn on d4, opening a line for the queen on d1, attacking the knight on c6.
- 4...g6 The g-pawn advances to g6, covering f5 and h5, opening a line for the bishop on f8.
The road to B73
- 1.e4 … 5.Nc3seven earlier stops: B00, B20, B27, B50, B54
- 5...g6B70 Dragon Variation
- 6.Be2B70 Classical Variation
- 8.Be3B73
The position after 8.Be3
White has brought out the knight on c3, knight on d4, bishop on e2 and bishop on e3; Black the knight on c6, knight on f6 and bishop on g7. White has a half-open d-file; Black a half-open c-file. Black could capture with Nxd4, Nxe4. Black is to move and has 38 legal moves.
Closest boards in other codes
| Code | Line | Differs on |
|---|---|---|
| B35 | Sicilian Defense: Accelerated Dragon, Modern Bc4 Variation | eight squares: e1, f1, g1, h1, e2, c4, d6, d7 |
| B58 | Sicilian Defense: Classical Variation | nine squares: c1, e1, f1, g1, h1, e3, g6, g7 … |
| B72 | Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation | nine squares: e1, f1, g1, h1, e2, c6, g7, b8 … |
| B75 | Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Yugoslav Attack, Early Deviations | nine squares: e1, f1, g1, h1, e2, f2, f3, c6 … |
| B56 | Sicilian Defense: Classical Variation | ten squares: c1, e1, f1, g1, h1, e2, e3, g6 … |
| B60 | Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation | ten squares: e1, f1, g1, h1, e2, e3, g5, g6 … |
| B39 | Sicilian Defense: Accelerated Dragon, Maróczy Bind, Breyer Variation | 11 squares: e1, f1, g1, h1, c2, e2, c4, g4 … |