B74 Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Classical Variation, Normal Line
B74 holds seven named lines, all under the name Sicilian Defense. It leaves B70 (Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Classical Variation) with 6...Bg7 7.O-O O-O 8.Be3 Nc6 9.Nb3. Its deepest line, Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Classical Variation, Stockholm Attack, runs to 14.g4, the longest of the 80 Sicilian Defense codes. White’s pieces and pawns attack 12 squares in Black’s half, the third-highest count of the 80 Sicilian Defense codes. Both kings have castled by the end of the reference line, White on move 7 and Black on move 7.
| # | White | Black |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Moves only B74 plays
Same as B73 up to 7.O-O, then:
- 7...O-O Black castles kingside, opening a line for the queen on d8, guarding the bishop on g7.
- 8.Be3 The bishop leaves c1 for e3, opening a line for the rook on a1 and the queen on d1.
- 8...Nc6 The knight leaves b8 for c6, opening a line for the rook on a8, attacking the knight on d4.
- 9.Nb3 The knight goes from d4 to b3, opening a line for the queen on d1 and the bishop on e3.
Lines filed under B74
All seven share the start 1.e4 c5 and then split two ways at White’s move 2.
| Name | After the shared start | Plies | At the end |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Classical Variation, Normal Line | 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 | 17 | both castled |
| Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Classical Variation, Alekhine Line | 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 | 18 | both castled |
| Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Classical Variation, Maróczy Line | 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 | 20 | both castled |
| Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Classical Variation, Tartakower Line | 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 | 20 | both castled |
| Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Classical Variation, Spielmann Variation | 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 g6 5.Nc3 Bg7 6.Be3 Nf6 7.Be2 O-O 8.Nb3 d6 9.O-O Be6 10.f4 Na5 11.f5 Bc4 12.Bd3 | 23 | both castled |
| Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Classical Variation, Bernard Defense | 2.Nf3 g6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 d6 6.Be2 Bg7 7.O-O O-O 8.Be3 Nc6 9.Nb3 Be6 10.f4 Na5 11.f5 Bc4 12.Bd3 Bxd3 13.cxd3 d5 | 26 | both castled |
| Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Classical Variation, Stockholm Attack | 2.Nc3 d6 3.f4 Nc6 4.Nf3 g6 5.d4 cxd4 6.Nxd4 Bg7 7.Be3 Nf6 8.Be2 O-O 9.Nb3 Be6 10.O-O Na5 11.f5 Bc4 12.Nxa5 Bxe2 13.Qxe2 Qxa5 14.g4 | 27 | both castled |
The road to B74
- 1.e4 … 5.Nc3seven earlier stops: B00, B20, B27, B50, B54
- 5...g6B70 Dragon Variation
- 6.Be2B70 Classical Variation
- 9.Nb3B74
The position after 9.Nb3
White has brought out the knight on b3, knight on c3, 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 Nxe4. Black is to move and has 36 legal moves.
Closest boards in other codes
| Code | Line | Differs on |
|---|---|---|
| D88 | Grünfeld Defense: Exchange Variation, Spassky Variation | nine squares: b2, c2, e2, b3, c3, c4, d4, d6 … |
| A73 | Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Main Line | ten squares: c1, c2, b3, e3, f3, c5, d5, c6 … |
| E79 | King’s Indian Defense: Four Pawns Attack, Exchange Variation | ten squares: e1, f1, g1, h1, c2, f2, b3, c4 … |
| E97 | King’s Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation, Aronin-Taimanov Defense | ten squares: c1, c2, b3, e3, f3, c4, d4, e5 … |
| B76 | Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Yugoslav Attack | 11 squares: e1, f1, g1, h1, e2, f2, b3, f3 … |
| E98 | King’s Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation, Classical System | 11 squares: c1, e1, c2, b3, e3, c4, d5, e5 … |
| A76 | Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Czerniak Defense | 12 squares: c1, c2, b3, e3, f3, c5, d5, c6 … |