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Accelerated Dragon No-No

The accelerated move order for the Sicilian Dragon is supposed to prevent white from playing a typical "Yugoslav" type attack with queenside castling and a kingside pawn storm. This doesn't mean white won't sometimes try it! As a player of the accelerated dragon, you know you're supposed to punish this 'mistake', but in the practical case, it's not always easy.

Here's an example from one of my recent correspondence games where black cracks the challenge. The game shown is how it played, but black actually misses a tactical knockout during the attack, check the move list.

 

Comments


  • 2 years ago

    Loomis

    daneendly, I have no idea what you mean "Threatening Qf8 mate." Neither side is threatening that.

    Black's threat is Qa1#. This can be prevented by 18. Qc2 or 18. Qf2. An earlier comment by mathijs showed some possibilities after these moves. In some lines we enter an endgame where an extra pawn or two ensures victory.

  • 2 years ago

    daneendly

    probably premature? you dont know or didnt bother to calculate when you were playing? or u got lucky? up a pawn? u dont understand chess. pawns who cares about pawns here?         Threatining Qf8 mate.   No!! not premature. Atleast Anon understood your attack better than you did.   
    Loomis what would you play as white here? 

  • 2 years ago

    LisaV

    Cool game!

    Thanks for sharing.  I'm playing that variation next time!

  • 2 years ago

    daydreamer84

    Hello, good article. Thanks. But can you please provide information about Maroczy Bind variation as a reply to 4. ..g6 5. c4 (instead of Nc3). I played this position with black several times and had big difficulties like having space disadvantage and long time pressure and iniziative by white.

  • 2 years ago

    tadartabo

    good game .
    U gave me one good reason to play against yugoslav again .

  • 2 years ago

    elbowgrease

    good blog

  • 2 years ago

    mathijs

    Nice game. I just posted a bunch of variations, but they didn't get through. White seems completely busted, but if he finds a good move, he can hang on until the endgame (to lose that, unfortunately).

    Bad move:

    18.Qf2? The queen has to move and keep an eye on b2 because of the mate threats on a1 and b2. 18...Qa1 19.Kd2 Rxb2 20.Ke3 Now both queens are hanging, but after 20...Qa2 it's easy, e.g. 21.Qg3 Re2+ 22.Kf4 (22.Kxd3 Qc4#) 22...Qc4+ 23.Kg5 Kxg7 and a quick mate like 24.f4 h6+ 25.Kh4 g5+ 26.Kg4 Bf5+ 27.Kxf5 Qc8#.

    Good move:

    18.Qc2!!? It's a pity that this pretty move loses. Now both queens are hanging. The best I could find for black is 18...Qa1+ 19.Kd2 Qxb2 20.Kxd3 Kxg7 with an easy endgame win.

  • 2 years ago

    Knightmage

    Thanks for the information, I didn't know the purpose of the accelerated dragon is to avoid the Yugoslav attack.

  • 2 years ago

    dnresult

    I don't like the Sicilian defense I prefer the the french defense However, I play e4 all the time I will certainly keep this game in mind and castle on king side. Would like to play  against you Loomis and see how you fare

  • 2 years ago

    BolesniUm

    Nice game!On the 7. move f3 is serious mistake,i am playing accelerated to and biggest problems i had in 7.Bc4 variation which is by the way main move.

  • 2 years ago

    Saber4

    Nice game.  I think White is dead lost because theres no way to stop the mate without losing the Queen.  if the Queen takes the bishop then Qxb2 will be checkmate.  

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