Sicilian Dragon

On the server I play the dragon as black all the time and once in a while I'll get the comment that its a weak opening for black. Totally bogus. Fun, easy to learn opening that gives black lots of wins and draws at the club level.

White often assumes he can trade bishops and queen rook mate down the H file which is incorrect. G2-g4, and H2-H4 pawn storms just dont always work for white in this opening as many believe.

Gwain Jones (spelled wrong) 2 volume set was really an enjoyable set to read and taught me a lot about not just the dragon but openings in general. Was nice to play something other than the najdorf all of the time.

Ikr, learning Soltis lines that go up to move 25 just to get an equal game is so fun!!! I love it!

If you like those positions, then yes, it is very fun

This is what I have to say about the Dragon: https://www.chess.com/blog/Spectator94/is-the-sicilian-dragon-refuted

Coincidentally I played a neat OTB Dragon game last weekend:

Yup!!! One of your examples in the topolov taking the BxA7 is very poor. There are stronger moves for white!!!

If you analyse it very deeply with a good engine, you will find that it is winning for white. But at a first glance, most engines will give equality.

Define "very deeply." Research?

No human can be good like engine.(Exception: Carlsen,Naka,Fabi etc...)

Even engines have their limitations. For example many use opening books based off of lines created by humans.

But players in his level are no good.If he is atleast a 2300, we can think about it....

I play the dragon and rather well at that. I tend to not use theory so much, but my own brain. Here is my take on the "unbreakable position" which I have studied quite a bit.

I thought 12.h4 was the test to the Orthodox Dragon with Bd7 and Rc8...

Then what is the most testing move?

But most importantly, how do you stay updated on the theory?

The Dragon seems to be less popular because it tends to give away black's plans a bit early.

Compare that with a Najdorf, where black's intentions remain hidden for a bit longer, and the ability switch to one of many variations, depending on white's attack.

Still, the Dragon's a potent defense—the drawback, though, is that white tends to have a relatively easy first half of the game, just throwing out their "auto-pilot" attack against it (the Yugoslav).

a good way to stay updated is just to read and to read well...

Well, an exchange sacrifice on c3 is a rather common idea. Usually Black attacks the queenside.

That's especially true in the g3 lines.

I simply stopped playing the dragon as it is too much on a knife edge for me, no terribly enjoyable to play, I couldnt help thinking that someone had cooked something up over the board, plus in all my years playing it I only ever got a handful of Bc4 Yugos anyway

After 5...a6, Black can go into an ...e5 Najdorf, an ...e6 Scheveningen, a ...b5 Polugaevsky, or even a ...g6 "Drago-dorf"...

Here, at least, black's hand has yet to be fully tipped.

While, after 5...g6, Black can go into ... well, the Dragon.

i don't see the problem showing your plan soon.

At least, u know what u are doing (i guess).