Sicilian Dragon

Hello everyone,

I'm a regular player of the Dragon, but the more time passes by, and the more I find the so-called dragon bishop useless in the middlegame. I mean, in my games, when this bishop is not traded against Black's DSB coming to h6 in the very early middlegame, he finishes stuck in its corner for the most part of the game.

Hence my question: is there any "receipe" one would have to know to activate this bishop (trying at any cost to open the game or something)? Otherwise I think I'll give up this opening, which also gives a huge opportunity to White to demolish Black's kingside by challenging the g6-pawn.

Thanks!

Well it's difficult to suggest a single plan that would be applicable for every line. One possibility would be to look into the accelerated dragon move order, which allows you to avoid move of the yugoslav style plans where the bishop gets traded by Bh6. It also, in the same manner would let you avoid the plans where white demolishes blacks kingside.

I play acc.dragon and never really have too much trouble finding an active role for my bishop.

Just watched a course on Youtube about it, and it seems to be what I was looking for (to avoid wasting time closing the game with 2...d6).Thx!

In the dragon, activating the dragons head with a timely Nxg4 or Bxg4 is not uncommon. If you have problems activating the bishop, just play Rxc3 and your fine

Before I can answer your question, I need to ask this question.

Do you play the Soltis Variation (...h5) or do just play ...Nc4 without ...h5? The theory for both lines is very different so I need to know what you play.

What kind of positions are you getting into? "Recipes" might lead to tactical problems.

Indirect: ...h5? Rarely. Just my opinion, but I think this move weakens even more Black's kingside. My plan is basically to put my knight on c4 while trying to resist to the Yugoslav attack (but very often it's extremly hard to keep executing some pretty "quiet" moves on the queenside when you're under mate threats with moves like h5-hxg6 on your kingside - and that's why the accelerated Dragon could be useful to... accelerate everything).

TitanCG: in this case, I'd rather say it's pure strategy. Of course the positions you achieve with lines like 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.f3 Bg7 7.Be3 Nc6 8.a3 0-0 9.Qd2 Bd7 10.Bc4 Ne5 11.Ba2 Rc8 12.Bh6 (I get this one very often, and as you see, Black is more than uncomfortable) can be full of tactics, but I'm looking for some general plan to improve this kind of positions by activating the bishop and avoiding the Yugo attack.

I think 8.a3 is like giving Black a free turn and a free weakness to attack. It's a waste of moves especially since after ...Nc4 the bishop will have to capture the knight anyway. 

But I don't think you can always keep the bishop on g7 and you don't need to try to. I think you just continue your queenside play which is accelerated due to White practically giving a turn away with 8.a3. I guess the only problem would be figuring out a defence to h4 while you aren't able to play ...h5. I don't really know much about these positions. 

Yeah, ...h5. It's the Soltis Variation, and it's one of the most theoretical lines in the Dragon. And I agree with Titan, a3 is just a free move. Anyways, basically if your opponent plays 8. a3, then you should take advantage by playing ...d5 in the near future.

a3 is usually a good move, but later in the game Black has already played ...b5 Since White played a3 early, you're basically given the chance to open the center to your favor, and I believe the DSB will have an active role.

Now, if White plays 9. Bc4 preventing the ...d5 move, then after 9...Ne5 10. Ba2 Bd7 11. Qd2 Rc8 12. Bh6 (which is the line you provided) then just exchange and play 13... Nc4 forcing the trade, and you will have a comfortable middlegame where White's Kingside attack will never take place.