The Dynamic Sicilian - Which Dragon?

Sort:
vkappag
X_PLAYER_J_X wrote:

In all fairness lol The Sicilian Dragon is what you are looking for.

* I like positions that involve a (1) Pawn storm (2) Are strategically rich (3) Have tactics.*

In the YugoSlav attack both sides try to pawn storm most times. Strategy is to mate the enemy king Full of tactics to try and survive the attack or unleash an attack.

If your opponent doesn't play the YugoSlav Attack against you than you have like nothing to worry about. Your position will be absolutely fine. So Yeah YugoSlav Attack seems to have made the Sicilian Dragon seem almost unsound.

However, I mean unless your 2000+ facing other 2000+ players. The chances of you winning are reasonable. After that range they take opening's very serious and some are very good in opening preparation.

actually from what ive seen, as a 1800 who knows no theory, you can pretty much guarantee that class A players will know some theory and will play the Yugoslav Attack

X_PLAYER_J_X
umirin1991 wrote:

actually from what ive seen, as a 1800 who knows no theory, you can pretty much guarantee that class A players will know some theory and will play the Yugoslav Attack

That is exactly my point. Most 1800-2000's will know what to play and might even know some theory out of the opening maybe the first 10-15 moves but they may not know the follow up. They may even have an advantage out of the opening with their 10-15 moves knowledge. However, than they start going to the middle game where their opponents might have superior middle game knowledge as compensation for their lack of opening knowledge which is usually the case. Than their opponents superior middle game skill takes effect and may even be able to make a come back.

The problem is that is great until you get higher in ranking. When you start facing stronger players. They will already be used to knowning the first 10-15 moves and will start to extend their knowledge going into 15-25 moves to just crush you right out of the opening and well into the middle game. When that happens their is no way to recover if your opening has some flaws in it. Which at the present moment the Sicilian Dragon has been put on like a question-able list.

I rememeber watching an interview Carlson did in his 2014 World Championship match vs Anand. He told the person in the interview that he did opening preparation all the way till an endgame. I believe it was like 35-40 moves. His clock showed only like 3-5 mins off the clock lol. He was blitzing out moves all the way to an end game.

ewq85

@Xplayer, the the last Yugoslav I faced guy got his opening advantage then after oh move 12 or so things got weird they let me get queens and a pair of rooks off the board then blundered the rook pawn endgame. I agree with you completely, the higher I get the less I play dragon. Which really stinks because it's my favorite. Time to dive deep into najdorf theory I guess.

JGambit

Unfortunately for everyone who loves openings with cool sonding names, every dragon is garbage.

That said if you make it your pet you will have great results with any dragon you choose. As others have said mainline dragon if you like excitement, the other 2 if you get nervous when your king is taking heavy fire.

TitanCG

You can try the dragondorf which avoids the Yugoslav attack but it might be unsound.

KM101
JGambit wrote:

Unfortunately for everyone who loves openings with cool sonding names, every dragon is garbage.

That said if you make it your pet you will have great results with any dragon you choose. As others have said mainline dragon if you like excitement, the other 2 if you get nervous when your king is taking heavy fire.

You've got to be joking if you say the Dragon variation of the Sicilian is bad!

Thomas2792796
KM101 wrote:
JGambit wrote:

Unfortunately for everyone who loves openings with cool sonding names, every dragon is garbage.

That said if you make it your pet you will have great results with any dragon you choose. As others have said mainline dragon if you like excitement, the other 2 if you get nervous when your king is taking heavy fire.

You've got to be joking if you say the Dragon variation of the Sicilian is bad!

It's definitely not one of the stronger Sicilians.  I wouldn't say it is bad but probably borderline dubious.

KM101
Thomas2792796 wrote:
KM101 wrote:
JGambit wrote:

Unfortunately for everyone who loves openings with cool sonding names, every dragon is garbage.

That said if you make it your pet you will have great results with any dragon you choose. As others have said mainline dragon if you like excitement, the other 2 if you get nervous when your king is taking heavy fire.

You've got to be joking if you say the Dragon variation of the Sicilian is bad!

It's definitely not one of the stronger Sicilians.  I wouldn't say it is bad but probably borderline dubious.

Thomas2792796, the Dragon variation is one of the most popular variations of the Sicilian. Popular moves have been popularized after many years of theory and opening study. It isn't bad or dubious by any means.

Thomas2792796
KM101 wrote:
Thomas2792796 wrote:
KM101 wrote:
JGambit wrote:

Unfortunately for everyone who loves openings with cool sonding names, every dragon is garbage.

That said if you make it your pet you will have great results with any dragon you choose. As others have said mainline dragon if you like excitement, the other 2 if you get nervous when your king is taking heavy fire.

You've got to be joking if you say the Dragon variation of the Sicilian is bad!

It's definitely not one of the stronger Sicilians.  I wouldn't say it is bad but probably borderline dubious.

Thomas2792796, the Dragon variation is one of the most popular variations of the Sicilian. Popular moves have been popularized after many years of theory and opening study. It isn't bad or dubious by any means.

Popular with amateurs.  It hasn't been popular with GMs for a long time.

adumbrate

the accerlated is the best

KM101
Thomas2792796 wrote:
KM101 wrote:
Thomas2792796 wrote:
KM101 wrote:
JGambit wrote:

Unfortunately for everyone who loves openings with cool sonding names, every dragon is garbage.

That said if you make it your pet you will have great results with any dragon you choose. As others have said mainline dragon if you like excitement, the other 2 if you get nervous when your king is taking heavy fire.

You've got to be joking if you say the Dragon variation of the Sicilian is bad!

It's definitely not one of the stronger Sicilians.  I wouldn't say it is bad but probably borderline dubious.

Thomas2792796, the Dragon variation is one of the most popular variations of the Sicilian. Popular moves have been popularized after many years of theory and opening study. It isn't bad or dubious by any means.

Popular with amateurs.  It hasn't been popular with GMs for a long time.

Most databases show that the Dragon variation is the only slightly less popular compared to the Najdorf variation.

Thomas2792796
KM101 wrote:

Most databases show that the Dragon variation is the only slightly less popular compared to the Najdorf variation.

Depends on the database.  If you look at databases of 2700+ games the dragon is basically a sideline.  Now you could argue that the games of 2700+ players are not relevant to amateur players but I think the simple attacking ideas that white has in the dragon are even more advantageous for low level players.

KM101
Thomas2792796 wrote:
KM101 wrote:

Most databases show that the Dragon variation is the only slightly less popular compared to the Najdorf variation.

Depends on the database.  If you look at databases of 2700+ games the dragon is basically a sideline.  Now you could argue that the games of 2700+ players are not relevant to amateur players but I think the simple attacking ideas that white has in the dragon are even more advantageous for low level players.

I usually use databases that show master games.

adumbrate
adumbrate
JMB2010

Yeah, the dragon hasn't really caught on at the very top since Kasparov used it in his WC match against Anand in 1995.

TheGreatOogieBoogie

And Karpov never lost against a dragon and he has one draw against it.  He has a really great game against Korchnoi in his best game collection book. 

dpnorman

I think a very legit argument can be made that the Accelerated Dragon is a better opening for black than the um...normal-speed Dragon. The only drawback is that you may not win as much in some of the lines, as the play is a little more solid and less dynamic.

KM101
dpnorman wrote:

I think a very legit argument can be made that the Accelerated Dragon is a better opening for black than the um...normal-speed Dragon. The only drawback is that you may not win as much in some of the lines, as the play is a little more solid and less dynamic.

The Accelerated Dragon has always been a solid option. However, a major problem with the Accelerated Dragon is that Black usually struggles in the Maroczy Bind.

TasmanianTiger

Huh. So the Dragon seems to be unanimously condemned by these forumers (excepting the one or two people who are sticking up for it). Interesting. I never knew the Yugoslav was THAT bad.

Anyhow, please compare the Accelerated Dragon and Hyper-Acclereated Dragon, based on the following criteria:

* I like positions that involve a (1) Pawn storm (2) Are strategically rich (3) Have tactics.*


Thanks so much for all the insight!