- ECO code
- B72
- Moves
- 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.Be3
- Family
- Sicilian Defense
- To move
- Black
- Master games
- 362
- Average game length
- 42 moves
- Years covered
- 1939–2026
Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation is the opening filed under ECO code B72, reached after 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.Be3. It belongs to the Sicilian Defense family and is known as the Dragon Variation; in the resulting position it is Black to move.
Katuranga's collection of 138,070 master games contains 362 games on this line — the 268th most played opening in the collection. The oldest game on this line is from 1939 and the most recent from 2026. The busiest decade in this collection is the 2020s, with 102 games. An average game here lasts 42 moves.
White wins 52% of those games, 28% end in a draw, and Black wins 20%. Compared with the collection average (White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28%), Black scores worse here by 8 percentage points. Draws are less common here than usual, by 7 points.
From this position the most popular move is 6...Bg7, played in 328 games, followed by 6...Nc6 (22) and 6...a6 (12). After 6...Bg7 White scores 52% and Black 19%.
The name that appears most often on the White side of this line is Shirov,A (39 games); on the Black side, Carlsen,M (26).
1 named variation branch off this position and have their own page here, among them Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Yugoslav Attack, Early Deviations.
Reading about an opening is not the same as knowing it. Play this line against the Katuranga bot, then let the engine mark your brilliant moves, mistakes and blunders in Analysis — the fastest way to find out which of these moves you actually understand.
Results in master games
- White 52% (189)
- Draws 28% (102)
- Black 20% (71)
Most played continuations
| Move | Games | White / draws / Black | Leads into |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6...Bg7 | 328 | 52/29/19 | — |
| 6...Nc6 | 22 | 54/23/23 | — |
| 6...a6 | 12 | 50/17/33 | — |
Variations from this position
- Yugoslav Attack, Early Deviations · 6...Bg7 7.f3 · 313 games
How the position is reached
- King's Pawn Game · 1.e4 · 62,859 games
- Sicilian Defense · 1.e4 c5 · 21,789 games
- Sicilian Defense · 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 · 18,942 games
- Sicilian Defense: Modern Variations · 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 · 9,282 games
- Sicilian Defense · 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 · 6,995 games
- Sicilian Defense · 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 · 6,811 games
- Sicilian Defense: Modern Variations, Main Line · 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 · 6,441 games
- Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation · 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 · 521 games
Played most often by
As White
- Shirov,A 39
- Karjakin,Sergey 16
- Anand, Viswanathan 15
As Black
- Carlsen,M 26
- Nakamura,Hi 20
- Erigaisi,Arjun 17
Games per decade
- 1930s 1
- 1940s 4
- 1950s 10
- 1960s 10
- 1970s 11
- 1980s 24
- 1990s 57
- 2000s 74
- 2010s 69
- 2020s 102
Master games on this line
| White | Black | Result | Year | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hong,Andrew | Grischuk,A | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | FIDE World Rapid Team |
| Caruana,F | Dubov,Daniil | 1-0 | 2026 | Titled Tue 27th Jan 2026 |
| Sevian,Samuel | Carlsen,M | 1-0 | 2026 | Titled Tue 19th May 2026 |
| Erigaisi,Arjun | Grandelius,N | 1-0 | 2026 | 31st Sigeman & Co 2026 |
| Andreikin,D | Nakamura,Hi | 0-1 | 2026 | Titled Tue 21st Apr 2026 |
| So,W | Andreikin,D | 1-0 | 2026 | Chess.com Open PlayIn1 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation?
It is the opening with ECO code B72, reached after 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.Be3. It belongs to the Sicilian Defense family.
Is the Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation good for White or for Black?
In 362 master games on this line White wins 52%, 28% are drawn and Black wins 20%. The collection average is White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28% — so this line is no worse than usual for White than the field as a whole.
What is the main continuation of the Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation?
6...Bg7 — played in 328 of the master games on this line.
Which grandmasters play the Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation?
On the White side Shirov,A (39), Karjakin,Sergey (16), Anand, Viswanathan (15); on the Black side Carlsen,M (26), Nakamura,Hi (20), Erigaisi,Arjun (17).
Every number on this page is computed from Katuranga's master game collection; names and ECO codes follow the lichess opening book (CC0).
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