Dragon 9..d5 line : White repertoire

We are presenting the second main variation in the 0-0-0 repertoire, Black plays ...d5 to reach the following position after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3 O-O 8. Qd2 Nc6 9. O-O-O d5!?

This makes sense as White did not play Bc4 controlling d4. However, White can here as well fight for an edge

10. Qe1 e5 11Nc6 bc6 

White must put presssure on the black center pawns.  12. exd5 Nxd5 13 Bc4 Be6 14 Ne4

 

This is where White has to be careful not letting Black attack the White king by e5-e4 and Rb8

14 ..Qc7 ( 14... h6  15. Bc5 Re8 16. h4 or 16.g4 +=) 15 Bc5 Rfd8 16 g4

here Black typically plays its knight on f4 to free herself from the pressure. The Knight on e6 will challenge the Bishop on c5. 16..Nf4 17 Be6 Ne6 18 Bd6 Qb6 we reach the following

White can continue with either g4-g5 or h2-h4 with pressure. The Bd6 is super strong.


Note 1: ..f7-f5 cannot be played without preparing it with ..h6

Note 2: Black can play 12..cd5 with the following 12... cxd5 13. Bg5 Be6 14. Bc4  14... Qc7 15. Bxd5 which is the best chance (15. Bxf6 dxc4 16. Bxg7 Kxg7 17. h4 ) 15... Nxd5 16. Nxd5 Bxd5 17. Rxd5 Rfc8 18. Qd2 a5

Note 3: Black can play 10..e6 without the tension in the center. White should proceed with 11h4! with an edge as well

Dragon 9..Nd4 and 10..Be6 variation : White repertoire recommendations

Sicilian Dragon , please see first post on July 1st
Black reacts by exchanging in d4 and starts attacking on the queen side Here's how to fight for the initiative for White
9... Nxd4 10 Bd4 10... Be6 11. Kb1 Qc7

12. h4 !? starting the attack 12... Rfc8 13. h5 Qa5 ( taking on h5 is not possible for Black due to attack on column h)

14. hxg6 14... hxg6 15. a3 Rab8 16 Bd3 we reach the following position

16.. Bc4 !? ( 16... b5 17. Qg5! Qc7 18. e5! ) 17. Rh4 !? ( if 17. Bxc4 Rxc4 18. Qc1 e6 19. g4 it is promising as well for White)
17... b5 18. Bxc4 18... bxc4 19. Ka1
we reach the key position below

White has the edge += ;
White can cover b2 with Rb1; column h is open, and c4 will be difficult to defend; Black cannot crash through and endings will favor White

Repertoire for White against Sicilian Dragon

We will present a repertoire to face the Sicilian Dragon with White. This is based on an early O-O-O instead of 9 Bc4

 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3 O-O 8. Qd2 Nc6 9. O-O-O !?

here's the key position

Black has 2 ways to play :

9..Nxd4 followed by Be6 and attacking on the queen-side
early d6-d5 -since White did not play Bc4-