[Event "Accelerated Dragon: Mainline Accelerated Dragon - Bb3"] [Site "https://lichess.org/study/gE4VTHb5/tMyvHVmT"] [Result "*"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "B35"] [Opening "Sicilian Defense: Accelerated Dragon, Modern Bc4 Variation"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/jjdChess"] [UTCDate "2019.02.18"] [UTCTime "03:00:12"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/gE4VTHb5/tMyvHVmT"] [Orientation "black"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 g6 5. Nc3 Bg7 6. Be3 Nf6 7. Bc4 O-O 8. Bb3 { Here black has two main plans, and two sidelines. I recommend either sideline. One is 8...a5, still hoping for a quick d5 and continuing in the accelerated dragon line, or simply playing 8... d6 and going into a normal dragon structure. The first sideline I recommend is Re8!? - which is still equal for black, but actually scores best for black likely because it is not as theoretical. Another interesting and strong sideline I like is Ng4, forcing some trades and simplifying the plans a bit. } (8. O-O?! { If white plays anything other than Bb3 or f3, black has the standard fork trick. } 8... Nxe4! 9. Nxe4 (9. Bxf7+ Rxf7 10. Nxe4 Qa5) 9... d5 10. Nxc6 bxc6 11. Bd3 dxe4 12. Bxe4 Qc7) 8... Re8 { I think the Re8 sideline is very strong and may catch white players off guard. It lets black often safely play d5 and get an equal position, and avoids a lot of theory. } (8... Ng4 { An interesting sideline. The same idea as the Breyer variation of the Maroczy Bind to force some early exchanges. White should really accept and take the knight. } 9. Qxg4 (9. Nxc6? { This leads to a favorable endgame for black in a quite forcing line. } 9... Nxe3 10. Nxd8 Nxd1 { If Nxd1 black has a slight edge due to the bishop pair, but Rxd1 is no good either. } 11. Rxd1 Bxc3+ { This is a matter of taste. Keeping the bishop pair is also good, but I like the simple endgame. } 12. bxc3 Rxd8 { White has a horrible pawn structure, black has winning chances, thought white can hold if they play accurately. }) 9... Nxd4 10. Qd1 { Best for white is to simply return and apply pressure to the knight. } (10. Qh4 Nxb3 11. axb3) (10. Bxd4 Bxd4 { If white captures on d4 they choose to keep their light squared bishop instead of their dark squared bishop. This is slightly more favorable to black compared to the other line, as his dark squared bishop is very strong and will go unopposed. }) 10... Nxb3 11. axb3 { White still has some plusses in the position. For now they have central space, and the c3 knight is well placed eyeing up d5 and b5. The doubled b pawns are not that bad as the a1 rook can now see. However, black did obtain the bishop pair out of the opening with no positional weaknesses at all. If the light squared bishop can become active and play an impactful role black will be quite happy with the opening. } 11... d6 { White has several plans. The most critical is likely the h pawn pushing. If he plays Bd4 and forces an exchange we can simply start placing our pawns on dark squares to work well with our bishop. } { [%cal Gh2h4,Ge3d4,Ge1g1,Gd1d2,Ge1c1] } 12. Bd4 (12. h4 h5 { We prevent the quick h5 pawn break. } 13. Bd4 { You can temporarily avoid the bishop trade with Bh6, or just embrace it and play a5 and look to control dark squares with pawns. } { [%cal Ga7a5,Gg7h6] }) 12... a5 (12... Bxd4 13. Qxd4 a5 14. h4 h5 15. O-O-O Be6) 13. Bxg7 Kxg7 14. Qd4+ e5 (14... Kg8 15. f4) 15. Qd2 Be6 (15... Qb6 16. O-O-O Rd8 17. Nd5 Qc5 { [%cal Gc8e6] })) (8... d6 9. f3 Bd7 { We play Bd7 to support b5 and maybe play Bc6 in some lines if e4 is weak. } 10. Qd2 Nxd4 11. Bxd4 b5! { White may think twice about castling long now. This is the point of the accelerated dragon move order. } 12. h4 a5 13. h5 a4 14. Bd5 b4 15. Bxf6 (15. Ne2 e5 16. Bxa8 exd4 17. h6 Bh8 18. Bd5 Nxd5 19. exd5 Qb6 { Black is down an exchange, but white's king is in the center on an open file and black's DSB still has a lot of potential }) 15... exf6 16. Ne2 Ra5 17. Qxb4 Qc7) (8... a5 { I do think this line is strong for white, which is why I do not recommend it as black. It is playable, but white can get a very active position. } 9. O-O { White's best chance to play for an advantage. Look at the many sidelines with deep analysis after f3 to see how black is at least equal in all variations. } (9. a4 Ng4 { Unleashing a double attack on d4. } 10. Qxg4 Nxd4 11. Qh4 Nxb3 12. cxb3 { Ra6 and Bf6 both give black an equal game. }) 9... a4 (9... Nxd4 10. Bxd4) (9... Ng4 10. Qxg4 Nxd4 11. Rfd1 Nxb3 12. axb3 d6 13. Qh4 Be6) 10. Nxa4 Nxe4 11. Nb5 Ra6 (11... d5 12. Bb6 Qd7 13. Qe2 Ne5 14. Rfd1 e6 15. Bd4 Ra6) 12. c4) (8... e6 9. O-O (9. f4 Ng4 10. Qxg4 Nxd4 11. O-O-O Nxb3+ 12. axb3 d5 13. Qg5 Qa5 14. Kb1 Bxc3 15. bxc3 f6 16. Qg3 dxe4) 9... d5 10. exd5 exd5 (10... Nxd5 11. Nxd5 exd5 12. c3) 11. h3 Be6 12. Qf3) 9. f3 { White solidifies his center, but now d5 is stronger because of the loose bishop on e3. } { [%csl Re3][%cal Re8e3] } (9. f4 d6 10. h3 Nxd4 11. Bxd4 b5 12. O-O (12. Nxb5 { [%cal Gf6e4,Gc8a6,Ga6f1] } 12... Ba6 13. a4) 12... b4 13. Nd5 Nxe4 14. Bxg7 Kxg7 15. Qd4+ Nf6 16. Rad1 Be6 17. Nxb4 Bxb3 18. axb3 Qb6 19. Rfe1 h5) (9. O-O d6 { Here we just play d6. White did not castle long, so we can just play this positionally and black has a good game. } 10. h3 Na5! { Winning the bishop pair gives us good chances to fight for a win. } { [%cal Gf2f4,Gd1d2] } (10... Bd7 11. f4 Nxd4 12. Bxd4 Bc6) 11. Qd2 b6 12. Bh6 Nxb3 13. axb3 Bb7 { [%cal Gg7h8] } 14. Bxg7 Kxg7) 9... d5! { d5 is tactically supported by Nb4, and if white tries to hold the pawn he will get into trouble. } (9... e6 10. O-O d5 11. exd5 Nxd5 12. Nxd5 exd5 13. Bf2 Qg5) 10. exd5 (10. Nxd5 Nxd5 11. exd5 (11. Bxd5?? { The worst option. } 11... Nxd4 12. Bxd4 Bxd4 13. Qxd4 e6 { Whoops...that bishop is lost due to the pin. }) 11... Nb4 12. c4?? { A bad move, but a common try to hold the pawn. } 12... e6! 13. dxe6 Bxe6 { White's pieces are too loose. Black is already winning. } { [%csl Ge3,Gd4] }) 10... Nb4 11. Nde2 e6! { Offering the pawn, but if white is greedy he will struggle. } 12. dxe6 Bxe6 13. Qxd8 Raxd8 { Bxb6 is threatening Rxe3 and also Nxc2. White cannot defend everything here. } { [%csl Rc2,Re3][%cal Ge6b3,Re8e3,Rb4c2] } *