[Event "dragon: Classical"] [Site "https://lichess.org/study/loigaV1k/Nhrd7OPg"] [Result "*"] [UTCDate "2020.05.22"] [UTCTime "05:23:15"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "B70"] [Opening "Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Classical Variation"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/realhercules"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/loigaV1k/Nhrd7OPg"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be2 Bg7 7. O-O Nc6 8. Nb3 O-O 9. Bg5 { Black begins queenside operations. } 9... a6 10. f4 b5 11. Bf3 { Threatening e4-e5, but Black has a natural response. } 11... Bb7 12. Kh1 { This is a common move in many Sicilian positions. The king is safer on h1 and White does not have to consistently calculate lines involving a queen check on b6. } 12... Nd7 13. Rb1 { Defending the b-pawn so that the knight on c3 can move to d5. } 13... Re8 14. Nd5 f6! { This move was discovered by the Brain Games World Champion, Vladimir Kramnik. It seems strange to block the Dragon bishop like this, but it seems that there are other positional factors which favour Black. } 15. Bh4 e6 16. Ne3 g5! 17. Bg3 { After } (17. fxg5 fxg5 18. Bg3 Nde5 { the 'Dragon bishop' has come to life and Black has acquired the e5-square as an important outpost. NOTE: An outpost is a square which cannot easily be attacked by enemy pawns. The eS-square is often a useful outpost for Black in the Sicilian. }) 17... gxf4 18. Bxf4 Nde5 19. Bh5 Rf8 { Black's 'Dragon bishop' is hemmed in by the pawn on f6, but Black is extremely solid and has a good defensive outpost on e5. } 20. c3 Qe7 21. Qe2 Ng6 22. Bg3 Nce5 23. Nd2 Kh8 24. Rf2 Rad8 25. Rbf1 Bh6 { Now the dark-squared bishop is as active as its partner on b7. } 26. Ng4?! Nxg4 27. Bxg4 d5! { Breaking up the centre and increasing the activity of his piece. Black is now firmly in control. } 28. Bh5 dxe4 29. Nxe4 f5 30. Bxg6 hxg6 31. Nd6 Ba8! { 31...Rxd6? loses material to 32 Qe5+!. } 32. Be5+ Kg8 33. Rd1 Rd7 34. Qd3 Rfd8 { The knight on d6 superficially looks impressive, but in fact it's quite vulnerable as it has no safe square to go to. } 35. Qg3 Qg5 36. Qxg5 Bxg5 37. Rd3 Be4 38. Rh3 Rxd6 39. Rh8+ Kf7 40. Rh7+ Ke8 41. Rh8+ Kd7 { White resigns. Following 42 Rxd8+ Bxd8 43 Bxd6 Kxd6 44 Rd2+ Ke7 the two bishops heavily outclass the rook in this endgame. } *