SICILIAN DEFENCE / DRAGON VARIATION

YUGOSLAV ATTACK

Turkish Chess Federation

First Level Trainer
Ali ZEN

International Course for FIDE-Trainer/Instruction

Germany, 2006

Index:
SICILIAN DEFENCE / DRAGON VARIATION YUGOSLAV ATTACK ...........................................................................1
INDEX:..........................................................................................................................................................................................2
INTRODUCTION:.......................................................................................................................................................................3
PLAYING OPENING THAT WE KNOW:...............................................................................................................................4
SICILIAN DEFENCE (1.e4 c5) ..................................................................................................................................................4
SICILIAN DEFENCE / DRAGON VARIATION / YUGOSLAV ATTACK ECO: B75/79..................................................5
OPENING REPORT....................................................................................................................................................................6
1. HISTORY .................................................................................................................................................................................6
2. PLAYERS.................................................................................................................................................................................6
3. STATISTICS .............................................................................................................................................................................6
4. MOVES AND PLANS ................................................................................................................................................................6
Main line: .............................................................................................................................................................................7
Critical line: .........................................................................................................................................................................7
Plans White: .........................................................................................................................................................................7
Plans Black:..........................................................................................................................................................................7
YUGOSLAV ATTACK WITH 9.0-0-0 ......................................................................................................................................8
YUGOSLAV ATTACK WITH 9.Bc4.........................................................................................................................................9
EXAMPLE 1: KARPOV, ANATOLY - KORTSCHNOJ, VIKTOR ....................................................................................10
EXAMPLE 2: B76- 9.g4 Be6 LINE...........................................................................................................................................11
EXAMPLE 3: ZELCIC FORSTER B79 ...............................................................................................................................12
EXAMPLE 4: B78- 9.Bc4 Bd7 10.0-0-0 Rc8 11.Bb3 Ne5 12.h4 h5.........................................................................................14
13.BG5 OR 13.BH6 ...................................................................................................................................................................14
13.Bh6 ............................................................................................................................................................................14
13.Bg5: White "Anand, Viswanathan"Black "Georgiev, Kiril" "1/2-1/2"ECO "B78"........................................................14

Introduction:
Hello,
Im Turkish Chess Federations 1. Level trainer and zone chess arbiter Ali ZEN.
Im 24 years old.
Im studying Mechanical Engineer in Pamukkale University.
Also Im administer and the captain of my universitys chess team, which is in Turkish Super League.
Pamukkale University Chess school have chess board, computer, data projection and a lot of chess
documents etc
One GM, one IM and one WIM are playing in our team now
Our club players taken to first rank in TSF Under 18 Girls and Under 14 Boys Championship in this year
I will explain Sicilian Defence, Dragon Variations popular line Yugoslav Attacks ideas, variations and
I will analyse some matches which are including this variations typical positions.
Note:
Examples analysis is look at the data-base file. (Ali OZEN_Tur_FIDE Course_Yugoslav Attack.cbh)

Playing Opening That We Know:

A player who knows opening principles, middle game position and tactics, ending game methods,
nearly every opening of first 8 10 moves and ideas that I assume that I know a sportsman. Who reaches a
certain power to improve his game power? He has to do something. Okay, what should he do? If he
solves ten combinations in a day, he should solve twenty studies, he should follow matches which are
played in high-class tournaments and he should analyse newness which appear meanwhile and he should
choose opening which are suitable his game style besides he should know these openings detailly.
Of course openings consist of moves which sportsman do mutually. We cant decide that we say;
I will play this opening this match on our own. Of course we dont need to know al these openings
detailly. For example; while we are playing with white 1.d4, we can eliminate most of openings as
Sicilian Defence, French Defense, Caro-Kann, Scandinavian Defence, Alekhines Defence, Ruy Lopez
and Open games... In modern tournaments at mastery matches queens pawn and openings which have
the same root openings are preferred. Like these kinds of openings 84 matches of 85 are played in three
World Championship before 1954. End of the term this rate is approximately %80. Okay we worked with
white 1.d4 openings. All right wont we play with black? For instance; opponent did 1.e4 move. Now we
should for own an opening and variation. I will tell my supply Scilian Defence / Dragon Variation /
Yugoslav attack as an example.
Until we come to Dragon Variation / Yugoslav Attack, the other variations which opponents can
choose, are given at addition in CD.

Sicilian Defence (1.e4 c5)

Sicilian Defence is an opening which is not peaceful and calm, its main idea is like a razor-sharp
opening.
In its first move black attacks with c5 , to Whites d4 move.
Whites avoid to change e pawn, as French or Caro-Kann openings at the beginning of the game.
Because this pawn will be used as an attack component by whites to wars the end of the game.
Usually c file which is opened after exchanging on d4 square, this consist of exit file of the
Blacks queen side. At this position white responses with attacks which will be done from kings side.
This kind of sharp opening provides rich traps and combination possibilities every two sides.

SICILIAN DEFENCE / DRAGON VARIATION / YUGOSLAV ATTACK

ECO: B75/79
The construction of black pawns looks like dragon, so this called as Dragon.
If you want to play it as black you need to be on the cutting edge of opening theory. This means
that you really need to have a subscription to either a magazine (such as Informator or NIC). The theory
has changed so quickly that in the two most recent books on the Dragon--Golubev's "Easy Guide to the
Dragon" and Ward's Winning with the Sicilian Dragon 2. If you look through, you'll see a lot of games
with players like Fischer, Geller, Anand, Nunn, and Karpov all on the very strong players on the White
side of the opening.
At Dragon Variation; as all Sicilian opening blacks want to benefit c-file openness. In addition
to at Dragon Variation, while f8 bishop is leaving from g7 square, it pushes in a1-h8 diagonal.
When white prefers dangerous variation like Yugoslav Attack, interesting games appear. At this
variation while whites are doing from king side mate attack, blacks are attacking whites from which do
castle queen side.
At this variation mutual weak squares, attack tactics, sacrifices etc. are in question. Whites try to
change critic g7 bishop of game. Because this bishop is both attack and defence. It is a potential
dangerous. Besides while king side is being forwarded to the pawns, opponent king is wanted to leave out
doors. Blacks are struggling these on the other hand they have to attack.
With the help of the a8 rook and b8 knight, they keep down c4 square of white. And it
forces to change kings bishop.
f6 knight is very important at defence. Besides there are sacrifices either defence or attack
which depend on the choice of blacks. At suitable positions blacks can sacrifice rook response to c3
square knight. At some positions blacks to stop the attack at king side and to control center can sacrifice
one piece response to two pawns on g4 square.
When we think that all the things havent happened, the ending game are farmed after a calm
game, blacks are relax. Because there isnt any imbalance or weakness at pawns. Pawns balance and
protect each other. Nevertheless if we want to Sicilian Dragon Variation, the matches which we played
can be looked. Lots of mastery always prefer this opening.

Opening report
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.Be3 Bg7 7.f3 0-0
3411 games in 'Fritz 9 Database'

1. History
Earliest game: Gerstenfeld,E - Goldberg,G -, URS-sf Kiev 1940
Latest grandmaster game:

Kovacevic,A - Cebalo,M -, Borovo 2005

Latest game: Lopez Artigas,S - Sprenger,W 0-1, Fincas Mediterranea 2nd 2005
Games played in years (3411)

2. Players
a) Strong grandmasters who used this line as Black:
Alexei Fedorov

Result=12/26 1992-2003

Elo-: 2579 games: 26

Alexander Khalifman Result=3/8

1986-1997

Elo-: 2606 games: 8

Vugar Gashimov

Result=2/3

2003-2004

Elo-: 2583 games: 3

Viktor Kortschnoj

Result=2/4

1956-1993

Elo-: 2641 games: 4

Garry Kasparov

Result=2/3

1995

Elo-: 2795 games: 3

Vassily Ivanchuk

Result=1.5/3 1994-2001

Elo-: 2722 games: 3

Sergei Tiviakov

Result=1.5/3 1989-2003

Elo-: 2562 games: 3

3. Statistics
Black scores below average (41%).
Black performs Elo 2215 against an opposition of Elo 2280 (-65).
White performs Elo 2316 against an opposition of Elo 2251 (+65).
White wins: 1572 (=46%), Draws: 864 (=25%), Black wins: 974 (=29%)
The drawing quote is low. (3% quick draws, < 20 Moves)

4. Moves and Plans

a) 8.Qd2 2929 games, 1940-2005, =1998 You should play: 8...Nc6
White scores above average (59%). Elo-: 2289, 2259 games. Performance = Elo 2320
played by: Shirov, 2727, 2/3; Karpov, 2700, 5/5; Hamza, 2696, 0/1; Anand, 2664, 3.5/6; Ivanchuk, 2661, 3/3;

Anand,V - Kasparov,G 0-1; Anand,V - Kasparov,G -; Anand,V - Kasparov,G -; Short,N Topalov,V -; Akopian,V - Kortschnoj,V 0-1; Nunn,J - Ljubojevic,L 0-1
6

Main line:
9.Bc4 Bd7 10.0-0-0 Rc8 11.Bb3 Ne5 12.h4 h5
9.Bc4 Bd7 10.h4

58%, 2374

357 games

9.0-0-0 d5

58%, 2355

592 games

50%, 2305

419 games

Critical line:
9.Bc4 Bd7 10.Bb3 Ne5 11.h4 h5 52 % Black
White scores averagely (55%).
Elo-: 2211, 307 games. Performance = Elo 2255
played by: Anand, 2720, 0.5/1; Short, 2615, 1/1; Ljubojevic, 2595, 1/2; Atalik, 2593, 0.5/1; Van der Wiel, 2590, 1/1

Plans White:
Bc4-b3/Qd1-d2/0-0-0/Kc1-b1/h2-h4

Games: (76)

Bc4-b3/0-0-0/Bb3xc4/g2-g4

Games: (31)

0-0-0/Kc1-b1/g2-g4

Games: (69)

h2-h4/0-0-0/h4-h5/Nc3-d5

Games: (5)

h2-h4/h4-h5/h5xg6/Be3-h6

Games: (5)

h2-h4/h4-h5

Games: (86)

Plans Black:
Bc8-d7/Ra8-c8/Nc6-e5/Ne5-c4/Rc8xc4

Games: (77)

Ra8-c8/Nc6-e5/h7-h5/Rc8-c5/h5xg4

Games: (19)

Bc8-d7/Qd8-a5/Rf8-c8

Games: (88)

Nc6-e5/Ne5-c4/Nf6xh5/Rf8-e8

Games: (9)

Bc8-d7/Ra8-c8/h7-h5/Rc8-c5

Games: (5)

Yugoslav attack with 9.0-0-0

After years of believing White's best play and chance for
advantage lay in the main line with 9.Bc4, this older
main line made a major comeback. White omits Bc4 in
order to speed up the attack. It used to be thought that
allowing 9... d5!? here allows Black to equalize easily
but further analysis and play have proved that things are
not so clear cut. A brilliancy found for White one day is
soon enough overturned by some new resource for
Black. A case in point is the following line where the
evaluation of a major line was turned upside down
overnight because of an ingenious queen sacrifice played
by IGM Mikhail Golubev, an expert on the Dragon Variation:
After 9.0-0-0 d5!? play continued 10.Kb1!? Nxd4 11.e5!! Nf5! 12.exf6 Bxf6! 13.Nxd5 Qxd5!! 14.Qxd5
Nxe3 15.Qd3 Nxd1 16.Qxd1 Be6! Diagram:

Remarkably, the resulting position is at least equal for Black despite the material deficit.

Yugoslav attack with 9.Bc4

Diyagram A

ekil A

Originally played to prevent Black from playing the freeing move ...d6-d5, the positions resulting from
this move are quite possibly the most heavily analyzed and exhausted in all of chess theory. The white
squared bishop serves a double defensive/offensive role on b3 where it will usually end up. However, the
tempo spent in getting the bishop there lets black organize his forces. Common in this line is an exchange
sacrifice on c3 by black. Other options for black include an eventual ..Qa5, or ..h5 (following white's h4 the Soltis variation) or more recently, Rb8 followed by b5, an increasingly popular strategy that may very
well become the main line of the Bc4 variation.The line goes 9.Bc4 Bd7 10.0-0-0! Rc8 11.Bb3 Ne5
12.h4 h5! (the key move, unpositional but effective!) 13.Bg5! Rc5!

Example 1: Karpov, Anatoly - Kortschnoj, Viktor

[White Elo "2700"][Black Elo "2670"][Result "1-0"][ECO "B78"]
[Event "Candidates final"][Site "Moscow"][Date "1974.02.23"][Round "2"]
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6
6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3 Nc6 8. Qd2 O-O 9. Bc4 Bd7
10. h4 Rc8 11. Bb3 Ne5 12. O-O-O Nc4 13. Bxc4 Rxc4
14. h5 Nxh5 15. g4 Nf6 16. Nde2 Qa5 17. Bh6 Bxh6
18. Qxh6 Rfc8 19. Rd3 R4c5 20. g5 Rxg5 21.Rd5 Rxd5
22. Nxd5 Re8 23. Nef4 Bc6 24. e5 Bxd5 25. exf6 exf6
26. Qxh7+ Kf8 27.Qh8+ 1-0

10

Example 2: B76- 9.g4 Be6 line

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. g4 Be6

10. Nxe6
10... fxe6 11. O-O-O Rc8 12. h4 Qa5 13. Bc4 Nd8 14.
Nb1 Qe5 15. Bd4 Qg3

10. O-O-O Nxd4 11. Bxd4 Qa512. a3 Rfc8

(12... Rab8 13. Be2 b5 14. g5 Nh5 15. Bxg7 Nxg7)
13. h4 Rab8 14. h5 b5 15. h6 Bf8 (15... b4 16. hxg7
(16. Nb5 Rxb5 17. Bxb5 Qxb5 18.hxg7 Bb3 19.Bxf6
Rxc2+ 20. Qxc2 Bxc2 21. Rxh7 exf6 22. Rdh1 g5 23.
Rh8+ Kxg7 24. R1h7+ Kg6 25. Rh6+ Kg7 26. R6h7+)
16... bxa3 17. Qh6 axb2+ 18. Kd2 Bxg4 19. Bxf6 Bh5
20.Rxh5 (20. Bd4 e5 -/+) 20... gxh5) 16. g5 (16. Bxf6
b4 17. Nd5 Qa4 18. Nc3 = (18. Nxb4 exf6) 18... Qa5
19. Nd5 Qa4 =) 16... Nd7 17. Nd5 Qa4 18. Nc3 Qa5
19. Nd5 Qa4 20.Nc3 =)

11

Example 3: Zelcic Forster B79

Mitropa Cup (Portoroz) 1998 (Analaysis: GM Christiansen )
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.Be3 Bg7 7.f3 Nc6 8.Qd2 0-0 9.Bc4 Bd7 10.0-0-0
Qa5 11. Kb1 Rfc8 12.Bb3 Ne5 13.h4 b5 14.Ncxb5 Qd8? 15.Bh6 Bh8 16.h5 Nxh5
At Sicilian Dragon, because of the popularity of
Yugoslav Attack in all levels, it is a simple method that
starting effective attack of white on black king. As basis
while whites are trying to open h-file, blacks at queens
side attacks not consisting of efficiently, they try to create
mate themes. As Bobby Fischer mentioned his book My
Best Sixty Matches while forcing h-file open, sacrifice,
sacrifice and mate!. Sure Dragon Variation has lived lots
of theoretic improvements in years and it still very popular
at the top level chess tournaments and matches. Some
variations are very theoretic until thirtieth moves.
At diagram previous page, we see a Dragon position which was played badly. Black sacrifice b
pawn to open the files and to slow down whites king side attack. Meanwhile blacks which aim to win the
time while threatening in b5 square knight, they aim to bring b and c file their rooks unfortunately,
if whites start first attack, in b5 square knight has an important role for a attacking, too.
17.Rxh5!
This automatic sacrifices main idea; 17. ... gxh5 18.Qg5+ Ng6 19.Bf7+ ( 19.Qxh5? Rc5! It was
going to be careless) 19. ... Kxf7 20.Qd5+ e6 21.Nxd6+ Kg8 22.Nxe6 Bc6 (obligatory) 23.Nxd8+ Bxd5
24.Nxc8 Bc4 25.Nxa7 Rxa7 26.b3 towards to piece with four strong pawns and with easy profit (+- ).
Blacks are trying to confuse this scenario but this trial causes much bigger problems.
17. ... a6?! 18.Nxd6!
Main moves aim this starting of unbearable attack to, black coloured bishop which is main
defencer of blacks.
18. ... exd6 19.Bg5 Qb6 20.Rxh7! Kxh7 21.Rh1+ Kg8 (21. ... Kg7 22.Be7 Kg8 23.Qh6 mate in2)

12

22.Rxh8+! Kxh8 23.Bf6+ Kh7 24.Qg5 Nxf3 ( obligatory )

25.gxf3 Rc5 26.Bd5 ( 26.Nf5? incorrect. Because, 26. ... Rxf5
27.exf5 Qf2! And blacks are still in the game unexpectedly.)
26. ... Rxd5 27.exd5 1 0
This example shows dangers which at Sicilian Dragon,
open h-file can create.

13

Example 4: B78- 9.Bc4 Bd7 10.0-0-0 Rc8 11.Bb3 Ne5 12.h4 h5

13.Bg5 or 13.Bh6
13.Bh6
1. = (0.20): 13...Bxh6 14.Qxh6 Rxc3 15.bxc3 Qa5

13.Bg5: White "Anand, Viswanathan"Black "Georgiev, Kiril" "1/2-1/2"ECO "B78"

[WhiteElo "2555"][BlackElo "2595"][EventCountry "ITA"][Source "ChessBase"]
[Event "Reggio Emilia 8889"][Site "Reggio Emilia"][Date "1988.??.??"]
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nf6 4. Nc3 cxd4 5. Nxd4 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3 Nc6 8. Qd2
O-O 9. Bc4 Bd7 10. Bb3 Rc8 11. O-O-O Ne5 12. h4 h5 13. Bg5 Rc5 14. f4 Nc4 15.
Qd3 Ng4 16. Bxc4 Nf2 17. Qe2 Nxh1 18. Bb3 Qb6 19. Nf3 Rxg5 20. hxg5 Bxc3 21.
Rxh1 Bb5 22. Qd1 Qe3+ 23. Kb1 Bg7 24. Nh4 Be2 25. Qc1 Qxc1+ 26. Kxc1 Kh7 27. f5
gxf5 28. exf5 1/2-1/2

14