Caissa Codex
B74

Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Classical Variation, Alekhine Line

Chess diagram: Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Classical Variation, Alekhine Line after 9…a5

Type a move and press Enter: e4, Nf3, O-O, or from and to squares like g1f3 (e7e8q to promote). The board is also played with the mouse.

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Statistics from Lichess

8,338 games: White 45.6% / Draw 6.3% / Black 48.0%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
6,6816,681
572572
425425
214214
104104
6565
4949
4141

Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 17, 2026

Engine evaluation

+0.26 The position is about equal

Best play: 10. a4 Be6 11. Nd4 Nxd4 12. Bxd4 Rc8 13. Nd5 Nxd5 14. exd5 Bf5

Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.

Overview

Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Classical Variation, Alekhine Line (ECO B74, Semi-Open Games) is a variation of the Sicilian Defense: Accelerated Dragon, Modern Variation, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 g6 5. Nc3 Bg7 6. Be3 Nf6 7. Be2 O-O 8. O-O d6 9. Nb3 a5 (9 moves).

In 8,338 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 45.6%, Black 48.0% and 6.3% were drawn. White's most played move here is 10. a4, in 80% of those games.

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How to play against the Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Classical Variation, Alekhine Line

The most played answer, 10. a4, also scores best for White: 50.4%, with White winning 47.2% and Black 46.3% of 6,681 games. Of the main answers, 10. f4 scores lowest: 38.6%. Stockfish's first choice is also 10. a4.

Main answers: those played in at least 5% of these games. Score: White's wins plus half the draws, in rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500. How to play against other popular openings

Other lines from the same position

Instead of 5…Bg7 6. Be3 Nf6 7. Be2 O-O 8. O-O d6 9. Nb3 a5, the position after Sicilian Defense: Accelerated Dragon, Modern Variation also goes on to:

Transpositions

This position is also reached from these lines, by another move order:

Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Classical Variation, Alekhine Line (B74)”. Lichess data as of 17 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/sicilian-defense-dragon-variation-classical-variation-alekhine-line

https://chesscodex.org/openings/sicilian-defense-dragon-variation-classical-variation-alekhine-line