Caissa Codex
B74

Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Classical Variation, Bernard Defense

Chess diagram: Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Classical Variation, Bernard Defense after 13…d5

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Statistics from Lichess

10 games: White 40.0% / Draw 0.0% / Black 60.0%

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Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
88
11
11

Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 31, 2026

Engine evaluation

+0.94 White is better

Best play: 14. Nxa5 Qxa5 15. fxg6 fxg6 16. e5 Nd7 17. d4 Rxf1+ 18. Qxf1 a6

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, Bernard Defense (ECO B74, Semi-Open Games) is a variation of the Sicilian Defense: Hyperaccelerated Dragon, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 g6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Be2 Bg7 7. O-O O-O 8. Be3 Nc6 9. Nb3 Be6 10. f4 Na5 11. f5 Bc4 12. Bd3 Bxd3 13. cxd3 d5 (13 moves).

In 10 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 40.0%, Black 60.0% and 0.0% were drawn. White's most played move here is 14. e5, in 80% of those games. That is too few games for the percentages to mean much.

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Other lines from the same position

Instead of 3…cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Be2 Bg7 7. O-O O-O 8. Be3 Nc6 9. Nb3 Be6 10. f4 Na5 11. f5 Bc4 12. Bd3 Bxd3 13. cxd3 d5, the position after Sicilian Defense: Hyperaccelerated Dragon also goes on to:

Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Classical Variation, Bernard Defense (B74)”. Lichess data as of 31 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/sicilian-defense-dragon-variation-classical-variation-bernard-defense

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