ECO B73 · Sicilian Defense

Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Classical Variation, Battery Variation

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be2 Bg7 7. O-O O-O 8. Be3 Nc6 9. Qd2

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Black to move. The arrow shows Stockfish’s best move.
Best move

9… d5+0.09

The position is roughly equal. Stockfish 18, depth 18.

Analyze this position

In the Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Classical Variation, Battery Variation (B73), reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be2 Bg7 7. O-O O-O 8. Be3 Nc6 9. Qd2, Stockfish 18 recommends 9… d5 for Black. The position is roughly equal (+0.09).

Top engine moves

  1. +0.099… d5 10. exd5 Nxd5 11. Nxd5 Nxd4 12. c4 Nf5 13. Bf4 Be6 14. Rfd1
  2. +0.279… a6 10. a4 Re8 11. Nxc6 bxc6 12. a5 Qc7 13. Bb6 Qb7 14. f4
  3. +0.299… Bd7 10. a4 a6 11. f3 Qc7 12. Kh1 Rfc8 13. Nb3 Na5 14. Nxa5

Frequently asked questions

What is the best move in the Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Classical Variation, Battery Variation?
After 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be2 Bg7 7. O-O O-O 8. Be3 Nc6 9. Qd2, Stockfish 18 at depth 18 recommends 9… d5 for Black, continuing 10. exd5 Nxd5 11. Nxd5 Nxd4 12. c4 Nf5 13. Bf4 Be6 14. Rfd1. The position is roughly equal (+0.09). The next best moves are 9… a6 (+0.27) and 9… Bd7 (+0.29).
Is the Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Classical Variation, Battery Variation a good opening?
Stockfish rates the position at +0.09: the position is roughly equal. Evaluations this early in the game are small, so practical results depend far more on knowing the plans and typical structures than on the engine's number.
What is the ECO code of the Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Classical Variation, Battery Variation?
B73. ECO codes classify chess openings from A00 to E99; B is the volume for semi-open games (other than the French).

Opening names from the Lichess opening book (CC0). Pieces by Colin M.L. Burnett (GPLv2+).