Dragon Variation, Accelerated Dragon

Here Black fianchettoes at once with 4...g6, postponing the usual 4...Nf6. The name Accelerated Dragon, also known as the Accelerated Fianchetto, more often refers to lines in which Black plays ...Nc6 and holds back ...d6 so that ...d5 can come in one move. In this ECO B54 version ...d6 is already on the board, so that benefit is gone. Skipping ...Nf6 also leaves e4 unattacked, so White is not forced to commit the knight to c3 and gains a free hand with the c-pawn.

The most common reply, 5. Nc3, allows Black to return to the standard Dragon with a later ...Nf6. The critical positional option is 5. c4, which sets up the Maróczy Bind. The pawns on c4 and e4 clamp d5 and give White a lasting space advantage, while Black looks for counterplay with breaks such as ...b5 and ...f5. The engine also favors 5. Be3 and 5. f3 and gives White a slight edge. In online play 5. Bc4 has done poorly for White, and Black scores better than White after it.