Dragon Variation, Classical Variation

With 6. Be2 White gives up the opposite-side castling race of the Yugoslav Attack. White develops simply and castles kingside, and the fight centers on piece play around d4, d5 and the c-file rather than a pawn storm against the g6 hook. The position also arises from the Classical Sicilian after 5...Nc6 6. Be2 g6. Black almost always answers 6...Bg7, and the engine rates the game roughly balanced, with results close to even in online play.

The main tabiya follows 6...Bg7 7. O-O O-O 8. Be3 Nc6. Here 9. Nb3, the Normal Line, pulls the knight back to avoid exchanges, while 9. Qd2, the Battery Variation, lines up queen and bishop on the c1-h6 diagonal. After 9. Nb3 Be6 10. f4, White threatens to gain space with f5. Black's options include 10...Na5, the Maróczy Line, heading for c4, and 10...Qc8, the Tartakower Line. The Maróczy can continue 11. f5 Bc4 12. Bd3 Bxd3 13. cxd3 d5, the Bernard Defense, where Black breaks in the center. The Amsterdam and Grigoriev Variations arise from the Classical Sicilian move order. In those lines White plays Be3 and Qd2 before castling and keeps the option of O-O-O.