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Sicilian Defense

Dragon Variation, Levenfish Variation

B71aggressivetacticaloffbeat

  1. 1.e4c5
  2. 2.Nf3d6
  3. 3.d4cxd4
  4. 4.Nxd4Nf6
  5. 5.Nc3g6
  6. 6.f4
1,994 games56%39%

An aggressive anti-Dragon in which White plays 6. f4, gaining space and preparing e5 to hit the f6-knight before Black's fianchetto is complete.

Train it in Theoria

About the Levenfish Variation

Grigory Levenfish recommended 6. f4 in 1937; it gains space and prepares e5 against the f6-knight. Accordingly, the most popular reply 6...Bg7 is considered imprecise, since 7. e5 Nh5 8. Bb5+ gives White some initiative. Black therefore prefers 6...Nc6, which covers e5, or 6...Nbd7, the named Main Line. White may also retreat the knight to f3 for Grand Prix-style kingside play. Seldom seen at elite level, it scores well for White online.

Popular continuations

Named variations 1