Giulio Beretta (2143) - Spanton (1937)
Sicilian Accelerated Dragon
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 g6 5.Nc3 Bg7 6.Be3 Nf6 7.Bc4
This is easily the most popular move in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database. One of the points is to discourage ...d5, which Black in the Accelerated Dragon hopes to get in without, as in other Dragon variations, first playing ...d6.
7...0-0 8.Bb3
Otherwise ...Nxe4 is a threat.
8...d5!?
The commonest move in Mega25 is 8...d6, transposing to normal Dragon lines, while next-most common is 8...a5, which is the main Accelerated continuation.
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| The fact that the text, which goes back to 1960, but has become popular only recently, may be Black's best move should give heart to all Accelerated players |
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9.exd5 Na5 10.Qf3!?
As far as I am aware, no consensus has been reached as to White's best continuation, but 10.Qf3!? is the top choice of Stockfish17, while Dragon1 prefers 10.Qd2!? Both engines also like castling.
10...Nxb3 11.axb3 Bg4 12.Qg3 Bh5!? 13.d6!?
Offering to return the pawn, but at a price.
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| How should Black proceed? |
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13...Re8!?
This may be a novelty. The engines reckon White has at least a slight edge after 13...exd6, while 13...Qxd6? 14.Qxd6 exd6 runs into 15.h3, and 13...e5?! can be met by 14.Ndb5. So the main move is 13...Ng4!?, when the engines come to like 14.h3!?, which scores 79% in Mega25, albeit from a small sample. After 14...Nxe3 15.fxe3!? (best, according to the engines), Jordan van Foreest (2680) - Boris Gelfand (2678), Sigeman & Co (Malmö, Sweden) 2023, went 15...a6!? 16.Qh4 e5 17.Qxd8 Raxd8 18.Ne6!? fxe6 19.g4 Rf3 20.Ke2 Rxh3! 21.gxh5 Rxh1 22.Rxh1 Rxd6 23.h6 Bf8 24.Ne4 Rc6 25.c3, when the engines reckon White has plenty of compensation for a pawn (1-0, 47 moves).
14.Ndb5!?
Black has a slight edge after 14.dxe7 Qxe7!?, according to the engines. They suggest 14.0-0 or 14.h3.
14...exd6 15.Qxd6?
The engines reckon 15.0-0 is completely equal.
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| Black to play and gain a winning advantage |
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15...Ng4
This gives the upper hand, according to the engines, but they reckon winning is 15...a6! 16.Qxd8 Raxd8 17.Na3 (17.Nc7 Re7) b5, eg 18.Nd1 Nd5 19.c3 Nxe3 20.Nxe3 b4! 21.cxb4 Bxb2 22.0-0 (22.Ra2?? Rd1#) Bxa1 23.Rxa1 Rd1+!?
16.0-0
Or 16.Qxd8 Raxd8 17.0-0 Nxe3 18.fxe3 a6 etc.
16...Bxc3?
Correct is 16...Nxe3 17.Qxd8 Raxd8 18.fxe3 a6 etc.
17.Qxd8 Raxd8 18.Nxc3 Nxe3 19.fxe3 a6
Possibly slightly better is 19...Rxe3!? 20.Rxa7 Rd2.
20.e4 Rd2?
This natural-looking move is a mistake. Instead the engines reckon 20...Kg7 (Stockfish17) or 20...Kf8 (Dragon1) gives almost enough compensation for a pawn.
21.Rf2 Red8 22.Nd5!
This more-or-less forces ...
22...Rxf2 23.Kxf2
... after which White has no difficulties supporting the isolani.
23...Kg7 24.c4 g5 25.e5 Bg6 26.Ke3 Bc2 27.Ra3 Kg6 28.Kd4 Kf5 29.b4 g4
Preventing Rf3+.
30.g3 Be4 31.Ra5 Bf3 32.b5
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| White is only a pawn up, but his advantage is roughly the equivalent of a rook, according to the engines |
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32...Bxd5!? 33.cxd5 Re8 34.bxa6 bxa6 35.d6 Ke6 36.Rxa6 f6 37.d7+!? Kxd7 38.Rxf6 (1-0, 55 moves)
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