Sicilian Defense: Accelerated Dragon - Modern Variation (6.Nxc6)
After 6.Nxc6, recapture with bxc6 and meet 7.Bc4 with Qc7, then Nf6, d6, and Nh5 to hit the bishop on f4. Castle, then push a5 and a4, keeping the b-file half-open for your pieces. Watch the trap line where 9.e5 Ng4 wins material for you. Aim for active piece play against White's queenside majority.
Let's learn the 6.Nxc6 Lines! White trades off our knight on c6, then develops with Bc4 and castles. We recapture with our pawn, bring our queen to c7, and follow up with a5, d6, and castling. Let's begin with 1.e4.
Learn this chapter freeMain line
Scroll the moves: the board follows.
Key lines
The free lines of this chapter, each one trainable move by move.
- Main Line
… 9. Re1 d6 10. Bf4 Nh5 11. Be3 a5
- Trap: 9.e5, you win material
… 6... bxc6 7. Bd3 Nf6 8. O-O d5 9. e5 Ng4 10. f4 Qb6+ 11. Kh1 Nf2+ 12. Rxf2 Qxf2 13. Bd2 f6
- 7. Bd3
… 6... bxc6 7. Bd3 Nf6 8. O-O d5 9. exd5 cxd5 10. Bg5 O-O
- 7. Bd2
… 6... bxc6 7. Bd2 d5 8. exd5 cxd5 9. Bd3 Nf6
- 7. Bd2
… 6... bxc6 7. Bd2 d5 8. exd5 cxd5 9. Bb5+ Bd7 10. Bxd7+ Qxd7 11. O-O Nf6 12. Bg5 d4 13. Bxf6 Bxf6 14. Ne4 Bg7 15. Nc5 Qb5
- 8. Qf3
… 7... Qc7 8. Qf3 Nf6 9. Bf4 d6 10. O-O-O Bg4
- 9. f4
… 8... Nf6 9. f4 O-O
Other chapters
Modern Variation (7.f3)
After 7.f3, meet it with ...O-O, ...d5, and ...e6, challenging White's center directly. Watch for lines where White castles O-O-O too early, letting ...Qxa2 win material for you.
16 linesModern Bc4 Variation (7.Bc4)
White develops with 7.Bc4, then retreats to 8.Bb3 after your castling. Meet it with ...Re8, then after 9.f3 d5 10.exd5 Nb4 11.Nde2, play ...e6, lining your rook up behind that pawn against White's bishop on e3. Watch the 10.f4 trap, where ...Ng4 and ...Qb6+ win material. You aim for a sound center against White's queenside majority.
8 linesModern Variation (7.Be2, 7.Qd2, 7.Nxc6)
After 7.Qd2 O-O 8.O-O-O, meet it with ...Ng4 eyeing Nxe3 and Nxd4. If White plays 10.Bd4, pounce with ...Bh6 and ...e5, winning material.
15 linesExchange Variation (5.Nxc6)
White grabs your knight with 5.Nxc6, then jumps the queen to d4 and later pushes e5-e6 to chase your pieces. Recapture bxc6, meet 7.e5 with Nd5, and answer 8.e6 with Nf6, letting White overextend. If White grabs your pawn with 12.Qxe5, hit back with Bb4+ and win material. Aim for an endgame where your active pieces and extra material are winning.
10 linesMaróczy Bind (5.c4)
White grabs space with 5.c4, entering the tough Maroczy Bind. Develop with g6, d6, trade on d4, castle, then expand with a5, a4, and Bd7. Watch for 7.Be3 Ng4 8.Bc1 Qb6, where White's rook falls after Bxg4 Qxg4 Nc2+. Aim for a solid, flexible setup against White's queenside majority.
10 linesSidelines (5.Be3)
White develops with 5.Be3, usually continuing 6.Nc3. Meet it with 5...Nf6, attacking e4, then fianchetto with 6...Bg7. If White tries 6.f3 Bg7 7.c4 Qb6 8.Qd2, take material with 8...Nxe4. Aim for structures where you land the bishop pair and push your kingside pawns.
4 linesRossolimo Variation (3.Bb5)
Our knight takes the e4 outpost in front of White's e5 pawn. Next ...Qb6 attacks the bishop on b5, and ...Bg4 pins the knight on f3...
17 linesDelayed Alapin Variation (3.c3)
We recapture with the queen after trading off White's strong knight. Next ...e6, ...Be7 and ...O-O complete development, and ...Rd8 puts...
12 linesOld Sicilian (3.Bc4, 3.Nc3)
With our king safe, next ...Bf5 or ...Be6 develops, ...Rc8 takes the open c-file, and ...a6 asks the bishop on b5 to decide.
22 lines
Learn Modern Variation (6.Nxc6) on the board
The trainer plays the opponent's moves and waits for yours, line by line. Free to start.
Learn this chapter free