Slay the Dragon Tactically

Chessorb Classic, Issue #134 -- GOTM #104

The Dragon Variation is one of the main choices for Black in the Sicilian Defense. Just like the other great lines of this labyrinth such as the Scheveningen, Najdorf, Kan and others, Black and White both have interesting weapons in this line.

The Dragon has been around for about as long as the Sicilian games from 1900 onwards are very instructive on how to conduct operations in all of these lines. Even though the Sicilian variations have evolved quite a lot over the last century Sicilian games from this era hold a lot of lessons and great chess.

The Sicilian was a sideline as we moved from the 19th to the 20th Century but as the Romantic Era gave way to the Classical Era and the Hypermodern School, suddenly players became interested in it.

This month's game was contested in Cambridge Springs in 1904. The then World Champion Emanuel Lasker played with the White pieces and William Ewart Napier played with Black.

Lasker, Emanuel - Napier, William Ewart [B72]

P.S.
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See you next month.

Ken

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