Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Yugoslav Attack, Modern Line
The Yugoslav Modern Line arrives after 7...Nc6 8.Qd2 O-O 9.O-O-O, where White castles long without Bc4. Black now has the immediate ...d5 break, while White wants to answer with exchanges on d5 and c6 to keep an edge.
- Moves
- 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.Be3 Bg7 7.f3 Nc6 8.Qd2 O-O 9.O-O-O
- ECO
- B76
- Engine
- +0.68 · a slight edge for White (Stockfish 17.1, depth 20)
- Played
- 774 games in our lichess sample
- White scores
- 50.9%
Key ideas for both sides
White
- Meet ...d5 with exd5 Nxd5 Nxc6 bxc6 and Bd4, trading the dark bishops to weaken Black's king.
- Against ...h5, put the bishop on c4 and b3 and add Rhe1 to the center.
- After ...Nxd4 Bxd4 Be6, Kb1 secures the king before starting h4 or g4.
Black
- 9...d5 is the main answer. It opens the center before White's kingside storm gets going.
- After Bd4 Bxd4 Qxd4, use the open b-file with ...Rb8 and ...Qb6 against b2 and the c1 king.
- ...h5 slows down g4 and h4 plans, but costs time; follow with ...Bd7 and ...Rc8.
- Avoid ...Nxd4 here: the engine line gives White a clear edge after Kb1 and a3.
Plans and pawn structure
Without Bc4, White's d5 square is less controlled, so Black can play ...d5 at once. The main line trades on d5 and c6 and swaps the dark bishops, which gives an open game where Black's pawn on c6 needs care but the b-file opens for counterplay. If Black chooses ...h5 instead, White plays Bc4-b3 and centralizes rooks, keeping a slight edge. In all lines White's king on c1 needs Kb1 and protection of a2.
What the engine plays from here
Stockfish 17.1 at depth 20 rates the position +0.68: a slight edge for White. Its three top choices for Black:
- +0.68 9...d5 10.exd5 Nxd5 11.Nxc6 bxc6 12.Bd4
- +0.78 9...h5 10.Bc4 Bd7 11.Bb3 Rc8 12.Nxc6
- +1.15 9...Nxd4 10.Bxd4 Be6 11.Kb1 h5 12.Be2
Pawns, from White's side.
How it scores on lichess
774 rated lichess games reached this position; White scored 50.9%.
Light: White wins. Grey: draws. Dark: Black wins. About the sample.
How to play against it
With Black, play 9...d5 immediately and know the trades on d5 and c6 that follow. Do not drift with ...Nxd4, which hands White a stable edge after Kb1. Keep the queen ready for ...Qb6 or ...Qa5 ideas against the king on c1 and the pawn on b2.
Questions
What are the moves of the Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Yugoslav Attack, Modern Line?
The Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Yugoslav Attack, Modern Line starts 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.Be3 Bg7 7.f3 Nc6 8.Qd2 O-O 9.O-O-O. Its ECO code is B76.
Is the Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Yugoslav Attack, Modern Line good for White?
Stockfish 17.1 rates the position +0.68 at depth 20, which is a slight edge for White. In 774 lichess games from our sample, White scored 50.9%. A favorite for Dragon players who know the ...d5 lines well; White needs accurate knowledge of the trades.
What is the main idea of the Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Yugoslav Attack, Modern Line?
White castles long early without Bc4, and Black answers with the ...d5 break. The trades on d5 and c6 lead to open play where both kings face pressure.
What should Black play next?
The engine's first choice is d5, with h5 and Nxd4 close behind. 9...d5 opens the center before White's kingside attack gets going.
Related lines
Updated October 2026. Sources and method.