1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 The dreaded Dragon... a Carlsson specialty. 6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3 O-O 8. Qd2

This has grown in popularity since the popular 8. Bc4 enters a long theoretical variation where black gets adequate play. The Bc4 also allows black a crucial tempo. For example, 8... Nc6 9. Qd2 Bd7 10. O-O-O Ne5 11. Bb3 Rc8 12. h4 (12. g4 Nc4 13. Bxc4 Rxc4 14. h4 Qa5 15. h5 Rfc8) 12... h5 13. Kb1 Nc4 14. Bxc4 Rxc4 15. Nde2 b5 8... Nc6 9. Bc4 9. g4!? was a move that gained some currency after black found improvement against the Bc4 line. However, this game transposes into main lines. 9... Bd7 10. O-O-O Rc8 11. Bb3 Ne5 12. Kb1!? This move gets the white king off the c-file and sidesteps tactical possibilities. 12. h4 h5 13. Bg5 Nc4 (13... Rc5 14. f4) 14. Bxc4 Rxc4 15. e5 12... Nc4 13. Bxc4 Rxc4 14. g4 14. h4 Qa5 15. h5 Nxh5 16. g4 Nf6 17. Nde2 (17. Bh6 Bxh6 18. Qxh6 Rxc3 19. bxc3 Rc8) 17... Rfc8 18. Bh6 Bh8 14... b5!? A common sacrifice in the Dragon to open lines toward the white king. If the pawn is taken the Dragon bishop will unleash its full power. 15. b3 15. Ndxb5 Qb8 16. Nd4 Rfc8 17. Ka1 Bxg4 18. fxg4 Nxe4 15. Ncxb5 Qb8 16. Na3 Rc7 17. h4 Bxg4 (17... Rfc8) 18. fxg4 Nxe4 15... b4!?

This speculative move has been played several times, but not at top level. 16. Nce2 16. bxc4 bxc3 17. Qxc3 Qc7 (17... Qb6+ 18. Nb3! (18. Ka1 is a move that appears bad even without calculating any variations. The king is totally hemmed in and is on the same line of fire as the Dragon bishop. Two white pieces are pinned and black's rook will come into play.) (18. Kc1 Qa6 19. g5 (19. h4 is obviously too slow.) 19... Nh5 and black will get counterplay after 20... Rc8) 18... Nxe4 19. Qxg7+ Kxg7 20. Bxb6 Nc3+ 21. Ka1 axb6) 18. g5 Nh5 19. Kc1 Rc8 20. Qd3 Be5 21. h4 Nf4 22. Bxf4 Bxf4+ 23. Kb2 Be5 24. c3 Qa5 25. Rb1 Qa4 26. Ka1 a5 27. Rb3 Kg7 28. Kb2 Rxc4 29. Ra3 Rxd4 30. cxd4 Bxd4+ 31. Kb1 Qb4+ 32. Rb3 Qa4 33. Rb7 Be5 34. Rc1 Be6 35. Rc2 d5 36. Rb5 dxe4 37. fxe4 Bd4 38. a3 h5 39. Rb4 axb4 40. Qxd4+ Kh7 41. Qxb4 Qa6 42. Kb2 Qd3 43. a4 Qg3 44. a5 Qe5+ 45. Kb1 Bg4 46. Rc5 Qd6 47. Rc4 Qd3+ 48. Kb2 Be2 49. Rd4 Qe3 50. Rd8 Ba6 51. Qc3 1-0 Socko,B-Stocek,J/Germany 2006 (51) 16... Rc7 Looking at this position, we find that white's attack has not yet started, but black has all the Dragon benefits... nice open diagonal for Dragon bishop, half-open c-file, weakened enemy camp. 17. Ng3 Carlsson apparently was familiar with the following game... 17. g5 Ne8 18. Ng3 Rc3 19. h4 Qa5 20. h5 Nc7 21. hxg6 hxg6 22. Qh2 Rc8 23. Qh7+ Kf8 24. Ndf5 Bxf5 25. Bd4 Bxd4 26. Rxd4 Ke8 27. Nxf5 gxf5 28. g6 Kd7 29. g7 Rxc2 30. Kxc2 Qxa2+ 31. Kd3 Ne6 32. Rc4 Qxb3+ 33. Kd2 Rxc4 0-1 Meszaros,M-Hagarova,Z/Banska Stiavnica 2007 (33) 17... Rc3!? 18. Bh6 This move gives black a strong initative. Obviously these are the type of plans if the h-file was open, but here white will certainly have problems mounting an attack. 18... Bxh6 19. Qxh6 e5 20. g5 Ng4?! 20... exd4 21. gxf6 Qxf6 21. fxg4 exd4 22. Rxd4 Qa5 23. Rd5 Qa3 24. Rc1 24. Nf5 gxf5 25. gxf5 Bxf5! 26. Rxf5 (26. exf5 Rxc2!) 26... Rxc2! 24. Rxd6 and again 24... Rxc2! 24... Rc6 25. Rd2 Be6 25... Rfc8 26. Nf5 Desparation. 26... gxf5 27. gxf5

27... Bxb3! It's over. 28. axb3 Ra6 29. c3 bxc3 30. Rxc3 Qa1+ 31. Kc2 Ra2+ 32. Kd3 Perhaps the only reason Negi is playing this out is because of Carlsson's chronic time trouble. 32... Qf1+ 33. Ke3 Qe1+ 34. Kf3 Qxd2 35. f6 Qxc3+ 36. Kf4 Rf2+ 0-1 [Shabazz D.]