--- title: "Dragon structure in chess" url: "https://georgelichess.com/glossary/dragon-structure.md" canonical_url: "https://georgelichess.com/glossary/dragon-structure" last_updated: "2026-11-07" type: "reference" summary: "The Sicilian setup where Black plays ...g6 and ...Bg7 with pawns on d6 and e7. The Black king usually castles kingside behind pawns on f7, g6 and h7." related: ["https://georgelichess.com/glossary/opposite-side-castling.md", "https://georgelichess.com/glossary/pawn-storm.md", "https://georgelichess.com/glossary/king-safety.md", "https://georgelichess.com/glossary/exchange-sacrifice.md", "https://georgelichess.com/glossary/dynamic-play.md", "https://georgelichess.com/glossary/najdorf-structure.md", "https://georgelichess.com/glossary/category/opening-concepts.md", "https://georgelichess.com/glossary.md"] --- # Dragon structure in chess > **For AI agents:** the complete index of GeorgeLiChess pages is [llms.txt](https://georgelichess.com/llms.txt). Every page is also served as markdown at its URL plus .md. The Sicilian setup where Black plays ...g6 and ...Bg7 with pawns on d6 and e7. The Black king usually castles kingside behind pawns on f7, g6 and h7. The Sicilian setup where Black plays ...g6 and ...Bg7 with pawns on d6 and e7, aiming the bishop down the long diagonal while White often castles queenside and attacks with h4-h5. Black's pawns stand on d6, e7, f7, g6 and h7, and the [bishop](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/bishop.md) on g7 is the star, aiming down the long [diagonal](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/diagonal.md) toward b2. The Black king usually castles kingside behind pawns on f7, g6 and h7. White's most dangerous plan is the Yugoslav Attack: Be3, f3, Qd2, O-O-O, then h4-h5 to rip open the h-file, with Bh6 to remove the key defender. This leads to [opposite-side castling](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/opposite-side-castling.md), where speed is everything. Black's [counterattack](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/counterattack.md) is on the queenside and the c-file. Typical moves are ...Rc8, ...Nxd4, ...Qa5, ...a5 and ...b5, and the classic [exchange sacrifice](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/exchange-sacrifice.md) on c3 to wreck White's king cover. Black also uses the long diagonal, so pieces on d4 and c3 are targets. The main errors are slow moves (each tempo counts) and misjudging the race. White should not play h4-h5 without the pieces ready, and Black must not wait. Practical tip: in these positions calculate concrete lines, because general plans without exact moves usually lose. ## Example position Black has the bishop on g7 and pawns on d6 and g6. White has castled long and Black will counterattack on the c-file. Position (FEN): `r2q1rk1/pp1bppbp/2np1np1/8/2BNP3/2N1BP2/PPPQ2PP/2KR3R b - -` A neighboring idea is [London system setup](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/london-system-setup.md). The London system setup is a White plan that brings the dark-squared bishop to f4 before e3 can shut it in, then builds a sturdy triangle of pawns on c3, d4 and e3 that suits nearly any Black reply. A neighboring idea is [Najdorf structure](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/najdorf-structure.md). The Sicilian Najdorf pawn setup after ...a6 and ...e5, with Black pawns on a6, d6 and e5 against White's e4, which gives Black a firm grip on d4 but leaves a hole on d5 and a backward d6 pawn. Whether "Dragon structure" suits your repertoire depends on the games you play. A [first lesson](https://georgelichess.com/book/first-lesson.md) with George Li maps what you play today and what to build next. ## Related terms - [Opposite-side castling](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/opposite-side-castling.md) - [Pawn storm](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/pawn-storm.md) - [King safety](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/king-safety.md) - [Exchange sacrifice](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/exchange-sacrifice.md) - [Dynamic play](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/dynamic-play.md) - [Najdorf structure](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/najdorf-structure.md) ## Openings where it occurs - [Sicilian defense](https://georgelichess.com/chess-opening-statistics/sicilian-defense.md) ## Guides that go further - [Most popular chess openings and win rates](https://georgelichess.com/chess-opening-statistics.md): The most played openings, how often White wins, and how the numbers change with rating, computed from public games. - [How to choose a chess coach](https://georgelichess.com/how-to-choose-a-chess-coach.md): What to decide first, the questions to ask, what a first lesson should show and the red flags to avoid. - [The first lesson](https://georgelichess.com/book/first-lesson.md): A game review, a read on your level and a written study plan from George Li. [Book your first lesson](https://georgelichess.com/book.md) and George Li reviews your games and builds a study plan around them. Questions about lessons: write to hello@georgelichess.com. ## Related - [Opposite-side castling in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/opposite-side-castling.md) - [Pawn storm in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/pawn-storm.md) - [King safety in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/king-safety.md) - [Exchange sacrifice in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/exchange-sacrifice.md) - [Dynamic play in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/dynamic-play.md) - [Najdorf structure in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/najdorf-structure.md) - [Chess terms: Opening concepts](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/category/opening-concepts.md) - [Chess terms glossary: plain definitions](https://georgelichess.com/glossary.md)