Dragon Yugoslav 12...Qe8N

[Nordlandia]

[d]2r1qrk1/pp1bppbp/3p1np1/4n3/3NP3/1BN1BP2/PPPQ2PP/1K1R3R w - - 0 13

Played +/- 10 times according Chessbase Database, moreover all games won by white.

[pgn][Event "LENOVO-PC-2, (120m+60s)/40+(60m+60s)/20"]
[Site "LENOVO-PC-2"]
[Date "2016.01.26"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Stockfish 210216 64 POPCNT"]
[Black "Komodo 9.3 64-bit"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B78"]
[Annotator "0.87;0.45"]
[PlyCount "111"]
[EventDate "2016.??.??"]
[TimeControl "40/7200+60:20/3600+60:1800+60"]

{Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-5200U CPU @ 2.20GHz 2194 MHz W=36.1 plies; 3,101kN/s; 91,
686,354 TBAs B=30.5 plies; 2,983kN/s; 111,283,334 TBAs} 1. e4 {Both last book
move} c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3 O-O 8. Qd2
Nc6 9. Bc4 Bd7 10. O-O-O Rc8 11. Bb3 Ne5 12. Kb1 Qe8 {0.45/29 602} 13. h4 {
0.87/29 207 (g4)} h5 {0.66/29 315} 14. Bh6 {0.82/32 470} Rc5 {0.68/30 451} (
14... a5 15. Bxg7 Kxg7 {0.76/25 Stockfish 290116 64 BMI2}) 15. g4 {1.06/33 734
(Bxg7)} (15. Bxg7 {0.59/21 Houdini 4 x64A}) 15... hxg4 {0.77/29 295} (15...
hxg4 16. h5 Nxh5 {0.80/25 Komodo 9.3 64-bit}) 16. h5 {1.06/34 269} (16. h5 Nxh5
17. Rdg1 {1.01/27 Stockfish 7 64}) 16... Nxh5 {1.06/29 228} (16... Nxh5 17.
Rdg1 {0.91/27 Komodo 9.3 64-bit}) 17. Rdg1 {0.94/32 66} (17. Rdg1 {0.15/19
Deep Fritz 14}) 17... Kh7 {0.95/31 286} (17... a5 18. a4 Kh7 {0.78/21 Deep
Fritz 13}) 18. Bxg7 {1.00/34 212} (18. Bxg7 {0.96/29 Stockfish 7 64}) 18...
Kxg7 {0.95/29 83} (18... Kxg7 19. f4 Nc4 {0.99/29 Stockfish 5 64 SSE4.2}) 19.
f4 {0.84/31 92} (19. f4 {1.09/25 Komodo 9.02 64-bit}) 19... Nc4 {0.94/33 367}
20. Bxc4 {0.97/34 409} (20. Bxc4 Rxc4 21. f5 {1.17/28 Komodo 9.3 64-bit +
Powerbook 2016 + Full syzygy TB on SSD}) 20... Rxc4 {0.96/32 141} (20... Rxc4
21. f5 Rh8 {0.69/20 Deep Fritz 14 x64}) 21. f5 {1.28/30 57} (21. f5 Rh8 {
0.70/23 Houdini 4 x64A}) 21... Rh8 {1.12/29 209} (21... Rh8 22. Rxg4 e5 {
0.97/21 Fritz 13}) 22. Rxg4 {1.30/33 342} (22. Rxg4 e5 23. fxe6 {1.15/22 Deep
Fritz 13}) 22... e5 {1.18/30 303} 23. fxe6 {1.30/31 53} (23. fxe6 Bxe6 {
0.91/26 Komodo 9.1 64-bit}) 23... Bxe6 {1.25/29 160} (23... Bxe6 24. Rgg1 {
0.92/27 Komodo 9.3 64-bit+CBOE 2015+6 Syzygy SSD}) 24. Rgh4 {1.48/33 368} (24.
Rgg1 Rc5 {0.53/21 Houdini 1.5a w32 _15a_w32}) 24... Rc5 {1.18/30 326} (24... a6
25. Nce2 Bc8 {0.52/21 Deep Fritz 14}) 25. b4 {1.38/30 55} (25. b4 Re5 {0.76/20
Deep Fritz 14 x64}) 25... Re5 {1.19/31 365} (25... Re5 26. Nf3 Qe7 {1.24/24
Deep Fritz 13}) 26. Nf3 {1.48/33 516} (26. Nf3 Qc6 27. Nxe5 {1.41/29 Stockfish
5 64 SSE4.2}) 26... Qc6 {1.20/31 185 (Qd8)} (26... Qc6 27. Nxe5 dxe5 {1.15/26
Komodo 9.3 64-bit}) 27. Nxe5 {1.42/34 477} (27. Nxe5 dxe5 {1.20/24 Komodo 9.1
64-bit}) 27... dxe5 {1.27/30 255} (27... dxe5 28. Nd5 Qa6 {0.85/22 Komodo
TCECr 64-bit}) 28. Nd5 {1.62/28 71} (28. Nd5 {1.37/26 Stockfish 7 64 POPCNT})
28... Qd6 {1.46/30 814} (28... Qa6 29. Rg1 {1.35/24 Stockfish 7}) 29. c4 {
1.55/34 499} b6 {1.49/28 374 (Qc6)} (29... Bxd5 30. exd5 {1.34/25 Stockfish
070216 64 POPCNT}) 30. Ka1 {1.79/32 497} (30. R4h2 {1.08/19 Deep Fritz 14})
30... Bxd5 {1.67/29 487 (f6)} 31. cxd5 {1.95/33 298 (exd5)} (31. cxd5 a5 32.
bxa5 {1.60/28 Komodo 9.3 64-bit}) 31... a5 {1.72/29 119 (b5)} (31... a5 {
1.71/29 Stockfish 7 64}) 32. bxa5 {2.12/33 369} (32. bxa5 bxa5 33. Qxa5 {
1.68/21 Fritz 13}) 32... bxa5 {1.67/29 162} (32... bxa5 33. Qxa5 Rc8 {1.91/24
Stockfish 290116 64 BMI2}) 33. Qxa5 {2.06/32 58} (33. R4h3 Qb4 {1.81/28
Stockfish 6 64}) 33... Rc8 {1.80/30 182} (33... Rb8 34. Rc1 {1.69/28 Komodo 9.
3 64-bit}) 34. Qd2 {2.11/36 441} (34. Qd2 {2.07/27 Stockfish 7 64}) 34... Qc5 {
1.83/32 436 (Rc4)} (34... Qc5 {1.55/21 Deep Fritz 14 x64}) 35. Rd1 {2.27/37 872
} (35. Rd1 Nf4 36. Rhh1 {1.80/29 Komodo 9.3 64-bit}) 35... Nf4 {1.98/33 603} (
35... Nf4 36. Rhh1 Rb8 {1.89/30 Stockfish 5 64 SSE4.2}) 36. Rhh1 {2.27/37 98} (
36. Qh2 Nd3 {1.37/21 Deep Fritz 14}) 36... Rb8 {2.00/32 261} (36... Qa3 {
2.00/33 stockfish 6 64 -6-64}) 37. Qc1 {2.27/37 231} (37. Rb1 Ra8 38. Rhc1 {
2.01/17 Deep Rybka 4 w32}) 37... Qb4 {2.03/31 156} (37... Qxc1+ 38. Rxc1 Rd8 {
1.97/22 Fritz 13}) 38. Qc2 {2.27/35 146} (38. Qc2 Ra8 39. Rh2 {2.31/27
Stockfish 210216 64 BMI2}) 38... Qa3 {2.06/33 356 (Rd8)} 39. Rb1 {2.45/35 344}
Ra8 {2.23/34 507} (39... Ra8 40. Rh2 Qe3 {1.56/20 Fritz 11 SE}) 40. Rhd1 {
2.67/37 1346 (Rb3)} (40. Rb7 Qf3 41. Rhb1 {1.95/22 Deep Fritz 14 x64}) 40...
Qe3 {2.23/31 186} (40... Nh5 {2.22/28 Stockfish 7 64}) 41. Rb3 {3.17/33 157} (
41. Rb3 {2.67/23 Deep Fritz 14 x64}) 41... Qe2 {2.83/29 203} (41... Qe2 42.
Qxe2 {2.50/23 Deep Fritz 14 x64}) 42. Qxe2 {3.33/31 77} (42. Qxe2 Nxe2 43. Kb2
{2.35/32 Stockfish 5 64 SSE4.2}) 42... Nxe2 {3.06/28 87} (42... Nxe2 43. Kb2 {
2.33/27 Komodo 9.02 64-bit}) 43. Kb2 {3.49/32 136} (43. Kb2 f5 44. Rb7+ {
2.53/32 Stockfish 5 64 SSE4.2}) 43... g5 {3.45/32 619 (f5)} (43... Ra7 44. Rd2
Nd4 {2.74/22 Fritz 15}) 44. d6 {4.27/31 204} (44. d6 {3.09/25 Komodo 9.1 64-bit
}) 44... Nd4 {3.80/30 192 (Kf8)} (44... Nd4 45. Rb7 Ne6 {4.05/31 Stockfish 5 64
}) 45. Rb7 {4.74/30 146} g4 {4.14/31 245} (45... Ne6 46. d7 g4 {3.43/21 Deep
Fritz 14 x64}) 46. d7 {5.41/33 142} (46. d7 {3.41/23 Deep Fritz 14 x64}) 46...
Ne6 {4.76/32 204 (g3)} 47. a4 {5.80/33 166} (47. a4 g3 48. a5 {4.10/24 Fritz 13
}) 47... g3 {4.83/34 197} (47... g3 48. a5 Kf6 {4.01/23 Deep Fritz 13}) 48. Rb3
{5.98/33 58 (a5)} (48. Rb3 g2 49. Rg3+ {4.94/32 Komodo 9.3 64-bit + Powerbook
2016 + Full syzygy TB on SSD}) 48... g2 {5.17/31 299 (Kf8)} (48... g2 49. Rg3+
Kf6 {5.21/30 Stockfish 4 64}) 49. Rg3+ {7.84/32 371} (49. Rg3+ Kf6 50. Rxg2 {
4.50/23 Deep Fritz 14 x64}) 49... Kf8 {5.65/34 285 (Kf6)} (49... Kf8 50. Ka3 {
3.50/31 Komodo 9.3 64-bit}) 50. Rxg2 {10.11/34 518 (a5)} (50. Rxg2 Rxa4 51.
d8=Q+ {4.90/27 Deep Fritz 13}) 50... Rxa4 {6.17/33 226 (Rb8+)} (50... Rxa4 51.
d8=Q+ {5.16/33 Komodo 9.3 64-bit}) 51. d8=Q+ {123.38/49 180 (d8R+)} (51. d8=Q+
{7.15/31 Komodo 9.1 64-bit}) 51... Nxd8 {0.01/5 0} (51... Nxd8 52. Rxd8+ {
5.31/31 Stockfish 7 64}) 52. Rxd8+ {123.40/52 137} (52. Rxd8+ Ke7 53. Rgd2 {
5.68/35 Stockfish 6 64}) 52... Ke7 {0.01/5 0} (52... Ke7 53. Rgd2 Rxe4 {
5.25/36 Stockfish 7 64}) 53. Rb8 {123.41/55 264 (Rdd2)} (53. Rb8 Rxe4 54. Rf2 {
5.47/23 Deep Fritz 14}) 53... Rd4 {250.00/43 105 (Ra7)} (53... Rxe4 54. Rf2 Re3
{-5.05/23 Fritz 13}) 54. Rb7+ {123.43/56 408 (Kc3)} Ke6 {250.00/45 90} (54...
Ke6 55. Rb6+ Ke7 {5.61/24 Houdini 1.5a w32 _15a_w32}) 55. Rf2 {123.44/59 55
(Kc3)} (55. Rb6+ {4.95/31 Komodo 9.1 32-bit}) 55... Rxe4 {250.00/47 102} (55...
Rxe4 56. Rfxf7 Re2+ {123.43/30 Stockfish 5 64 SSE4.2}) 56. Rbxf7 {123.44/68
160 (Rb6+)} (56. Kc3 Re1 57. Rfxf7 {5.06/24 Houdini 4 Pro x64 _4_Pro_x64A-v1x})
1-0
[/pgn]

[Terry McCracken]

I think Qe8!? is too passive for the Dragon. White, in this computer game, appeared to have an easy time of it.

Who is using it? Or, is this a common line in computer games?

[Dann Corbit]

[d]2r1qrk1/pp1bppbp/3p1np1/4n3/3NP3/1BN1BP2/PPPQ2PP/1K1R3R w - - acd 39; acs 4140; bm h4; c3 "h4"; cce 444; ce 76; pm h4; pv h4 h5 Bh6 a5 Bxg7 Kxg7 a4 Rc5 Rhe1 b6 f4 Neg4 Nf3 Bc6 Qd4 Qd7 Ng5 Kg8 Re2 Kg7 Qd2 Qc8 Ree1 Qe8 Qd4 Qd7 Re2 Kg8 Qd2 Kg7 Nf3 Qc7 Ree1 Qc8 e5 dxe5 fxe5 Ng8 Ng5 Nxe5 Qf4; white_wins 5; black_wins 0; draws 0;

[d]2rq1rk1/pp1bppbp/3p1np1/4n3/3NP3/1BN1BP2/PPPQ2PP/1K1R3R b - - acd 34; acs 989; bm Re8; c3 "Qe8"; cce -114; ce -34; pm Re8 {520} Nc4 {445} a6 {141} a5 {95} h5 {36} Qa5 {20} b5 {10} Qe8 {5} Kh8 {2} Qc7 {1} Rxc3 {1} b6 {1}; pv Re8 h3 Qc7 Bh6 Bh8 h4 Nc4 Qd3 a6 Bg5 Qc5 Bxf6 Bxf6 Nd5 Bxd4 Qxd4 Qxd4 Rxd4 Ne5 Nb6 Rcd8 h5 Be6 Nd5 Rc8 a4 b5 axb5 axb5 Rdd1 Kg7 h6+ Kg8 c3 g5 Kc2 f6; white_wins 686; black_wins 366; draws 198; Opening ECO:B78e; Sicilian: Dragon, Yugoslav, Main Line, 12.Kb1; 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.Be3 Bg7 7.f3 O-O 8.Qd2 Nc6 9.Bc4 Bd7 10.O-O-O Rc8 11.Bb3 Ne5 12.Kb1 *;

[d]2rq1rk1/pp1bppbp/2np1np1/8/2BNP3/2N1BP2/PPPQ2PP/2KR3R w - - acd 35; acs 1188; bm Bb3; c3 "Bb3"; cce 57; ce 35; pm Bb3 {1704} Nxc6 {132} Be2 {32} Bd3 {3} Kb1 {3} h4 {3} Bh6 {1} Qe2 {1}; pv Bb3 Nxd4 Bxd4 b5 a3 a5 Rhe1; white_wins 829; black_wins 595; draws 407; Opening Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation. Yugoslav Attack Sosonko Variation ; CaxtonID: 2087 ECO: B78;

[yurikvelo]

SF 2016.01.1622, Komodo 9.3

[Jack Lad]

What do you suggest instead? Carlsen likes to play a6 (the Dragondorf) and wiki suggests Re8 but neither of those look particularly good to me. At least Qe8 gives black some drawing chances.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sicilian_ ... ack,_9.Bc4

[AdminX]

[yurikvelo]

At least Qe8 gives black some drawing chances.

SF-dev eval for Qe8 is always >+0.7 and go to +0.98 at D=38..45

a6 is best move according to Komodo 9.3, but it fails-low in SF-Dev at D=38+