The difference between the Dragon Variation and the many other systems in the Sicilian Defence is above all the active posting of the black king’s bishop on g7. After that, the direction in which the play will develop depends to a great extent on whether White decides to castle on the kingside or on the queenside.
The most important system with kingside castling is the Classical System. It represented the dominating setup until it had to give up that place to the Yugoslav Attack. White is planning Be3 and Be2, 0-0, plays Nb3, to prevent ...d6-d5 and then becomes active in the centre with f2-f4. Black quite logically completes his development with ...Bg7, ...Nc6, ...0-0, plays ...Be6 when the Nd4 moves away and initiates play on the queenside with ...Rc8, ...Na5-c4.
The Yugoslav Attack is sharper. In it White tries to get to grips with the black monarch as quickly as possible. Basically, his plan is simple: the standard setup involves Be3, f3 (protecting e4 and securing against Ng4), Qd2, 0-0-0, opening the h-file by means of h4-h5(xg6) and exchanging off the Dragon bishop with Be3-h6. Black will start a counter-attack on the queenside, with an important part being played above all by the c-file and a possible exchange sacrifice ...Rxc3.
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