The Dragon's exchange sacrifice is lesson 9 of 10 in Brilliant sacrifices 4: Sicilian and French fire, an opening course suited to players rated around 1800 (strong club players). Sicilian Dragon, Yugoslav Attack, B78. Black gives a rook for a knight to break White's king. It has 3 interactive exercises: 3 find-the-move puzzles. You play every move on a board and get feedback straight away. The lesson is free.
What this lesson explains
This is the Yugoslav Attack. White opened the h-file, but Black took on e4 with the knight. Now White's queen on e3 attacks it. Black has a typical Dragon idea. About 459 rated games on Lichess have reached this position.
Rxc3! The rook takes the knight. After bxc3, White's king has no pawn cover, and Black's knight comes back to f6.
After bxc3 and Nf6, Black has a pawn and a broken white king for the exchange. The engines call it about equal.
Recap.
In the Dragon, Rxc3 is a classic idea.
The exchange buys a pawn and a weak white king.
The Dragon bishop's diagonal opens again.
After bxc3, the knight goes back to f6.
What you practise
First play the line. You are Black: play the moves of the Dragon Sicilian, up to the moment of the sacrifice.
Your turn: find the sacrifice. You are Black. White's queen attacks your knight on e4. Do not retreat. Give the rook for the knight on c3.
White does not take the rook. White trades on g7 instead. But your rook on c3 now hits the queen on e3.
Worked examples
First play the line. You are Black: play the moves of the Dragon Sicilian, up to the moment of the sacrifice. Good. White answers Qe3. Now the position is ready for the sacrifice.
Your turn: find the sacrifice. You are Black. White's queen attacks your knight on e4. Do not retreat. Give the rook for the knight on c3. That is the Dragon exchange sacrifice. White's king on c1 has lost its pawn cover.
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