In this Olympiad special of the Monthly Dragon, Chris Ward looks at five Dragon games from a wide range of rating levels and shows just how successful the opening was in Samarkand. The examples highlight typical Dragon themes such as pressure on the c file, the strength of the dark squared bishop, exchange sacrifices, tactical ideas around the queenside and the importance of knowing the right plans once the opening theory ends. Chris also examines several instructive mistakes, showing how quickly a position can collapse when White loses track of key Dragon motifs. | Photo: John Upham