Questions tagged [najdorf]

The Sicilian Najdorf is a variation of the Sicilian defense. This defense is characterized by the moves 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6.

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A question about the Najdorf sicilian

I've started to learn the Najdorf and a two-part questions: people mostly emphasise central control with sicilian defence, is this true for najdorf as well or are we more focused on attacking ...
Cagnus Marlsen's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
282 views

Should I get into the Najdorf?

I'm a ~1500 rated player on Chess.com's scale (highest rating is 1420 or so, but rapidly growing so we'll say 1500). A few months ago I participated in an invitational tournament against another ...
InfiniteDonuts's user avatar
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1 answer
178 views

Was Julio Kaplan the first to play 8. f4 Qc7 9. g4 idea against 7. ... Be6 in classical Najdorf?

In old mainline of Be2 Najdorf black played 7. ... Be6 instead of, today practically automatic, 7. ... Be7. This is because 7. ... Be6 is today considered dubious due to this idea: [fen ""] [...
Matija Sirk's user avatar
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5 answers
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Why does Black get away with giving White so many free tempi in the Sicilian?

Every child learns that piece activity is the most important principle in chess, which is why we should develop quickly in the opening and avoid unnecessary pawn moves (and start with 1.e4 or 1.d4, ...
Hauptideal's user avatar
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"Inventor" of Najdorf Ng4 (Anti-English)

[Variant "From Position"] [FEN "rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR w - - 0 0"] [Title ""] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 Ng4!? What ...
Hauke Reddmann's user avatar
7 votes
4 answers
659 views

Knowing when to play Nc6 vs Nbd7 in the Najdorf Sicilian as black?

I've been studying the Najdorf Sicilian for some time, and I generally have a good idea of where to develop my pieces to. My light and dark square bishops typically end up on e6 and e7, respectively. ...
David Chopin's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
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Idea behind e-pawn sacrifice in Open Sicilian: Najdorf, Freak Attack (6. Rg1)?

There are 10 games in my database with this variation played on a high level and the White score is +6-2=2, almost always White is the elo-wise weaker player. The highest rated White player to employ ...
B.Swan's user avatar
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2 answers
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Help with the Sicilian Defence - I need to understand those early pawn moves

Why we often see many pawn moves in the Sicilian Defense? I would imagine that this harms the development of the black pieces. For instance, there is this line: [FEN ""] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 a6 ...
Marcelo Farias's user avatar
7 votes
6 answers
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Feeling cramped in the Najdorf

I played this game recently at a tournament, and lost pretty decisively. I thought about it a bit, and I think it's representative of something that happens somewhat often in my games when I play the ...
Derek Allums's user avatar
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Exchange sacrifice to dominate black squares in Najdorf

My question is a bit ambiguous and not that specific (it wouldn't be if I could remember more details): I'm looking for a Najdorf game played against Lazaro Bruzon (or against Lenier?) probably ...
user2891723's user avatar
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Why not Ng4 in Sicilian after Nf3?

After [FEN ""] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 e5 7. Nf3 (which is trendy at top level in 2017) I am wondering why Black doesn't play 7...Ng4. I only found a couple old ...
Ywapom's user avatar
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Is the Poisoned Pawn variation of the Najdorf (7... Qb6) considered some sort of refutation of 6.Bg5?

As title above, is the Poisoned Pawn variation of the Najdorf considered some sort of refutation of 6.Bg5, and the reason why 6.Bg5 is rarely seen at top level these days?
A. N. Other's user avatar
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What is the name of this Sicilian Variation?

What is the name of this variation: [FEN ""] 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 Nbd7
NotCarlsen's user avatar
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1 answer
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Is the 6.h4 Najdorf that bad?

I see that a few strong GMs are playing 6.h4 vs the Najdorf Sicilian. And I have also seen this move given a dubious (?!) value. Apart from its surprise value (always important in chess), I see it as ...
A. N. Other's user avatar
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Black's 6 move in open Sicilian

Is moving the Knight to c6 considered a stronger move than the Najdorf pawn to a6?
James Waldron's user avatar
6 votes
3 answers
792 views

Najdorf poisoned pawn with or without 7..h6 8 Bh4

In the Sicilian Najdorf poisoned pawn variation what is the difference between including the moves 7...h6 8 Bh4 (as many top players do) and not including them? [FEN ""] 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4....
user1583209's user avatar
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14 votes
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What is the idea behind playing 6.a3 in the Sicilian Najdorf?

What is the idea behind playing 6.a3 in the Sicilian Najdorf? [FEN ""] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. a3 This seems to be getting popular at the highest level (e.g. yesterday/...
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Sicilian Najdorf 6. Bg5 line

In the Najdorf can white play 7. Qd2 and plan later 0-0-0 for faster development? It looks very interesting. But we do not find such games with these move orders. Chess experts, please explain with ...
Club Player's user avatar
3 votes
2 answers
342 views

Najdorf threefold repition

In the Sicilian Najdorf there is a well known line which ends in threefold repition (if both players want). [Event "NN"] [ECO "B90"] [Opening "Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, English Attack, ...
user1583209's user avatar
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Tips for the Najdorf Sicilian?

So in the last 2 or 3 games I've played, I've used the Najdorf variation of the Sicilian. It's worked alright in the games, and I was wondering if you guys have any tips that I could use to improve my ...
Haris Mauler's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
662 views

Did Stein really ridicule Fischer for grabbing the poisoned pawn in the Najdorf Sicilian?

I remember reading somewhere that Leonid Stein (one of the top players at that time) has ridiculed Bobby Fischer for grabbing the poisoned pawn in the Najdorf Sicilian during the Spassky-Fischer match ...
MichalRyszardWojcik's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
269 views

What is wrong with taking the e4 pawn in the Najdorf Sicilian after 6.Bc4?

[FEN ""] [StartPly "18"] [Title "What is wrong with taking the pawn here?"] 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bc4 e6 7.Bb3 b5 8.O-O b4 9.Na4 Nxe4 I have known this position for 25 ...
MichalRyszardWojcik's user avatar
4 votes
2 answers
1k views

Why does 6.Bc4 prevent 6...e5 in the Sicilian Najdorf?

[FEN ""] [StartPly "12"] [Title "What is wrong with 6..e5?"] 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bc4 e5 Please do not reply that it weakens the d5 square and allows the white bishop to ...
MichalRyszardWojcik's user avatar
10 votes
1 answer
721 views

Why almost nobody plays ...6...b5 in the Lipnitsky Najdorf?

[FEN ""] 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bc4 After 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bc4 everybody plays 6... e6 and then ...b5. Is 6...b5 right now a mistake? I don't ...
A. N. Other's user avatar
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Why is taking the e4 Pawn considered risky here?

[FEN ""] 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bc4 e6 7.Bb3 b5 8.f4?! Almost nobody takes the e4 Pawn with 8...b4, and then N or B takes e4. Is there a clear refutation by White, or is it ...
A. N. Other's user avatar
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3 votes
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How do I go about learning the Najdorf Sicilian?

I want to play and learn the Najdorf Sicilian. I know that white has three main options: 6.Bg5 6.Be3 6.Bc4 But I don't know much more than that. Furthermore, I want to play the Open Sicilian as ...
R3dder's user avatar
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1 answer
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Current state of Polugayevsky/Najdorf

[FEN ""] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 e6 7. f4 b5 8.e5 dxe5 9. fxe5 Qc7 When I was actively playing, 250000 cigarettes ago, the Polugayevsky's fantastic idea of 7. ... ...
user58697's user avatar
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2 answers
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Is there a name for this attack against Sicilian defense?

Sometimes against Sicilian Najdorf (or french) defense I play like this: [FEN ""] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 e5 7. Nf5 Bxf5 8. exf5 d5 9. Bg5 d4 10. Ne4 Be7 My plan ...
Saeed Amiri's user avatar
11 votes
4 answers
5k views

Why does 6.Bg5 prevent 6...e5 in the Sicilian Najdorf?

In Gufeld's book, after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5!, [FEN ""] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5! he writes: "In this way White solves three ...
Gerard's user avatar
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2 answers
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Is the following Knight sac in the Sicilian Najdorf justified?

[FEN ""] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 e6 7. f4 Nbd7 8. Qf3 h6 9. Bxf6 Nxf6 10. O-O-O Qb6 11.e5 Nd7 12. Bc4 dxe5 13. Nxe6
tennis's user avatar
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3 votes
3 answers
847 views

Is it possible to play the Najdorf Defense if white played 1. d4?

After white plays 1. d4, is it still possible for black to play the Najdorf Defense? Is it possible, for Black to play in a way in order to reach a Najdorf setup? If so, how should Black continue?
Lynob's user avatar
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12 votes
3 answers
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Najdorf Variation: strategy after taking poisoned pawn?

After [FEN ""] 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 e6 7. f4 Qb6 8. Qd2 Qxb2 9. Rb1 Qa3 10. e5 dxe5 11. fxe5 what are black's main strategic goals? As this is supposed to be ...
Max's user avatar
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6 votes
2 answers
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Sicilian Scheveningen versus Najdorf: What are some of the characteristics that differentiate the two openings?

I would like to compare the Sicilian Scheveningen [FEN ""] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e6 with the Sicilian Najdorf [FEN ""] 1.e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 ...
Robert Kaucher's user avatar