Sicilian Defence, Najdorf Variation

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This article uses algebraic notation to describe chess moves.

The Najdorf Variation of the Sicilian Defense is one of the most complex and respected of all chess openings. It is one of Black's most popular responses to 1.e4. The opening is named after the Argentinian Grandmaster Miguel Najdorf, who was born in Poland 1910.

It begins thus:

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6

Black's fifth move, ...a6, aims to deny White the b5 square for his knights and light-colored bishop while maintaining maximum flexibility against White's attack.

Black's plan is usually to start a minority pawn attack on the queenside and put pressure on White's e4 pawn. Often this can be done through playing ...b5, ...Bb7, and putting a knight on c5. White also has to look out for exchange sacrifices by Black on c3 where White usually has a knight posted guarding the important e4 pawn. This exchange sacrifice is a recurring theme in the Sicilian Defence.

The oldest, sharpest response by White is an immediate 6.Bg5, generally countered by 6...e6, followed by 7.f4, hoping to exploit the pin on the knight. The simplest response by Black is 7...Be7, leading to quick castling by both sides. However, Black's most popular choice at the master level is 7...Qb6!?, leading to the extremely complicated Poisoned Pawn Variation (8. Qd2 Qxb2 9. Rb1 (or 9.Nb3) Qa3. Black is up a pawn but somewhat underdeveloped: however, his pieces can quickly become mobile and his position is not easy for White to break. Other well-known replies to 7.f4 include 7...Qc7, championed by Garry Kasparov and Boris Gelfand, 7...Nbd7, the risky 7...Nc6!?, and 7...b5, the ultra-sharp Polugaevsky Variation.

Because of the success of various players with these variations (notably Bobby Fischer and Kasparov), White often plays 6. Be2 and goes for a quieter, more positional game, whereupon Black has the option of transposing into a Scheveningen Variation by playing 6...e6 or opt to stay in the Najdorf by playing 6...e5. 6. Bc4 (the Sozin Variation), 6.g3, and 6. f4 are also respected responses to the Najdorf.

Since the early 1990s, the English Attack (6.Be3 followed by f2-f3, g2-g4, Qd2 and 0-0-0 in some order) has become extremely popular and has been intensively analysed, although 6...Ng4!? has cast somewhat a shadow on its use following Garry Kasparov's successful utilization of it.