Don Chess

Learn the Sicilian Najdorf

The favourite defence of Fischer and Kasparov. The quiet 5…a6 prepares the counterattack – sharp, ambitious, played to win.

You play with Black. How you learn it with Don Chess: watch first, then play it with an arrow, then from memory – with spaced repetition until it sticks. Free, no sign-up.

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The main line

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e5 7.Nb3 Be6 8.f3 Be7 9.Qd2

B90 · Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, English Attack

The position after the main line

The moves explained

Why is each move played? The explanations come from the opening trainer – there you play the moves yourself afterwards.

1.e4 Occupies the centre with a pawn on e4.
1…c5 Fights for the centre from the side with the pawn on c5.
2.Nf3 Develops the knight to f3 – pieces out first, then attack.
2…d6 Supports the pawn on c5 – the centre stands firm.
3.d4 Attacks the pawn on c5 – the fight for the centre begins.
3…cxd4 Takes the pawn on d4.
4.Nxd4 Takes back on d4 – material is level again.
4…Nf6 Develops the knight to f6 – pieces out first, then attack.
5.Nc3 Develops the knight to c3 – pieces out first, then attack.
5…a6 Prevention: takes important squares away from the opponent's pieces.
6.Be3 Develops the bishop to e3 – pieces out first, then attack.
6…e5 Occupies the centre with a pawn on e5.
7.Nb3 The knight was attacked and goes to safety on b3.
7…Be6 Develops the bishop to e6 – pieces out first, then attack.
8.f3 Supports the pawn on e4 – the centre stands firm.
8…Be7 Develops the bishop to e7 – pieces out first, then attack.
9.Qd2 The queen comes to d2 and puts on pressure.

Idea and plans

The idea

With 5…a6 Black controls b5 and prepares …e5 or …e6 and the queenside push …b5. One of the sharpest and most flexible systems of all.

Plan for White

A quick kingside attack (Be3, f3, Qd2, g4, or Bg5 with f4), often with queenside castling.

Plan for Black

Queenside counterplay with …b5–b4, pressure on the c-file, and keeping an eye on the d5 square.

Tip

Tempo decides: whoever gets their attack in first usually wins.

The 12 lines in the course

Grey: the moves shared with the main line. Bold: the move where the line leaves it.

Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, English Attack B90Main line
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e5 7.Nb3 Be6 8.f3 Be7 9.Qd2
Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Main Line B99
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 e6 7.f4 Be7 8.Qf3 Qc7 9.O-O-O Nbd7
Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Opocensky Variation, Traditional Line B92
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be2 e5 7.Nb3 Be7 8.O-O O-O
Sicilian Defense: Sozin Attack, Flank Variation B87
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bc4 e6 7.Bb3 b5
Sicilian Defense: Moscow Variation, Main Line B52
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Bd7 4.Bxd7+ Qxd7 5.O-O Nc6 6.c3 Nf6
Sicilian Defense: Alapin Variation, Smith-Morra Declined B22
1.e4 c5 2.c3 Nf6 3.e5 Nd5 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nf3 Nc6
Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, English Attack, with f3 B90
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 6…e6 7.f3 b5 8.Qd2 Nbd7 9.g4
Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, English Attack, Anti-English B90
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 6…Ng4 7.Bg5 h6 8.Bh4 g5 9.Bg3 Bg7
Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Adams Attack B90
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.h3 e5 7.Nde2 h5 8.g3 Be7 9.Bg2
Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Amsterdam Variation B93
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.f4 e5 7.Nf3 Nbd7 8.a4 Be7 9.Bd3 O-O
Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Zagreb Variation B91
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.g3 e5 7.Nde2 Be7 8.Bg2 O-O 9.O-O b5
Sicilian Defense: Chekhover Variation B53
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Qxd4 Nc6 5.Bb5 Bd7 6.Bxc6 Bxc6 7.Nc3 Nf6 8.Bg5 e6 9.O-O-O Be7