The Sicilian Najdorf - Summary

 Christer Sundqvist: New ideas in Sicilian Najdorf

This is a summary of a massive analysis package that includes the Najdorf Variation of the Sicilian Defence. I'd like to demonstrate a typical line of play in order to pique your interest in this rapidly evolving chess opening.

With a small investment from your side (only 50 euros), I can send the entire package (7 PGN files) to your e-mail address. I also provide you with regular updates at no additional cost. I use PayPal, MobilePay, and standard IBAN bank transfers. Please tell me how you want to pay for the chess opening package. My email is turpaduunari@outlook.com.

If you believe my request for money is unethical or greedy, I am willing to consider alternative options (exchange of valuable ideas or other forms of cooperation).

I have used these resources:

• Batsford's Modern Chess Openings (15th edition) = MCO

• Chess Cloud Database Query Mode (https://www.chessdb.cn/queryc_en/) = CCD

• Chess Informant 151, 152, 153

• Chessbase software

• Anish Giri. Chessable Lifetime Repertoires: Najdorf Sicilian, 2024

• ICCF Games Archive (https://www.iccf.com/message?message=454 ) 1961–2025

• Opening Master Chess Database (https://www.openingmaster.com/)

• Milos Pavlovic. The Modernized Najdorf. Thinkers Publishing, 2018

• Personal chess database (approx. 90 million games)

• Stockfish 17 chess engine

• Sundqvist, Christer. The Sicilian Najdorf played by a strong correspondence chess player 2019-2025

• David Vigorito. Playing the Najdorf: A Practical Repertoire. Quality Chess, 2019

• The Week in Chess (https://theweekinchess.com/twic ) 1994–2025.

A huge analysis package

As the Sicilian Najdorf analysis package is huge, I had to split the package into 7 different files. In this way your chess computer program is able to handle the material quite easily. If you so wish, you can always merge all the files together.

The files are:

#1. 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 (FREE PGN-file for download)

#2. 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be2

#3. 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bc4

#4. 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.f3

#5. 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.h3

#6. 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.other

#7. 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 [Developing the knight is possible because there is a pawn on d6.]

5.Nc3 a6

This move defines the Najdorf. Black wants to push e5 and Bb5+ is no longer an issue.

6.Bg5 [This move 6.Bg5 is covered in the database #1. It is a very popular move in the Sicilian Najdorf. I have made attempts to include mostly fresh games (2024–2025) into my database. Expect to see many new ideas. (Sundqvist). Theory goes very deep and it is increasingly hard to find new undiscovered ideas. Yet, every now and then they do pop up. The arising positions are razor-sharp and dangerous for both sides. A draw in the end is the usual result if both sides know their stuff. By many experts 6.Bg5 is considered to be White’s sharpest option against the Najdorf, and with good reason. Over decades it has brought White huge success and Black a lot of struggle. Simplicity is often a key play in chess and this line definitely represents such chess. White develops in a most aggressive way with the obvious intention of castling on the queenside. Black has many ways to confront this plan. Highly interesting and sharp play is ahead of us, with lots of long variations, forced draws and sacrifices.]

6.Be2 is covered in the database #2

6.Bc4 is covered in the database #3

6.f3 is covered in the database #4

6.h3 is covered in the database #5

6.Be3 is covered in the database #7

6.Rg1 and other moves are covered in the database #6

6...e6 [This is the main move. In recent years there has been a lot of interest in 6...Nbd7!?, but that’s another story.]

[6...Nbd7 This is a very trendy system, that was considered to be a too easy for White, but by now the theory has grown so much here, that it is no longer so fresh and exciting as it once used to be.

A) 7.f4 The most common move by White followed by 7.Bc4 and 7.Qe2. Let me show one line of play after 7.f4: 7...Qb6 Poisoned Pawn ideas are still around and it sure is different when Nbd7 is included! 8.Qd2 Qxb2 9.Rb1 Qa3 10.Bc4 (10.Bxf6 this good old correspondence chess move is still preferable 10...Nxf6 11.e5 dxe5 12.fxe5 Ng4 13.Nd5 Qc5 14.Nb3 Qc6 15.Na5 Qd7 16.Nc4 e6 17.Nd6+ Bxd6 18.Nb6 Qc6 19.exd6 Rb8 ½–½ (38) Blank,W (2493)-Siikaluoma,A (2491) ICCF email 2008) 10...Qc5 11.Bb3 b5 12.Qd3 Bb7 13.Bh4 Rc8 14.Nd5 Nxd5 15.exd5 Bxd5 16.Bf2 Bxb3 17.axb3 g6 18.0–0 Qc7 19.f5 Bg7 1–0 (41) Mecit,E (2007)-Evenshaug,A (2229) chess.com INT 2025;

B) 7.Bc4 Grischuk, Duda, Erigaisi etc. have played this move. Can't be wrong. 7...Qb6 8.Bb3 White wants to avoid the Poisoned Pawn variation. 8...e6 9.Qd2 Be7 10.0–0–0 Nc5 11.f3 Qc7 12.Kb1 b5 13.a3 Rb8 Firouza, Giri 14.g4 0–0 15.h4 Re8 16.h5 h6 17.Bh4 Nh7 18.Bxe7 Rxe7 19.f4 Bb7 20.Rde1 Nf6 21.g5 Nfxe4 22.Nxe4 Bxe4 23.Rhg1 hxg5 24.Rxg5 d5 ½–½ (41) Grischuk,A (2667)-Firouzja,A (2766) London 2025;

C) 7.Qe2 This is also a pretty popular move. Here is a typical line of play: 7...h6 Probably the best move. 8.Bh4 g6! 9.f4! e5 10.fxe5 This is the main line. 10...dxe5 11.0–0–0! Navara 11...Qc7 12.Nb3!? b5 13.Rxd7!? Nxd7 14.Nd5 Qb8 15.Na5 Bb7 CCD 0 16.Nf6+ Nxf6 17.Bxf6 Bb4 18.Nxb7 0–0 19.a3 Qxb7 20.axb4 Rfe8 21.Qf3 a5 22.Bd3 axb4 23.Kd2 b3 24.Qh3 Qb6 0–1 (37) Yip,C (2408)-Dominguez Perez,L (2741) Saint Louis 2025]

7.f4 [7.Qf3

This slightly awkward looking move, placing the queen in front of the f2 pawn before pushing f2–f4, is not too bad and it has been used by Nepomniachtchi, Praggnanandhaa, Caruana, Vidit etc. The idea is to castle long as quickly as possible and progress with active piece play without f2–f4. 7...h6 Carlsen, Saric, Shankland So, Sarana... (7...Nbd7!? Now that the Queen has already committed itself to f3, there is no need to start with Be7. Apparently 7...Be7 is played before developing the b8–knight. From White’s perspective, one of the advantages of delaying f2–f4 is that the Queen can exert pressure against the d6–pawn from g3, which means that ...b5 can often be met by Bxb5 followed by Ndxb5 and Nxd6†, trading a piece for three pawns. Thus, by delaying ...Be7, Black has the potential to save a tempo, as the bishop will have to exchange itself for the knight when it lands on d6. 8.0–0–0 Qc7 This move is always essential when Black prepares b7–b5. 9.Qg3 Is a possible idea, keeping the bishop on f1 for now, intending to sacrifice it on b5 in one go! 9...b5 Black has tried several other moves, but this active move is OK. 10.Bxb5 A thematic blow in Sicilians. Sometimes it is crushing, sometimes it is incorrect and sometimes, like here, it leads to a messy, yet balanced position. White has nothing better since ...b4 was threatened, and 10.a3 Rb8! only helps to develop Black’s play. 10...axb5 11.Ndxb5 Qb7 Maybe the best square for the queen in this particular position. We are heading a very tactical and concrete position, so we should trust the engine’s preference. 12.Rxd6 Rxa2 13.Nc7+ A strong tactic, maintaining the balance for White. 13...Kd8 The only move, as taking the Knight with 13…Qxc7 falls into the 14.Rxe6+! Kd8 15.Re8+! tactic. 14.Nxe6+ The knight, which was anyway doomed, gives itself for a pawn. 14...fxe6 15.Nxa2 Bxd6 16.Qxd6 Qxe4 Black grabs as much material as he can and now White has enough compensation for the piece, but only to maintain equality. 17.Bxf6+ gxf6 18.Nb4 Ke8 Moving away from Nc6+ followed by Qe7 checkmate. 19.Nc6 Kf7 The king has to run away from the checkmate, but once he does, he is fine. 20.Rd1 Re8 21.Qc7 Kg8 22.b4 Kh8 23.b5 Qxg2 24.b6 ½–½ (24) Potrata,J (2367)-Kim,V (2366) ICCF 2024; 7...Be7 A calm variation. Played by Carlsen, Sindarov, MVL, Maghsoodloo etc. 8.0–0–0 Qc7 9.a3 Nbd7 10.g4 b5 11.Bd2 Bb7 12.g5 Ne5 13.Qg2 Nfd7 14.f4 Nc4 15.Bxc4 Qxc4 16.Nb3 Qc7 17.h4 Nc5 18.Kb1 0–0–0 19.h5 Kb8 1–0 (37) Svane,F (2667)-Povshednyi,I (2309) chess.com INT 2025) 8.Bh4 Be7 9.0–0–0 Qc7 We are at a crossroads. White has a few options here, all leading to sharp play. 10.Qe2 b5 11.a4 bxa4 12.Nxa4 Bd7 13.Nc3 Nc6 14.Nxc6 Bxc6 15.f3 0–0 16.Bf2 Rfb8 17.Qd3 a5 18.Nb1 a4 19.Qc3 Qb7 20.Na3 Bxe4 21.fxe4 Nxe4 0–1 (21) Albuquerque,M (1711)-Fuzishawa,R (2388) ICCF 2025;

7.f3 This has been played by Magnus Carlsen at least three times and several other strong players. The idea is that White is setting up the English Attack against the Scheveningen pawn structure. 7...Be7 There are many setups and move orders here. Anish Giri recommends in one of his Chessable courses b5 first and keeps the knight on b8 flexible. 8.Qd2 b5 9.0–0–0 Here Black can go for 9…Bb7 , going for the Nbd7 setup, but he can also use the fact that White has delayed a2–a3 and push b4 quickly. 9...h6 Before pushing b4 and e5 we need to send the bishop back to e3. (Giri) 10.Be3 If the bishop had gone to h4, it would be much harder for White to push his kingside pawns with g4–h4 and Black would just develop with Bb7 Nbd7 Rc8 and so on. 10...b4 11.Na4 Qa5 White can sac a piece here in two different ways, both of which only offer him equality. 12.b3 Bd7 13.Nf5 A brilliant looking sacrifice, only to force a desperate move repetition. 13...exf5 14.Bb6 Qe5 15.Bd4 Qa5 16.Bb6 Qe5 17.Bd4 Qa5 ½–½ (17) Glaser,K (2374)-Ansel,A (2374) ICCF 2025 The Queen is not trapped, but the move repetition is not to be avoided. Of course Black could have deviated earlier in a million ways, the setup with 6. Bg5 and f3 allows Black a lot of freedom, in particular, 9… Bb7 is a good alternative.]

7...Be7 [The most flexible move as the feared 8.Qe2 can now be met by the 8…h6 9.Bh4 Nxe4! 10.Bxe7 Nxc3 tactic. Bobby Fischer played this line before moving over to the Poisoned Pawn.]

[7...Qb6

The Poisoned Pawn variation! 8.Qd2 Qxb2 9.Rb1 Qa3 10.e5 dxe5 11.fxe5 Nfd7 12.Ne4 h6 13.Bh4 Qxa2 14.Rd1! The start of a new plan (new in the sense of the last 20 years) that completely changed the look of the Poisoned Pawn line. For a long time White had not been able to make a serious breakthrough, until this completely new plan saw daylight. As far as Pavlovic knows the idea belongs to the very talented French GM Nataf, with whom he did a lot of interesting work over a long period of time. 14...Qd5 15.Qe3 Qxe5 16.Be2 Bc5 with chances for both sides in this sharp position. 17.Bg3 Qd5 18.c4 Bxd4 19.Rxd4 Qa5+ 20.Rd2 0–0 21.Bd6 Rd8 22.g4 Nf6 23.Nxf6+ gxf6 24.0–0 Rxd6 25.Rxd6 Nd7 26.Rfd1 Kg7 27.Kf2 Qe5 28.Rxd7 Qxh2+ 29.Kf3 Qh3+ ½–½ (38) Ozen,B (2220)-Sundqvist,C (2221), correspondence chess, LSS 2023;

7...Nbd7 This is a huge variation, called the Gelfand variation. White has a few challenging lines, 8.Qf3 being the old mainline, but lately 8.Qe2 is considered to be the most testing. 8.Qe2 Qc7 9.0–0–0 b5 10.a3 Be7 11.Bxf6 Nxf6 12.g4 d5 13.exd5 Nxd5 14.Nxd5 exd5 15.Kb1 Qxf4 16.Bh3 Qd6 17.Rhe1 Ra7 18.Qe3 Qh6 19.Qxh6 gxh6 20.Nf5 Bxf5 21.gxf5 Kf8 22.Rxd5 Rg8 23.Ka2 Rg5 24.Red1 h5 25.Bf1 h6 26.Kb3 Rb7 27.Bd3 Kg7 ½–½ (27) Sengupta,A (2357)-Schmitt,D (2380) ICCF 2024;

7...h6 8.Bh4 Qb6 Pavlovic calls this the Modernized Poisoned Pawn line, although it’s not a new line. It has been around for a long time actually, but just in the last few years many new ideas have appeared and now it’s probably one of the best lines against the direct 6.Bg5 system. 9.a3!? Who would have thought that this little move would become probably White’s best bet in trying to get any kind of advantage? It became very popular in the last few years, and it represents one of the main differences between the Modern Poisoned Pawn and the old one. 9...Be7 10.Bf2 Most popular and best. 10...Qc7 11.Qf3 Nbd7 12.0–0–0 b5 13.g4 Bb7 This represents best play, in Pavlovic's opinion. It is really early to draw any firm conclusions - after all, the line has not been investigated thoroughly. 14.h4 A critical line, in Pavlovic's opinion. 14...Nc5 15.Bd3 h5 This is an idea that looks entertaining and is a possible improvement over a Giri – Vachier Lagrave game from Palma 2017. 16.g5 Ng4 17.Rhg1 Probably a critical position. White wants to play Rxg4, and that happened in Giri – Vachier Lagrave 2017. In that game Black was under pressure so in his book Pavlovic had to come up with something new to speed up Black’s counterplay. 17...Qb6!? 18.Rxg4 hxg4 19.Qxg4 b4!? In Pavlovic's opinion the critical move. 20.axb4 Qxb4 21.h5 Rb8 22.f5 e5 23.Nf3 Bc6 24.Bxc5 dxc5 25.f6 gxf6 26.g6 fxg6 27.hxg6 1–0 (27) López García II,A (2015)-Besozzi,F (2124) ICCF 2024]

8.Qf3 [The standard setup.]

[8.e5

Is actually not a bad move. 8...dxe5 9.fxe5 There are a few ways to get a fine position here for Black. 9...Nd5 10.Bxe7 Nxe7 The alternative (Qxe7) is fine, but this seems easier. 11.Qg4 Ng6 12.0–0–0 Qe7 13.h4 0–0 14.Qg3 Qc5 15.Nf3 Nc6 16.Re1 Rd8 17.h5 Nge7 18.h6 Nf5 19.Qg5 Qe7 1–0 (47) Huschenbeth,N (2596)-Swara Lakshmi S Nair (2158) chess.com INT 2025; 8.Qe2 h6 As a direct issue for White, as 9.Bh4 runs into the thematic 9…Nxe4! 9.Bh4 Nxe4 Our usual cheapo. 10.Bxe7 Nxc3 11.Qc4 Kxe7 12.Qxc3 Black is a pawn up here and although the king is fine in the centre, it is also easy to tuck it back in. 12...Re8 13.0–0–0 Kf8 The king is safe here and Black is just enjoying an extra pawn. 14.g4 Kg8 15.Rg1 Qf6 16.Kb1 e5 17.g5 hxg5 18.fxg5 Qf2 19.Nf3 g6 1–0 (67) Montiel,A (1972)-Munoz Ramos,C (2180) Santiago CHI 2025]

8...Qc7 [We are going for a Qc7 + Nbd7 setup and it is important to start with this move now to avoid the 8…Nbd7?! 9.Bc4! option.]

[8...Nbd7 9.0–0–0 Qc7 10.g4 b5 11.Bxf6 Nxf6

this is the main line; 8...h6 9.Bh4 Qc7 10.0–0–0 Nbd7 11.Qg3

A) 11...g5!

This is the big idea which works well against certain set-ups.12.fxg5 Nh5 This looks best to me writes Vigorito in his book. (12...Rg8 13.Be2 hxg5 14.Bxg5 b5 15.a3 Ne5 16.h4 Nh7 17.Nf3 Nxg5 18.Nxe5 dxe5 19.hxg5 Bd7 ½–½ (48) Wafa,H (2368)-Sindarov,J (2677) Budapest HUN 2024) 13.Qe3 Qc5 This is necessary to regain the pawn, but the Queen will lose some time. 14.Kb1! 14.Qd2 is the main alternative, which usually leads to an endgame after: 14...Bxg5 15.Bxg5 Qxg5 16.Nf3 Qxd2† 17.Rxd2 17...Ke7 18.Be2 Nhf6 19.Rhd1 Ne8= Practice has shown that this is quite alright for Black. His position may look a bit passive but there is an upside too, as Black controls the e5–square and has the chance to play on either flank after a future ...b6 and ...Bb7 (which may be prefaced by ...Ra7–c7). 14...hxg5 15.Bf2 White lines up his bishop against the black queen. Even though the pawn has been regained and Black has the e5–square for his knight, White has chances to develop an initiative, as Black’s development is lagging and his king is still in the centre. This balance of initiative versus structure is typical in the Najdorf. 15...b5!? This is an aggressive try. 16.Qd2 Threatening a discovered attack against the queen. 16...Qc7 17.h4 g4 18.a3 Bb7 19.g3 Ne5 Black has finally managed to cement his knight on the fine e5–square. The position is strategically very complicated. The passed h4–pawn looks nice, but it is not going anywhere.;

B) 11...b5 12.Bxf6 Nxf6 13.e5 dxe5 14.fxe5 Nd7 15.Bxb5 axb5 16.Ndxb5 Qc5 17.Qxg7 Rf8 18.Kb1?! Bb7 19.Rhe1 0–0–0 20.a4 Kb8 21.g3 h5 22.Nd6 Qb4 23.a5 Nc5 24.Rf1 Ne4 25.Rd3 Rg8 0–1 (25) Berecz,G (2209)-Sundqvist,C (2241) ICCF 2020]

9.0–0–0 Nbd7 

Our setup is complete now. Now we are ready for a b5 push or h6, depending on what White does. The so-called three-piece system. Black has developed the Bishop, Queen, and a Knight and is ready for the standard Sicilian push b7–b5, now that e5 push can be met with Bb7! This used to be the mainline until some problems have started appearing and the focus shifted back to the poisoned-pawn variation. However, about a decade ago new ways started appearing here for Black: 10.g4 b5 11.Bxf6 Nxf6 12.g5 Nd7 13.f5 O-O! and this line remains playable ever since.

10.g4 [This is certainly White’s most dangerous option, although he has to know quite a bit of theory in order to play it.]

10...b5 

The traditional move works, as far as analyses go.

11.Bxf6 [White really should take on f6 and everyone who plays 6.Bg5 should know that.]

11...Nxf6 12.g5 Nd7 13.f5! [The whole point of this system. If White wastes a move, Black will have a very comfortable game. Here, the g5 pawn falls with a check, but it turns out that Black is then unable to defend from fxe6 as well as the nasty idea of Qh5. The old theoretical move was 13…Nc5. It was a huge theory, but as computers got stronger the position after 14.f6 gxf6 15.gxf6 turned out to be unplayable, due to the well-timed Nd5 type of sacrifices. Black also tried (and can still try! to equalize the position after 13…Bxg5 and then give up the e6 pawn. But it was when Black discovered that the dangerous-looking 13…O-O! is playable this line really got back in business.]

13...0–0 [

Castling straight into the attack looks insane at first, but in fact, it works out quite fine. The direct 14.f6 doesn’t kill as Black has fine control of the f6 square. The 14.fxe6 fxe6 15.Nxe6 Rxf3 complications don’t work out in White’s favour either. And if White plays a slower move like 14.h4 , 14.Rg1 or 14.Qh5 Black wants to push the knight away from c3 with b5–b4 and if the knight is to move to e2, Black wants to then push e5! hitting the other knight as well.]

14.Rg1 [Intending the f6 push. The only move that attempts to fight for some advantage, but Black also has to know how to respond to some other moves that can be tricky if unprepared, especially the move 14.Qh5! can be a killer, if Black doesn’t know it.]

14...b4 [Kicking the knight further away from the d5 square, before pushing e6–e5.]

15.Nce2 e5 16.f6 

The point of White’s play, changing the pawn structure drastically.

16...exd4 17.fxe7 Re8 [If Black can get developed quickly, he will generally be doing fine.]

18.Nxd4 Ne5 [A well known theoretical tabia. Here White has two critical options Qf4 and Qb3.]

19.Qf4 Qc5 20.Rg2 [Here Black can afford to take the time and prevent Nf5.]

20...g6 21.h4 Rxe7 22.Be2 Bb7 23.h5 Nd7 

Currently the e4 pawn is hanging and if need be the queen can shift over to e5. White is not in time to get play on the h-file.

24.Nb3 Qe5 25.Rf2 Qxf4+ 26.Rxf4 Nc5 27.Nxc5 dxc5 28.h6 Bxe4 29.Bxa6 Bf5 30.Bc4

30...Kf8 [½–½ (30) Glotz,D (2436)-Mason,I (2438) ICCF 2025]