Najdorf Variation

Was watching a youtube video on the the Najdorf. I am wondering why he suggests at 21:50 to do e5 and kick the knight. On the surface this seemed good. What about Nf3? The knight is then in a better position and is threatening to exchange the knight for the bishop on g7. What is the weakness in doing Nf3? What am I missing? Of course white has a move to do before black can do this which will probably stop e5 next move.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfLYXrMoxT0

Your question is for a paid chess coach.

I remember asking these why questions of my mathematics teachers.  Their standard answer would be:  There is a theorem that you will learn about in college  and then you will understand why.  But, after learning those theorems there are still more why  questions.

 But, let me begin by telling you the video you selected is of poor quality.  Kasparov's Najdorf videos are of excellent quality but they are not free.

I know the answer to your question.  But it also is not free.  Even if it were free it would turn into a long disccussion with me explaining and answering questions.  Until finally you would be able to wrap your brain around the position and why? or why not? Nf3.

I have looked at your games.  For now concentrate on studying endgames.

Like mathematics, endgames are easier to study.  Openings are the most complicated  chess problems.  Don't  study calculus when you  barely  understand  basic math.

The video seems to probably overstress "aggression" and is prone to showing forcing moves for black that may or not be sound. A basic tenet is that when a pawn moves it usually creates some sort of weakness. So the push ...e5 in the Sicilian does move the knight but obviously weakened d6. In lines like posted the N has three choices. Moves to b3 or f3 look kind of passive. A move to f5 is forcing as it threatens the hanging Bg7 with check and also Qxg4. So Bxf5 may be forced, then exf5 with what looks like a tempo gain on Black's exposed N. At the end of all this, it's a complicated assessment of the position based on mainly pawn structure, king safety, piece mobility, and potential tactical ideas.

But complicated assessments like this is not unusual in many lines of the Najdorf where each side pushes which also creates weaknesses and its often up to who can take the best advantage first.

If you're interested in the Najdorf, I might suggest studying the poison pawn variation mentioned in the video. Though the video mentioned Kasparov, I'd probably use Fischer as a first games resource. The structures and ideas in the poisoned pawn might be a little more straight forward than lines like posted.

But in just about all Sicilian lines, and maybe more so in the Najdorf, its about what weakness is created versus what advantage is gained.

jengaias posted

"...In all these games it is obvious that Black's main plan is not ...e5 and neither the guy in the video has any idea what he is talking about nor the other guy that wants to get paid to reveal the "secrets" of the position(from the way he talks I doubt he understands anything , the "long discussion" he claims that will start if he answers is a clear indication that he has no idea what he is talking about)..."

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Number one I never indicated that I wanted to get paid for correct answers.

Number 2, I guess advising him to  seek out Kasparov's videos on the najdorf was just a lucky guess.  Because according to you I don't know what I'm taking about.   But, in your incomplete attempt at explaining you use 4 of Kasparov's games.   What a coincidence!

This means that you are a naive scammer- which is free, and it just needs an equally naive client to work. Am I right?

To the O.P: this video (as well as many other youtube chess videos) is a load of nonsense. You may safely ignore it.

He has authored a very good opening book recently (if we assume that an opening book can be good anno 2016).

I guess he is untitled precisely because he is an opening nerd.

After rewatching the video I see what you guys are saying about it having flaws. I tend to watch these videos for enjoyment as much as improving. It frustrates me that I didn't spot that Black was aiming to put the knight on e5.

I have since found https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuLYgClRe-Q which seems better quality.

The videos on that channel seem very good with some experienced people lecturing. You do have to think beyond videos like this as well. They can't mention everything but they are very good at giving you a general idea of an opening that you can expand with your own analysis and experience. It often doesn't matter in actual games for me as people often leave the opening book early. It is a question of understanding the opening well enough to spot where they went wrong.

In general I don't have the money to buy videos as I am still a student. I may buy a book. I have at least one book of Silman's that is very good. Maybe I should get that out again.