Plans and ideas in the Najdorf Sicilian

thanks

Uttanka.

If you REALLY want to dive down the Najdorf rabbit hole, I recommend chessbase' DVD on the Najdorf by Daniel King. He makes it easier and more enjoyable to absorb the plethera of all the lines. It's more expensive than a book (most likely) but very reasonably priced. This is how I start to learn openings now. 

If you don't want a book, you may as well just study database games. (You should do that anyhow). 

Ideas... Hmmmm.

Bg5 variaton. If white "actually" knows the theory then you use the browne system with h6 and Ne5. But I find white never plays the full line properly. 

Be2 variation is subtle and can sometimes transpose to the english attack. Then it depends if white castles kingside or queenside. Then your plans change. It also depends on whether white pushes f4 or or g4 and depending there are sub variations. 

Be3 is the english attack as I mentioned and then it 'depends.'

Fischer Sozin. Play a Schevenigin with e6 and always look for sacs on that square. 

There are general ideas of b5, d5 and play on the c-file depending. But you have to know a lot of variations/theory and know the move orders. 

This oxymoron belongs right up there with jumbo shrimp, and military intelligence.  

can i play g6 with the najdorf

Fill a strong engine with Najdorf games and nobody can beat it. Fill it with any other opening theory and there's hope. So much about its practitioners not using one.

fischer najdorf style

If you dont have time for a lot of theory the najdorf is NOT a good choice ! 

everyone says that

that's because it's probably true

yes, and I have also time for many more mental activities, other than a game, and other than chess

I've been providing my opinion based on my personal experience for the past year and a half after giving it up. It's a lot of theory... and then you spend all that time memorizing the najdorf and about half my sicilian games are 2. c3 2.Nc3 or Grand Prix variations. 

It IS a lot of theory. That's why everyone says that. It requires a lot of time. 

ok, I hesitate to break in.

but if you're NOT playing against 2000+ opposition.

is all this theory still important?  I mean YOU don't (and really can't ) understand all the theory, but Neither do they.

I know people that play sicilian at the lowest of ratings. sometimes they win.  doesn't knowing a little about what najdorf help a little?

or should they not be playing sicilian at all?....

@ Thegreatpatzer :

The problem is that at sub 2000 level, it is much easier for white to understand these positions.

White can chose its system, many of them are tricky.

For instance, english attack, Sozin, Bg5 (what do u play, poisonned pawn, classical?), Be2 when u have to know scheveninguen positions or going for e5 which is not easy to play, etc...

Even closed sicilian can be a difficult task.

I mean, white's plans are rather clear, not black's...

To play Najdorf, u have to be accurate tactically, strategically, u have to know some defensive ressources and counter attacks, really not easy for sub 2000 players...

Exactly. I also mentioned why someone should not invest the time earlier in this thread. Much easier to play as white.

And it's not 'theory' in the sense of 'ideas.' It's theory, meaning memorizing variations. If you don't have the memorization you'll easily find yourself in a lost position that is really easy for white to play. And as poucin mentioned, white has a lot of challenging variations to throw at black. It's not fun. 

And as I just mentioned in my previous post. You spend countless hours memorizing all the lines and then half the games I encounter are anti-sicilians.

so do i quit it?

there's a couple things that aren't clear  from your post

• how long have you played the najdorf
• how much time have you invested in it
• how much help do you need in your tactics and endgames
• what would you switch to, how much help would you need learning something else
• how desperately do you want to cling to an opening that is "cool"

in the end opening choices are personal.  you can play any silly thing you want no matter how bad (or good), but you must play with confidence and determination if you want to win.

if you were just toying with play the najdorf and have played it lightly if it at all, that it makes no sense for any of us- for you to play THIS particularly opening when you see that you don't like theory.  (patzer as I am, even I can see that).

on the other hand, if you played it a lot and would just go back to wasting time with some opening... idk.

perhaps you should just learn to like theory.

see the question about tactics and endgames, if you answered "I don't reguarly train on them, and I don't need to ". STOP right there.

you are in denial, brother.  Tactics and endgame are HUGE and you need to put real effort to master them. 

thats my opinion, good luck.

I guess it depends on your objective to learning it.

If it's to understand it a bit better so when you look at GM games and get some sort of clue as to what they are doing. Or learning it for fun... then perhaps.

Just expect your rating to stay the same or drop and lose more games with it than you win.

Also... be prepared to spend a tremendous amount of time on it that could be used in playing and studying your own games or studying books. 

IMO I would drop it... as I have done after 1.5 years of learning my lesson. 

I am a carefree player and do not mind to play any of the aggressive lines which sacrifices material

Anyone has an advice for a book on Najdorf, or more generally Sicilian?

@pfren:

In your 4... d5 line, why not a deferred version with 4... Nf6 5. Nc3 d5? That looks just as good. Even the weird and very out-of-book 5... e6!? looks okay.