Sicilian Najdorf - fully developed English attack: how to survive?

Hi folks,

I'm studying and practising the Sicilian Najdorf. The main problem I've found is the English attack, which has become the main line. There are ways to avoid the main lines but I wanted to get your feedback on what to do as Black once White has fully developed going by the book, as in:

Play a less theory intensive and safer opening.

Thanks for the advice. Still, I would like to find out more.

Or at least, it would be helpful if you pointed out a different defence...

9.h5!?

Some general tips in this line (these aren't always applicable, especially if white deviates, but in most cases, they are):

- Castle before developing your queen knight

- When white plays g2-g4, black responds with b7-b5

- And if white then plays g4-g5 to attack the f6 knight, black responds with b5-b4 to attack the c3 knight. Punch for counterpunch.

- Go to a chess database (like Chess Tempo) and run through this position. See how the top-rated players handle it from the black side. You'll find some very instructive games. Also pay attention to move order.

Hope any of that helps.

You have played a few inaccurate moves- starting from move seven, when moving the other bishop first is surely more to the point.

My recommendation could be roughly be something like that:

...but I will probably recommend something different:

Are you sure you want to play the Najdorf? If so, be prepared to lose many games for some time- it is a very complex and versatile opening, and requires excellent positional understanding, and deep study.

This has definitely been true for me, it took me a while before I won a game with it but I've learned from the losses. I know much more than I did when I first started playing it and even now I wouldn't say I know a great deal about it.

In the line given by IM pfren I started playing the move 10...a5 and have had some success as it seems Black gets the Q-side attack going sooner and has a good game.

I don't like 10...a5 at all. Unless there is a big improvement before, the ending resulting after white's 21st is highly unpleasant- and this has been verified from 20+ games played.

 What do you think of Bologan's line that he recommends in his dvd? 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e5 7.Nb3 Be6 8.f3 Nbd7 9.Qd2 b5

SteamGear, thanks for the tips. I have added some comments. Regards!

Hi pfren, thanks for your detailed reply, it is worth looking into those 10 first moves.

About playing something different... I understand where you're coming from, the Sicilian is hard to study and the Najdorf in particular is laced with heavy theory. However, at some stage I need to learn it, I do get a kick out of it.

I will not question your advice, instead, I will ask:

1. If not the Najdorf, is there any alternative variation in the Sicilian defence that you would recommend to master first?

2. Alternatively, and admitting I'm very much a beginner, what defence against e4 would you recommend me to master before playing the Sicilian?

Thanks!

If you are not comfortable with 6. Be3 try the alternative 6... Ng4

Here is the latest state of the art: 21 moves of theory
https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=2290237 

Is that a fianchetto black Knight in whites camp?

no, if white castles long then black can get a really strong position by b5, b4, then pushing the a-pawns and storming the castle, black has no “hooks” so black’s position isn’t as bad as it looks

if u hate the position so much play 6. Ng4, the Anti English, it scores super high for blacl

#18
6 Be3 Ng4 7 Bc1 Nf6 draws.
The preferred move order is 6 f3.

Definitely a crushing game, I prefer the setups with h5 for black against the English attack which I still believe holds up in the current theory.

Interessante