top 5 responses to the Sicilian ranked

Then you should be focusing on a rapid rating climb. I don’t see why you cannot get to 1200 end of this summer and may be 1500 end of this year.

Quit fooling around with the unrated games and cheap talk, you should go do well.

I think i need to improve my positional understanding, which is why my puzzles rating is so high compared to my actual ELO. Tomorrow I’m gonna play a ton of rated games, thanks for encouraging me

It’s not positional play, that won’t even come to mind until 1500+.

Go play your game. Talking about it and being on the forums too much isn’t going to boost your performance.

Focus on the basics:

https://www.chess.com/game/live/71208321251

https://www.chess.com/game/live/74019657637

https://www.chess.com/game/live/77331641537

I constantly find myself in positions where I’m clueless to what I’m going to do next. I feel like it’s really limiting my potential. 900’s aren’t 200-ish as you think.

as 200-ish*

The creator of this post only has a rating of less than 1200.

Just saying.

ok

tell me how I’m wrong, then, since I’m “less than 1200”

also you should not be talking, your daily rating’s 100 points lower than my rapid rating

Im using the Accelerated Dragon against the goofy Nc3, Nf3, d4 trick transposition

imo accel dragon vs goofy transposition is better than normal accel dragon coz white locked themself out of c4

transposing to a better version of a worse defense isnt bad

why does blud think he can give opening advice, his rapid rating is in the triple digits

TheSampson: "Here are the top 5 responses to the Sicilian."

Conner MacLeod: " There can be only one!"

I know your heart is set on the Najdorf, but I would consider dropping it for now and play a more straight forward Sicilian due to the time constraints with 10/0 and even 15/10 is too fast for me.

If you insist with the Najdorf, then you need to learn how to do a game analysis, start a library (of yours and master games) and revisit your notes.

If you don’t understand or see the ideas such as counter play and progress, then seek help or switch to a different Sicilian.

I could even skim some of your games if you switch to 15/10 and give yourself more time to think.

Same old boring rhetoric "You're not good enough so just take babysteps"

@Chuck639

What you said before is completely true. A lot of games at lower level are not decided by theory but by mistakes and blunders. This applies the exact same to the Najdorf or to any other opening.

It's not necessary to be super booked up or know loads of theory to play the Najdorf as the same rules apply to any other opening. I know from experience that I won Sicilian games from BOTH SIDES of the Open Sicilian without following "30 move long lines of theory" like these dumb claims from Sicilian haters suggest.

I actually agree with what you said that it's important to focus on tactical and positional strength instead of just opening theory. The issue is that you suggest that somehow different rules apply to the Najdorf, which they don't.

I played the Najdorf between 1200-1400. As much as I enjoy the Najdorf, it was impractical because you’ll run into anti-Sicilians the majority of the time and deal with frustrating aspects of finding a middle game plan under a rapid time control./constraints. 90/30, I do play.

Here, I breezed to an easy draw with a 2000 player, why wouldn’t I take the easy draw?

https://www.chess.com/game/live/72210972045

This is the same with tonnes of different openings. Sometimes you have to accept playing lines which you're not exactly keen on to play something you enjoy. Any opening has it's boring lines.

e5 - Four Knights

French - Exchange

King's Indian - Exchange, London, etc.

And Caro-Kann main lines aren't that interesting for me generally (personally), except as white you can choose some fun lines.

It applies to the Najdorf because it impractical for the moment when most times you will run into anti-Sicilians and secondly, the OP is struggling to find middle game plans, then you should reconsider.

Your also making it harder on yourself when working with a backward d6 pawn, giving up square weaknesses and wasting tempo for free.