The Najdorf (part 1) ⎸Sicilian Defense Theory

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The Najdorf Variation of the Sicilian Defense (B90 - B99) is one of the sharpest, most heavily analyzed and most fun variations in all of chess. It can lead to completely mental positions which not many humans can completely understand.
If you lack knowledge in the basics of the Sicilian Defense you should watch this introductory video: • Sicilian Defense (intr...
The opening was named after Miguel Najdorf, the legend of Polish and Argentinian chess. A player who’d been active in the top of world chess for fifty years. Legends such as Fischer or Kasparov, or, lately, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, have employed the opening as their favorite weapon against 1.e4.
The Najdorf starts after the moves:
1. e4 c5
2. Nf3 d6
3. d4 cxd4
4. Nxd4 Nf6
5. Nc6 a6 - the move a6 signifies the variation
White has quite a few sensible responses. In this video, part one, I covered three most popular lines and the 6.f3 sideline. The other variations are coming in part 2.
6. Be3 - the English Attack. This is one of the most popular lines in all of chess. It results in crazy attacking positions with white striking on the kingside and black doing the same on the queenside.
6. Bg5 is the main line of the Najdorf. One of the most popular variations which occur from it is the poisoned pawn variation, in which black grabs the b2 pawn and hopes to survive the onslaught.
6. Be2 - the Opocensky or classical variation
6. f3 - a solid sideline for white which combines some features of the Prins Sicilian with the Najdorf.
Players whose games you should study: Garry Kasparov, Bobby Fischer, MVL, Peter Leko, Boris Gelfand, Veselin Topalov, Vishy Anand
Notable Games: Adams vs Kasparov, 2005, Fischer vs J. Sherwin, 1957, Topalov vs Kasparov, 1996

[@pingupungo3365]

looks like Maxime Vachier Lagrave is in your background as well, very thematic

[@anandroy174]

He plays Grunfeld Anish Giri plays Najdorf

[@srikarpotharaju155]

@@anandroy174 ummm... no, lagrave is definitely one of the main advocators of the najdorf, have you seen him play the poison pawn?

[@srikarpotharaju155]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/jGfdgIJ-n8iggrM (0:16)

[@MarekShadoX]

@@anandroy174 Well, Grunfeld is D4 respond and Najdorf E4 so you can not say he plays this or that. He plays both depending on opponents play. And he is for sure on of the best if not the best player of those opening.

[@ButtmanRises]

xd

[@Sun-e]

This is the best channel for chess

[@HangingPawns]

It's lovely to hear that:) Thanks!

[@alrawandi8402]

I thought it was boring as fuck no offense. This is a fucked up boring material, and he's not making it easy on his audience I'm sorry.

[@shauryasingh707]

@@alrawandi8402 u r probably the guy who doesn't listen in class well though nothing is wrong with tht

[@enderrking2239]

@@alrawandi8402 his explanation is clear, there is nothing wrong with it, eventhough I did found an incorrect move in the bg5 line, it's overall still very easily understandable

[@toesdoeswhoknows704]

EnderrKing Holy shit it’s enderking

[@seand8534]

This was by far the most informative video on these lines that I've seen. Thank you for taking the time to curate this video

[@daft2114]

you are a goldmine :)

[@HangingPawns]

Haha thanks for saying that!;)

[@lenaweingraber4211]

Time Stamp: 2:20 Video Begins 3:54 white plays f3 - Trade knights and play h6 13:49 play e5 against the English Attack 25:56 white goes for the Mainline play e6 and Be7 (29:28 Poisoned Pawn)

[@TheNthMouse]

This needs to be pinned.

[@frankn4576]

Thank you for the time stamps. Hanging Pawns you have the best channel for chess and I recommend to make time stamps like this to make your channel even better. I liked and subscribed.

[@youngt2827]

Good shit

[@pemsferdinandng9989]

Thanks for the nice explanation about the Najdorf, I like it ang I subscribed....

[@Sun-gs6hq]

Update?

[@ravirawat6856]

Good luck for the tournament. Hope you crush the field!

[@HangingPawns]

Thanks! I'll do my best to have a great tournament!

[@milehighslacker4196]

At 31:00, after 13...Bxc3 14.Qxc3 Qxa2 White has 15.Qxc8# Yes, I agree, "far too risky"!

[@chessnerd1055]

Was looking for this comment haha. Thought I was losing my mind

[@cyrusvanbeethoven4626]

This video was phenomenal. More!!!! Please!!! Thank you!!! - I'd even love to hear from you about ideas you've had in the "resulting positions" that should be studied over the board. - Call it an advanced study over the Najdorf! Video #3!!

[@wonderlad3585]

This the best, most straight forward, chess channel, thx for actually teaching these openings. Now I actually know some theory! :)

[@yibzngochangkai5178]

I have watched many chess videos but Hanging Pawns is the most detailed and helpful.

[@buk1733]

4:10 another downside, Perhaps even bigger is that d4 is extremely weekened after c4

[@rafewarren1034]

Thank you for this video this is now my favorite defense and I’ve climbed from 1200 to 1650.

[@heheheha875]

and people say openings dont help beginners

[@rafewarren1034]

@@heheheha875 it’s has helped a lot I’m now a 2000.

[@heheheha875]

@@rafewarren1034 wow so I should learn this one

[@rafewarren1034]

@@heheheha875 if you got the time and you put a lot of effort into learning the ideas and lines then it can be very useful.

[@Gqtor]

Thank you for making this video, it's really helped me get into the Najdorf! With that being said I want to mention something you said at 18:17; it is not an advantage for white, from human play or engine play. If you look at this position in the masters database, 76% of games were drawn (albeit black does win less often) and in the Lichess database black actually scores very well (50% to 43% winrate). Instead of Qb8, Ra4 is considered a better move. If Qb8, the engine and databases agree with you in the analysis (+0.8/+0.9).

[@sparkdrako]

32:55 If you dont play queen to B6 you might be considered a coward sometimes lol

[@prayogaliong5395]

in the poisoned pawn variation of the main line after 8.Qd2 Qxb2 9.Rb1 Qa3 10.e5 dxe5 11.fxe5 Nfd7 12.Be2 Bb4 13. Rb3, if Bxc3 is played after 14.Qxc3 black actually cannot take on a2, as if Qxa2 then 15.O-O Qa4 and 16.Ra1 the black queen is trapped, I think you missed that

[@boyanmihaylov3009]

After queen a2 white plays queen takes c8 checkmate

[@nghiahoang7855]

4:58 f3 (e5) 14:00 Bg5 (e5) 26:10 Bg5 (e6) 29:50 Bg5 (e6 then Qb6 Poison Pawn)

[@24bounce44]

✅ You are an incredible " Coach " I don't understand why you have such few views (more knowledge for me). Ideas, planning , theory, insight and methodology in relationship to the Opening you provide are easy to adapt and understand,. I recently defeated my coach (whom is 2200 Master) without prior Opening knowledge. You teaching will equip me with GM level mindset. 🔥Your Awesome!

[@Simonnnnnnnify]

I thought you were elon musk at the start

[@oMineman]

It's worth noting that the variation at 30:53 is far too risky not because of the misplaced queen but because of Qxc8# 😂

[@Sun-gs6hq]

?

[@antonioa.jepkoko4588]

Oh yeah ur right

[@sadasivanchaluvally8293]

A great explanation.Got to know a few points that many books did not say. Thank you very much.

[@HangingPawns]

No problem:) Glad to help!

[@antoniojalil3259]

Hi. You say to watch over 50 games from “this” position. WHERE can I watch something like that

[@WorldOfDeepThought]

On lichess website

[@aesaehttr]

Chesstempo.com is where i go. Press on "chess game database" in the menu

[@barsactividades2592]

10:08 why h3? the knight cant go to g5 because its protected by the bishop and the queen

[@gokulakrishnancandassamy4995]

I have the same question!! Knight can't go to g4 like earlier...

[@MegaChilisauce]

8:15 why is the move bishop g2 preventing the pawn move on f4? assume b g2 then pawn on f4 and you have to retreat the bishop?!

[@jakadajakada6939]

Just the video I am looking for

[@HangingPawns]

I'm happy you found it:D

[@siddharthghosh1406]

Sicilian Najdorf structure 5...a6 - 2:50 Side Line 6. f3 - 3:56 English Attack 6. Be3 - 8:35 Main Line 6. Bg5 - 25:53 Classical/Opocensky Variation 6. Be2 - 33:14

[@asimsuer1074]

Hi, thanks very much, as black i play Sicilian all the time and personally, don't like e5 because d6 is weakened, against Bg5 can we do h6 instead?

[@benslow9605]

Uber Nerd and Absolute legend! Can’t thank you enough for your videos. Superb!

[@Kai-_]

I play 6. F3 but I make it transpose to the English attack. I just don’t like going against the anti English ( kg4 )

[@nakashvirsinghaulakh1495]

What game do you mention at 23:35? Was unable to comprehend the names. Thank you!

[@user-xw9lt1em3m]

You can try to search the moves on database and see if you can find the game?

[@YuyuunP]

Great videos! I'm trying to learn the Open Sicilian and these videos are gold dust for me. One minor improvement at 14:17, I'd recommend playing B76 first before Be6. Idea being, you'll want to wait for white to commit the pawn to f3 first as Be6 kinda tempts white into playing f4

[@grantc.7838]

exf4 Bxf4 Nc6 is fine for black as white has wasted a move playing Be3-f4 and his r pawn is weak

[@yosefcohen483]

I'm sorry Hanging Pawns, this isn't right. 6.f3 is actually the same as 6.Be3 - like in the dragon - it prevents Ng4. After you kick the knight with e5, you immediately play Be6, or else White can play Bc4 - and is basically winning already. And White doesn't 0-0, he 0-0-0. And if he Does 0-0, you won't play g4 h4, that only happens if 0-0-0 or if Freak Attack - no castle. Sorry, bye.

[@Heraclito27]

In the 6.f3 line, Be2? I think that's wrong.

[@TheNthMouse]

20:35 - Why not pxa2 instead of pxc2?

[@shibranair2461]

Hello sejtepan, what book do u recommend for this variation of sicci9

[@W4rfire]

Wow the English attack variation is really stunning, enjoyed this crazy theory

[@guthax30]

Warning, idiot commenting: I love watching your vids stoned, dude. Your visuals are awesome. I love watching the tactics and strategies flow...

[@saywhat4464]

This variation of the English Attack that you spend several minutes looking at, it seems you miss bishop takes a2, say around 20:15. That looks pretty deadly for black.

[@StigPrice]

The reason that the bishop moves back during the anti English is because they don't want to trade down.

[@noknyut8209]

29:00 black is just winning, a few seconds later 29:08 you could call this position even

[@wasadasa1]

10:10 - white plays h3, is this move popular? It doesn't seem to be played often according to opening data bases.

[@Arturo_Vinoly]

20:25 is Bxa2 a bad move? Then Q takes pawn but the king is open

[@lucase.crusader1196]

In this position 17:56 after Bxa2 do you play Nc6?

[@masterxd9759]

They play bishop to c1 when white wants perpetual for a draw. after nf6 bishop goes back to e3

[@jokerreactions7077]

Small correction: You said in the f3-line. After 6.e5, white doesn't want to play Nf5,because black would take. It's not wrong, that black can take and be slightly better, but d5 instead of taking immediately is even much stronger and almost winning for black. Nice video, though. Love your channel, keep up the good work!

[@sunta292]

28:39 White doesn't does Black a favor it loses due to Qxg5+

[@KahurangiSteez]

10:55 f5 looks strategically almost losing. at least trade off the bishop pair before opening the position like that with a backwards pawn.

[@alexabadesgrimes114]

Why it's not taking the pwn white pawn a2 in minute 17:21 ?? Wouldn't be cjeck mate?

[@Pradeep_889]

Thank you for the videos. I have been looking for a channel like this and this is really a great help.

[@jayadeepkumar3740]

Very good this is the ultimate treasure

[@OfficialMoreBeta]

I love your voice. Its soo soothing

[@ibrawill9983]

Hello, how do you organize your openings for this series? do you use the lichess study feature`?

[@HangingPawns]

I mostly use books.:)

[@jawidader8374]

Thank you very much sir!

[@arabsinger5120]

thank you man from algeria

[@yosefcohen483]

Your guides are MVL and Gelfand. Good luck.

[@kakashisensei8266]

at 17 minutes in why cant white queen take blacks undefended pawn on the b file?

[@arenh8767]

Nobody is gonna remember this XD thats why i wrote it down

[@otaviocf4657]

some timestamps would be really useful. I wanted a refresh on the main line but you only cover it in the end.

[@taylorhoulihan]

6. Be6 English attack 8:36 6…Ng4 9:18 6…e5 13:40 preferred line 6…e6 21:42 6. Bg5 25:45 6…Be7 26:20 6…Qb6 29:42 Poisoned pawn variation 6. Be2 Classical Oposensky 33:12 6. f3 3:50

[@NicholasElodeon]

Why is Nf3 in response to e5 in the English not good?

[@lautaro94ce]

Its funny because in the English Attack after 6.Be3 Ng4 7.Bc1 Nf6 its the same position after a6 and it then transposes to the Classical Variation after 8.Be2 or it could be a draw by repetition

[@FPA33]

Very helpful....I play on lichess alot & in particular i am starting to learn about this variation, so this in depth breakdown has been extremely helpful.

[@noknyut8209]

30:57 if that happens then qxc8 is mate…..

[@saberanass5157]

what s your actual rating???

[@surveersingh2552]

His fide rating is around 1980 I think

[@top-s1mple426]

@@surveersingh2552 pretty solid

[@santu64]

Awesome. Thank you for your help.

[@Sough]

Would have preferred a deeper dive, simply to much ground to cover in a short ish video

[@bowball-sports7571]

Sough there’s multiple parts on this one variation

[@roberte9566]

Hello, thanks for all the excellent videos. Could you provide your name, please

[@HangingPawns]

My name is stjepan. And thank you:)

[@animation114]

Wooow!... Excellent explanation!

[@gobikrishna4312]

Bg5 main line 10,g4-b5 11,Bxf6 lines video upload sir..,

[@zeus1141]

9:22 Never play Ng4 if your other knight isn't on c6. If you first develop your Knight to c6, and white still has Bishop on e3... then go for Ng4. Bishop can't go back. If it does, Qb6. Targeting the Knight on d4 twice now, if the Knight moves. Checkmate on Qxf2. Hence why in the other video of your sicilian I said you play f3 to prevent the Ng4 and stop that trade of knight for the bishop. Specially if the Black's Knight is on c6.

[@smashu2]

the f5 draw is forced draw I think 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 e6 7.f4 Qb6 8.Qd2 Qxb2 9.Rb1 Qa3 10.f5 Nc6 11.fxe6 fxe6 12.Nxc6 bxc6 13.Be2 Be7 14.O-O O-O 15.Rb3 Qc5+ 16.Be3 Qe5 17.Bd4 Qa5 18.Bb6 Qe4 Bd4= do you know a way to avoid this ?? also black can play a delayed poison pawn with 7...h6 8.Bh4 Qb6

[@yosefcohen483]

And when Black captures on d5, it's always with the bishop, or else Black has a "Hanging Bishop" for White to kick.

[@PolTChess]

30:52 if Bxc3 then Rxc3 atacking the queen and the bishop on c8 (which would be mate), white is clearly winning

[@PolTChess]

and after the line showed in the video Qxc8# is mate

[@rsilvaleal]

In the main line, with Bg5, I love the MVL´s games. He plays h5 em some positions to avoid the g4, and he delayed the rock. What do you think about this line?

[@s.hstudio2492]

Just the video I am looking

[@artsmirnov6001]

After 6. Be2(classical) if black does other moves as 6. ... e6 and 6. ... Nc6 Then what are white ideas and set-ups?

[@yurigarcia6915]

in english attack, black should not go for b4 when white plays g5, because this kind of lines, is most dificult to black to attack, the d5 square ll cause trouble, the knight, can go for this square forcing the trade, and after white takes whith pawn, the black bishop is trapt, and cannot comming back for the game, resulting in a position whith white has all the times to push king side pawns and simple attack, and black without resources to finish the attack, the best answer for g5 is knight h5, a strange move, but the knight can block easily the kings side pawns, and now black has time to manover his peaces to attack white king. and also can sacrifice pieces for that.

[@rsilvaleal]

Thank you for the excellent video. I loved to know more about the line of the poison pawn. I'll study more about her. Which player can I take as an example in this line?

[@jimalop8757]

At 6:29 you state: "Black should play h6 because g4 would be a problem." Why is this the case? Couldn't black just retreat his bishop to g6? Is the issue that white would gain a tempo with his attack on the kingside?

[@castleclasher2358]

hmmmm, Zagreb... So he's from Croatia? Never knew... lol

[@odiram]

Apologies if this is a silly question, but for the e5 line in the English attack why is it good for black to play this way if it leads to white having a huge advantage?

[@riccardoaluigi5512]

I checked the first game on lichess and the computer says about +10 for white...I think he resigned because of time

[@zdravkofunjak9953]

Zašto ne bi na 18:04 crni umjesto guranja pijuna na b3 uzeo lauferom pijuna sa a2 ? I zašto na 20:42 crni pijun ne bi uzeo a2 pijuna dao šah pa povukao laufera na b3 jer ga štiti a4 pijun ?

[@HangingPawns]

Ako uzme lovcem na a2 onda skakač c6 napada damu i lovca na e7 i osvaja figuru. Crni to sprječava brzim napadom. A ako na c2 pješak uzme na a2, bijeli igra kralj a1 u kutu. Kralj je siguran, a crni sad ne može Lb3 jer pješak na c2 čuva polje.

[@grandchampion7275]

By the way, the reason why Ng4 Bc1 is so "popular" in the English Attack is because a lot of higher-rated people use it for a lazy draw. Just repeating the moves 3 times.

[@Koyoshinkai]

The Najdorf, there is an insane amount of theory & lines (Nightmare For Anyone)

[@siddharthghosh1406]

20:31 "The Bishop has no squares". I wondered why after Nd4, we can't play Ba7 to save my Bishop as that, I thought, will lead to an extra piece on board for black. Then it hit me. The fact that we chose to take the pawn on d4 with the knight instead of the dark square bishop is what will lead to Nc3 after black's Ba7 move, which would fork my queen and bishop, and then I will have no way to save my Bishop. When I move the queen after Nc3, Nxe7+ will come next.

[@shubhendranathsingh9888]

Funny how fabiano got crushed by maxime when playing english. And after he started to play main line, he easily crushed maxime twice especially in poisoned pawn variation.

[@auctifer0]

Great video, but what is MVL doing in the background? 😄

[@Madmanof635A]

When are we covering 1. e4 e5 2. Ke2 Ke7 Carlsen Nakamura 2021?

[@knightishraq]

why do we study the worse variations first? are we supposed to memorise all the variations?

[@Rene.A.D]

No. We're supposed to understand the general ideas and plans of the positions.

[@atanuroy7667]

i learn most this chanel

[@prahaladhnarayanan1277]

At 30:58 Qxa2 is not possible because of Qxc8 checkmate

[@colinbyer3018]

What do you do if they don’t even play d4 to take your c pawn in the very beginning?

[@say2099]

Maxime in the back yoooooo

[@chrisbastajian5171]

I'm rated 1200 not sure if learning theory helps my game yet but i really like the theory especially because of this channel, i already finished ruy lopez theory and now I'm trying to study the sicilian, any tips?

[@xcvxcvcxvxvcq]

Excellent lesson for a noob like me!

[@HangingPawns]

Thanks Jake:)

[@cyrusvanbeethoven4626]

9:20 I thought Ng4 was supposed to be one of the better lines? Immediately trying to trade off whites black squared bishop !?!

[@Blenbkuqi]

Hi. Is there a video for kings Indians defense? I have searched but I can't find any one

[@clashkingdom3647]

SIR CAN YOU MAKE A BEGGINER VEDEO ABOUT HOW TO THINK ABOUT OPPONENTS MOVES AND HOW TO RESPOND FOR EACH AND EVERY MOVE BECAUSE I HAVE NOT BEEN IN TOUCH WITH CHESS FOR AROUND A YEAR AND ALL MY CHESS SKILLS HAVE GOT WEAKENED

[@iDYPilms]

Best channels. Keep up the great work.

[@HangingPawns]

Thank you:)

[@ferdinandopucci]

At 27:10, wouldn't it be better to retake with the Knight? So you keep the defender of the d pawn