Semi-Open · a defense for Black
Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, English Attack
11/11
1.e4c52.Nf3d63.d4cxd44.Nxd4Nf65.Nc3a66.Be3
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, English Attack2.8M games · Black to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
48%1.3M51%
26%725k50%
5.7%159k49%
4.7%132k45%
4.4%122k45%
1.8%50k48%
1.6%46k48%
0.6%16k44%
0.2%6.5k37%
Famous games in this line43k master games
Ding, Liren (2791) – Carlsen, Magnus (2863)Carlsen, Magnus (2863) – Ding, Liren (2791)Carlsen, M. (2861) – Vachier Lagrave, M. (2780)Carlsen, M. (2861) – Vachier Lagrave, M. (2780)Carlsen, M. (2853) – So, W. (2779)So, W. (2770) – Carlsen, M. (2855)Anand, Viswanathan (2769) – Kasparov, Garry (2851)Topalov, V. (2761) – Carlsen, M. (2855)Heroes of this opening Carlsen, Magnus · Vachier Lagrave, M.
- Family
- Sicilian Defense
- Category
- Semi-Open
- First move
- 1.e4
- ECO
- B90
- Line
- 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3
SharpAggressive
★ Read the guide: Sicilian Defense: Najdorf VariationExplore all 388 Sicilian Defense lines →Keep exploring
Go deeper — named lines from here
Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, English Attack, Anti-English6…Ng4Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, Delayed Keres Attack6…e6 7.g4 · 1 deeper lineSicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, English Attack, with f36…e6 7.f3Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, English Attack, with Qd26…e6 7.Qd2
Nearby lines in the family
From the archives
No reply to 1.e4 is played more. Fischer made the Najdorf his main weapon, and Kasparov's Sicilians are pillars of chess history — the Scheveningen against Karpov, the Dragon he unveiled against Anand in 1995. When you play 1...c5 you refuse symmetry, the same refusal that carried two world champions.
Study this opening