B99 · Semi-Open · a defense for Black
Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Main Line
18/18
1.e4c52.Nf3d63.d4cxd44.Nxd4Nf65.Nc3a66.Bg5e67.f4Be78.Qf3Qc79.O-O-ONbd7
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Main Line215k games · White to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
g456%119k54%
Bd326%55k58%
Kb16.7%14k48%
Be24.3%9.3k51%
f52.1%4.6k46%
Bxf61.1%2.3k52%
Qg31%2.2k58%
h40.8%1.7k46%
h30.5%1.1k44%
Rd20.4%77571%
Famous games in this line2.7k master games
Ivanchuk, Vassily (2746) – Topalov, Veselin (2812)Karjakin, Sergey (2757) – Ivanchuk, V. (2731)Grischuk, A. (2732) – Aronian, L. (2742)Grischuk, Alexander (2756) – Dominguez Perez, Leinier (2713)Wang, Hao (2733) – Dominguez Perez, Leinier (2730)Shirov, Alexei (2745) – Dominguez Perez, Leinier (2717)Radjabov, Teimour (2717) – Ivanchuk, Vassily (2731)Spassky, Boris V (2660) – Fischer, Robert James (2785)Heroes of this opening Topalov, Veselin · Aronian, L. · Grischuk, Alexander
Keep exploring
Nearby lines in the family
From the archives
No defense has won more games at every level than the Sicilian. Bobby Fischer played almost nothing else against 1.e4, and Kasparov's Najdorf battles with Karpov and Anand are pillars of chess history. When you play 1...c5, you're refusing symmetry — the same refusal that carried two world champions.
- Family
- Sicilian Defense
- Category
- Semi-Open
- First move
- 1.e4
- ECO
- B99
- Line
- 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 e6 7. f4 Be7 8. Qf3 Qc7 9. O-O-O Nbd7
Sharp
★ Read the guide: Sicilian Defense: Najdorf VariationExplore all 388 Sicilian Defense lines →Study this opening elsewhere