Semi-Open · a defense for Black
Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Opocensky Variation
11/11
1.e4c52.Nf3d63.d4cxd44.Nxd4Nf65.Nc3a66.Be2
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Opocensky Variation1.8M games · Black to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
50%901k51%
5.9%105k47%
5.7%101k50%
4.5%81k45%
1.8%32k50%
1.6%28k50%
0.6%10k45%
0.2%3.6k44%
0.1%1.4k46%
Famous games in this line16k master games
Carlsen, M. (2838) – Vachier Lagrave, M. (2803)Carlsen, M. (2847) – Aronian, L. (2782)Carlsen, M. (2832) – Vachier Lagrave, M. (2796)Carlsen, M. (2832) – Vachier Lagrave, M. (2796)Carlsen, M. (2853) – Grischuk, A. (2771)Anand, Viswanathan (2769) – Kasparov, Garry (2851)Carlsen, M. (2834) – Giri, A. (2784)Kramnik, Vladimir (2753) – Carlsen, Magnus (2863)Heroes of this opening Carlsen, M. · Vachier Lagrave, M. · Grischuk, A. · Kasparov, Garry
- Family
- Sicilian Defense
- Category
- Semi-Open
- First move
- 1.e4
- ECO
- B92
- Line
- 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be2
Sharp
★ Read the guide: Sicilian Defense: Najdorf VariationExplore all 388 Sicilian Defense lines →Keep exploring
Go deeper — named lines from here
Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Scheveningen Variation6…e6 7.O-O Nbd7Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Opocensky Variation, Modern Line6…e5 7.Nb3 Be7 8.O-O Be6Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Opocensky Variation, Traditional Line6…e5 7.Nb3 Be7 8.O-O O-O
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