Sicilian Defence, Najdorf Variation B90 - B99 - Opening Theory

 

Explore the Najdorf: Free Resources & Insights 

A Dynamic Powerhouse:

The Sicilian Najdorf (1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6) is renowned for its aggressive possibilities and sharp tactical battles. This dynamic opening choice has been a weapon of choice for many legendary chess grandmasters, including Bobby Fischer and Garry Kasparov, who wielded it to dominate their opponents. (Learn more about the history and variations on Wikipedia: Sicilian Defence, Najdorf Variation Wikipedia page.)

Are you seeking an opening that injects fire into your chess games? Do you crave sharp positions brimming with tactical possibilities? Then look no further than the Sicilian Najdorf! This exciting and challenging opening offers a path to victory for players who relish dynamic battles and outsmarting their opponents.

Empower Your Chess Journey:

This comprehensive guide equips you with a treasure trove of free Sicilian Najdorf chess resources, articles, annotated games, video lessons, and strategic insights. Whether you're a seasoned player seeking to refine your Najdorf repertoire or a newcomer eager to explore its potential, this collection offers valuable tools to elevate your chess game.

BOOKS (Free)

Internet Archive

500 Sicilian Miniatures Collection II by Bill Wall - 109 Page PDF
How to Beat the Sicilian Defence - 352 page PDF

FREE Chessable Courses

Short & Sweet: Giri's Najdorf Sicilian - 24 Trainable lines w/44 Min Free video
Short & Sweet: Colovic's Najdorf Sicilian  - 20 Trainable Lines w/ 50 Min Free Video
Short & Sweet: Cheparinov's Najdorf Sicilian  - 19 Trainable Lines w/ 57 Min Free Video

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Najdorf  Chess ARTICLES

SICILIAN NAJDORF  - Chess Pathways Article w/embedded Video

Chess Opening Basics: The Najdorf Sicilian  - Chessable Blog Opening Guide

Sicilian Najdorf – How to Play, Attack & Counter as White & Black - Chessable blog Opening Guide

Sicilian Najdorf – How to Play, Attack and Counter - Chess Klub Opening Guide w/ Video
How to Play the Sicilian Najdorf   -  RagChess Guide

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Najdorf LiChess Studies

The Sicilian Najdorf Variation - 5 Chapter Study (1000+ hearts)     Main Variations
Sicilian Najdorf  - 8 Chapter Study  Variations w/ some pawn Structure lesson
The Sicilian Defense, Najdorf Variation 6. Be2  - 9 Chapter Study  
The Sicilian Najdorf   - 10 Chapter study  (700+ hearts) (Well Done with an interactive chapter)
VERY DETAILED! Sicilian Defense: Najdorf  - 8 Chapter Study

Sicilian Najdorf Repertoire  - 38 Chapter Study (1600+ Hearts) Most In Depth On LiChess

NEW - Lichess Openings Page  - Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation 
(New part of Site with Board Diagrams and variations w/ win / loss for each line.)

LiStudy

Sicilian defence, Najdorf variation  -  33 Chapter Fully Interactive Study
Najdorf Black   - 27 Chapter Fully Interactive Study
A Comprehensive Najdorf Repetoire (Nearly)  - 8 Chapter interactive study from St.Louis CC Lectures

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Game Databases

365Chess.com

Sicilian Defence, Najdorf Variation B90 - B99  - Page with Links to the 10 Variations

Chess Tempo

Sicilian Defense, Najdorf Variation (B90-99)   -  62,000 Games

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Najdorf Chess Puzzles & Tactics

wtharvey.com

Sicilian, Najdorf (ECO B90)  -   25 Puzzles
Sicilian, Najdorf, Zagreb (Fianchetto) Variation (ECO B91)  - 21 puzzles
Sicilian, Najdorf, Opocensky Variation (ECO B92)  - 25 Puzzles
Sicilian, Najdorf, 6.f4 (ECO B93)  - 25 Puzzles
Sicilian, Najdorf 6.Bg5 (ECO B94)  -  9 Puzzles
Sicilian, Najdorf, 6...e6 (ECO B95)  - 10 Puzzles
Sicilian, Najdorf 7.f4 (ECO B96)  - 10 puzzles
Sicilian, Najdorf 7...Qb6 (ECO B97)  - 10 Puzzles
Sicilian, Najdorf 7...Be7 (ECO B98) - 10 puzzles
Sicilian, Najdorf, 7...Be7 Main line (ECO B99)  - 11 Puzzles

Najdorf LiChess Puzzles - SicilianNajdorf Variation  - 7300 Puzzles

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Najdorf Video Lessons

Najdorf Sicilian - 18 video playlist - FM James Canty III
Sicilian Najdorf  -  46 video playlist  - Chessbase India
( Anish Giri teaches the Sicilian Najdorf  - 2hr  - Chessbase india )  Nice Video in Playlist
Najdorf Sicilian - 10 Video playlist - Robert Plunketts Chess Lab  (All Lessons)

GM Neiksans Boot Camp #21 - Sicilian Najdorf for Black - 3.5 Hrs 

6th Move Options Against Najdorf TIER LIST | GM Moulthun Ly  - 20 Min

How to Play the Sicilian Najdorf - Chess Openings Explained  - 47 min  St.Louis CC

Falling in love with the Sicilian Najdorf with GM Daniel King - 1.5 hr  Chessbase India

Chess Openings Tutorial : Sicilian Defence - Najdorf Scheveningen etc (for black) - kingcrusher

The Deadly Najdorf in 2021 | Understanding Practical Chess - FM Thalia Cervantes - 53 Min

St. Louis Chess Club

Learn the Najdorf: English Attack 2 | Chess Openings Explained - NM Caleb Denby - 63 Min
Learn the 6.Bg5 Najdorf! | Prepare Like A Pro - GM Josh Sheng  - 52 min
Learn the Najdorf: More 6.Bg5 | Chess Openings Explained - NM Caleb Denby - 69 Min
Learn the Najdorf: The Poisoned Pawn | Chess Openings Explained - NM Caleb Denby - 63 Min
Learn the Najdorf: English Attack 1 | Chess Openings Explained - NM Caleb Denby - 41 Min
Learn the Najdorf: Fischer–Sozin Attack #1 | Chess Openings Explained - NM Caleb Denby - 60 min
Learn the Najdorf: Fischer–Sozin Attack #2 | Chess Openings Explained - NM Caleb Denby - 55 Min
Learn the Najdorf: 6.Be2 | Chess Openings Explained - NM Caleb Denby - 66 Min
Learn the Najdorf: More 6.Be2 | Chess Openings Explained - NM Caleb Denby - 56 Min
Najdorf by Dorsa | Chess Openings Explained - IM Dorsa Derakhshani - 52 min
Play the Sicilian: Najdorf #1 | Chess and Psychology - IM Dorsa Derakhshani - 66 Min
Play the Sicilian: Najdorf #2 | Chess and Psychology - IM Dorsa Derakhshani - 57 min

Najdorf Structures | Mastering the Middlegame - WGM Tatev Abrahamyan - 42 min

White Against Najdorf

Crush the Sicilian Najdorf the Easy Way with the Classical Variation | Chess Opening Blueprint - 38Min
GM Neiksans Boot Camp #3 - Anti Najdorf  - 2 Hr
Anti-Najdorf Part - 1 by GM Igor Smirnov - 17 Min
Anti-Najdorf Part - 2 by GM Igor Smirnov  - 22 Min

Sicilian Najdorf  Traps and Tactics

Chess Tactics in The Sicilian Najdorf 💣 GM Niclas Huschenbeth [80/20 Tactics]  - 26 Min

Dirty Chess Tricks against Sicilian defense - 2 (Najdorf Variation)  - 13 Min

Webinar: Explosive Tactics 💣 for Black in the Sicilian Najdorf - GM Rafael Leitao - 55 min

Najdorf Game Videos -  (W/ Analysis)

Sicilian Defence: Najdorf   -  232 Video playlist - kingscrusher

Kasparov's Masterpiece in Sicilian Najdorf  -  14 min  - GM Igor Smirnov
Kasparov CRUSHES 😲 Anand with the Sicilian Najdorf (Anand vs Garry Kasparov) - 33 Min

 

  

Ruy Lopez (Spanish) - Marshall Attack (Gambit) C89

Demystifying the Marshall Gambit:
A Comprehensive Guide

Marshall Attack Wikipedia Page

 Dive into the rich history and tactical brilliance of the Marshall Gambit with a curated collection of articles, studies, and game analyses.

The Marshall Gambit in the Ruy López Opening

 (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 O-O 8.c3 d5)

is known for its sharp and aggressive play,
which can lead to tactical and exciting games.

Bishop's Bounty Ruy Lopez (Spanish) Main Page

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Marshall Gambit Articles 

The Marshall Gambit  - Huge page with Pictures, History and games. (Really Well Done)

Marshall Gambit – Playing Against the Ruy Lopez  - Chessable Blog Opening Guide (Nice place to Start)

 Openings for Tactical Players: Ruy Lopez, Marshall Attack  -  Chess.com Article by GM  Serper

 

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Marshall Gambit LiChess Studies

Marshall attack  - 56 Chapter Study   (Study at Top of post)

RANSACK the Ruy Lopez  - 4 Chapter Study

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Games Databases

 

365Chess.com

C89: Ruy Lopez, Marshall counter-attack  - 3386 Games  (7 Sub-Varients Listed w/Links)

Chessgames.com

Ruy Lopez, Marshall (C89)  - 1643 games  (1893 -2023)

Chess Tempo

Spanish game marshall Attack (C89)  -  1699 Games

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Marshall Gambit Video Lessons

Ruy Lopez, Marshall Attack | Chess Openings Explained - 60 min - St.Louis CC
Maul 'em with the Marshall Attack | Chess Openings Explained  - 45 Min - St. Louis CC

Learn How to Use The Marshall Attack in The Spanish Opening - Chess24 - 20 min - GM Gustofsson
Master the Marshall Attack ⎸Chess Openings, Ruy Lopez, Marshall (C89) - 20 Min - Hanging Pawns

Tactics and Traps

Marshall Attack: Almost 6000 People Made This Mistake - 6 Min
Spanish Marshall - The f3 Faux Pas (trap no. 250) -  4 Min
Spanish Marshall - Original Marshall 11…Nf6 idea #1 (trap no. 256) - 5 Min
Spanish Marshall - Original Marshall 11 Nf6 idea #2 (trap no. 257)  - 3 Min
Spanish Marshall - Original Marshall 11…Nf6 idea #3 (trap no. 258) - 4 Min
Spanish Marshall - Original Marshall 11…Nf6 idea #4 (trap no. 259) - 5 Min

Marshall Gambit Game Videos (Analyzed)

Ruy Lopez: Marshall Gambit - Chess Opening  - 31 Video playlist - kingscrusher

Master Class | Ruy Lopez | Chess Speedrun | Grandmaster Naroditsky  - 20 Min
Chess Opening: Marshall Attack (Gambit) - Ruy Lopez - 13 Min  Remote Chess Academy
Carlsen plays the Marshall Gambit | Maxime Vachier-Lagrave vs Magnus Carlsen - 21 Min 
Using Your Special Attack Against the World Champion (Marshall vs Capa) - 17 min - GM Nakamura
The Marshall Attack! || Radjabov vs Ding || FIDE World Cup (2019)  - 9 Min - Agadmantor
New Poison in the Marshall Attack! || Carlsen vs Ding - 14 Min - Agadmantor
Ivanchuk Unleashes the Marshall Attack  - 17 min - Agadmantor

 

Evaluating a Chess Position - Chess Strategy

 

 Positional Evaluation Resources

Chess evaluation is a critical process that involves analyzing the various aspects of a given chess position to determine the strengths and weaknesses of each player. This involves assessing the material balance, pawn structure, piece mobility, king safety, and other relevant factors to determine which player has the advantage and by how much. The primary objective of chess evaluation is to provide players with the necessary information to make informed decisions about their next moves and overall strategy.

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 Books (Free)

Test and improve your chess : numerical evaluation and other improvement techniques - 136 Page PDF
The Art of Chess Analysis by Jan Timman - 210 page PDF
 

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Chess Evaluation Articles

How to Evaluate Chess Positions (Example)  - Long Chess.com Article by IM Jeremy Silman
How to evaluate a position?  -  Chess.com Article by IM Mat Kolosowski
5 Easy Steps to Evaluate a Chess Position Like a GM - GM Noel Studer  (Chessmood Article) Nice.
Example of How to Evaluate a Chess Position  - Chessfox guide

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Evaluation LiChess Studies

How to analyze a chess game - 8 Chapter interactive Study  (1750) hearts)
How to evaluate ANY position  - 6 Chapter interactive Study

 

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Evaluation Video Lessons

Evaluating Positions & Creating Plans - IM Irina Krush - 2013.10.16 - 46 Min

Evaluate 📝 Chess Positions Immediately! - IM Lilov [Free Training] - 55 Min
Chess Strategy Mastery 🎓 How To Evaluate a Chess Position - GM Bryan Smith (The Chess World) - 47 Min
Get Better at Chess Evaluation And Chess Strategy with GM Damian Lemos! - 36 Min

The Amateur's Mind - The secrets of evaluating - 27 Min - IM Andreas Toth
The Amateur's Mind 18 - Decision making and assessment in chess - 52 min - IM Andreas Toth

How To Evaluate ANY Chess Position - 23 Min - Gotham Chess
How to Evaluate Chess Positions? Ft. Magnus Carlsen - 13 Min - Remote Chess Academy

NM Dan Heisman

Chess Evaluation Criteria - Who is better, how much & why? - 30 min - NM Dan Heisman
Find Better Chess Moves - Evaluate Like a GM  - 33 min
Improve Chess Evaluation: Not All Bads are Equally Bad - 29 Min
Evaluating Chess Pieces: Activity and Mobility - 29 Min
Award Winning Chess Video: The Ways to Make Better Moves - 24 Min

IM Alex Asteneh

Improver - 13.Unit: Evaluation of the Position - 5 Video Playlist
How to find the right Plan? | Evaluation Training Lesson | Improver Level | IM Alex Astaneh - 32 Min
How to evaluate Chess Positions | Principles & Key Factors | Improver Level | IM Alex Astaneh - 20 Min

Chess.com

Chess Strategy: How to Evaluate Positions - Part 1! - 10 Min
Chess Strategy: How to Evaluate Positions - Part 2!  - 12 min

 

 

 

 

FREE Chessable Tactics Courses

 

Chessable offers a comprehensive list of free tactics courses that are accessible to everyone.

 These courses cover a wide range of tactical themes, including pins, forks, skewers, and more. Whether you're a beginner or an advanced player, these courses provide a great opportunity to improve your tactical skills and sharpen your chess tactics.

The best part is that you only need to create a free account on Chessable to access all these courses. With just a few clicks, you can start learning and practicing these tactics in a fun and interactive way, without having to spend a dime. So why not take advantage of this amazing resource and start improving your chess skills today?

 

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Tactics Problem Books

Chessable Challenge  - 61 Tactics problems  From the Opening to the Endgame (Kind of a Test of your Chess Knowledge)

Basic Checkmate Patterns  - 35 Basic mating Patterns w/ 1hr 14 min video

Basic Chess Patterns - 50 Tactics Problems  (Beginner and Intermediate)

Typical Tactical Tricks: 500 Ways To Win!  -  510 Tactics Problems  -  (Really Great Free Course -Beginner to Intermediate)

Bishops on the Attack  - 202 Tactics problems  (All Using Bishops)

King on the Attack   - 60 Tactics problems  (Using the King as a fighting Piece)

Knights on the Attack - 200 Tactics problems (Learn to look for those Forks)

Rooks on the Attack -  200 Tactics problems (Rook tactics)

Pawns on the Attack  - 200 tactics Problems (Checkmates, combinations and tactics, and endgames)

Queen on the Attack  - 225 Tactics problems  (All taken from games where Players are 2500+)

Tactical Resources: Creative Attack & Defense - 38 tactics problems (High Quality positions to practice attacking and Defending)

Tactical Resources: Creative Attack & Defense 2  -  38 tactics problems

Tactics Madness   - 55 Tactics Problems - From User Submitted games

Cool & Forcing Combinations  - 45 tactics problems

Trompowsky Tactics 1. d4 Nf6 2. Bg5 -  123 Tactics problems  from this opening

Dodgy's 1. e4 e5 Tactics  -  249 Tactics  Problems 
( Learn Openings and tactics that arise in them)
Scotch Game and Scotch Gambit
Italian Game (Giuoco Piano)
King’s Gambit
Vienna Game
Danish Gambit

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Tournaments

(These Are Free courses with Analysis of the Games and Normally a Tactic from that game to practice)

World Chess Championship 2021: Carlsen vs. Nepomniachtchi  -  2hr 50min Free Video, 100 positions to practice. Amazing Analysis of these games.

Tournament Tactics: Tata Steel Chess 2020  - 3hr 21Min Free Video, 146 Tactics to practice

Champions Chess Tour 2021  -  54hrs Free Video  -  823 trainable Variations   (Pretty Amazing Free Course)

Chessable Masters Tournament  - 4hr 31 Min Free Video -  65 trainable variations

2021 Superbet Chess Classic | Grand Chess Tour -  110 Trainable variations

#TwitterChessTournament Tactics  -  65 Trainable Variations   (Amateur Tournament w/Tactics)

Olympiad Tactics 2018  -  112 Trainable Variations 

Champions Chess Tour 2021 [ESP]  - 394 trainable Variations  (Course in Spanish but the Chess is pretty universal)

Razor-Sharp Tactics: Women’s World Rapid & Blitz 2022  -  109 Trainable variations ( NEW Course Broken down into East , Medium, Hard Tactics)

 (All of these courses can be used for Free with their Movetrainer. You can set it to Woodpecker them as well. For Free you can run 5 courses at any one time and practice till your hearts desire )

 

Alekhine's Defense - 4 Pawns Attack B03

Created A page for this Variation and have added a link to it on my Alekhine's Defense Page.

Alekhine's Defense - 4 Pawns Attack B03

Alekhine's Defense B02 - B05 

 Link On Sidebar under Opening Theory links