9.Bf3! is the right move to play- actually this plan, regardless if white plays Be3 or Be2 first, is one of the most dangerous ones against the Najdorf. Castling is not a priority- Black has no good way to obstruct white's normal development.
The choice between Be3 and Be2 (first) depends on what white likes to play against the ...e6 formations.
Actually Black may "force" Be2 first by 6.Be3 Ng4 7.Bc1 (7.Bg5 does not give Black any real problems, according to the recent theory trends) 7...Nf6, etc.

Quote:


Well Tony, this is not like I have no clue. I have surveyed already all the available databases and a couple of nice trees and books (literature) so I have a pretty fair idea of how the game unfold in most of the cases ... I am not asking for grid computing and replying by inserting the computer analysis.

I am looking for thoughts on the positions and the merits of the various plans... That said I can follow whatever tree and most likely make a draw  .

For instance, I did notice that an early a4 (hinted at by Vass) by white is kind of "killing" black with a serious bind if not careful even though the move is not at all among the engines favorite with a superficial glance !

so overall I don´t see this as unethical, this is more an "informal" discussion, as my lovely trainer puts "all these words are nice, what counts are the moves".

**edit** : why not make of this thread a nice discussion on this variant / position. After all, this is what is the forum about : exchanging ideas about the game of chess !

brabo wrote on 04/13/14 at 06:26:42:


Hello Brabo, thanks. 

Interesting game. The funny thing is that I mentioned that I like the early b6/a5 (or a5/b6) idea as your opponent played. 

Regarding the ethic, no worries initially my aim was (still is) to discuss the available plans for black and their merits/drawbacks in the position after white´s 12th move, it won´t be a move-by-move stuff, but I ll post the game at some point when it is advanced and various stuff for discussion in the meantime.

Hello All,

Finally, I decided to go for the classical 12...Rc8. 

I liked the idea of trying to forestall white´s play on the queenside with an anticipated 12...b6-a5 but it has the inconvenient to allow (maybe) an immediate strike in the center.

So let´s induce white in playing c4 and proceed in typical manner.

LGXIII wrote on 04/11/14 at 09:37:00:


Can you tell us why you are looking at this position as today very few players are entering this line with white?

I know as I am one of these few players so naturally have a more than average interest in this position. I got this position in official games 9 times on the board against opposition 2200-2450 fide. However I use a different move-order with white.
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be2 e5 7.Nb3 Be7 8.0-0 0-0 9.Be3 Be6 10.Nd5 Nbd7 11.Qd3 Bxd5 12.exd5 and now I encountered
4x Nc5, 2x Re8, 1x Rc8, 1x Ne8, 1x e4 In all these games an interesting complex strategic fight happened on the board. Probably it is very well playable for black but I keep playing it with white as there is no quick draw, experience certainly helps to make better decisions and white can often create chances.

I want to add one important detail about the move-order. You play Qd3 before Nd5 which is something I wanted to play to avoid the possibility 10...Nxe4 as my move-order permits and leading to very complicated play. However first Qd3 permits 10...Nc6 instead of 10...Nbd7 after which I couldn't find anything interesting for white which is also shown by the statistics.

kylemeister wrote on 04/11/14 at 14:22:56:


Hello Kyle,

In one of my current game, I had some great fun looking at what the computer was doing ... I am in a Najdorf English Attack with 8...h5 (playing the black side) after the play took a positional nature, the computer "left alone" was turning around in 3 fold repetitions 2 or 3 times already...

These are just calculators really and besides helpless without opening books made by humans and without middlegame plans also by humans  !

[quote author=44736161120 link=1397209020/1#1 date=1397214593]Well, you have to be aware of possible transpositions on the way to the position you give (after 12.exd5).
12...Ne8 is a good chance for black to complicate things, however white has 11.a4... which doesn't allow such knight manoevres. The purpose for white's 11.a4 is to improve on the queenside before playing Nc3-d5.

Hello Vass,

Thanks for the reply. 

Indeed, this plan with a4 looks to be a real pain for black to handle in any of the "main" variations just by the look of the middlegame positions... None of the options where there is "immediate action" look promising for black if white is careful.

Therefore b6 is tempting (with an idea of a5 at some point later) and then slowly expand on the kingside but this goes against my OTB sense to look for active play quicker with black.

PS : Nice handling of the endgame ! manoeuvre like Bc4 - Be6 from black looks typically computerish  (ok maybe the white queen is worse on d2 but still...)

By the way,  just wanted to thank you for your various contributions on the forum, many interesting reads for me !