IsaVulpes wrote on 10/01/20 at 21:15:25:


I still think this is a lot less to learn than the PP and you have a better chance of figuring things out if you forget the analysis or White plays a novelty.  I still haven't seen any White try than would unduly worry me.  Having said that, I haven't played the Najdorf in many many years.

When will I learn to *always* click that little button before posting my opinion? Although in this case I should have noticed without the engine, I still need to learn that new habit.

Agree with Glenn Snow. Something is amiss in the variation given by IsaVulpes:
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 10.Bd3 h6 11.Qh3 Nb6 12.f5 e5 13.Nb3 Bd7 14.Nd2 O-O-O 15.Bxf6 Bxf6 16.Bc4? is just dropping a piece. I only found one game with 14.Nd2 and white was reduced to waiting around for black to do something...

BadDays wrote on 09/30/20 at 15:47:52:

Do you like his coverage of 11.Qh3?

My current line there runs 11..Nb6 12.f5 e5 13.Nb3 Bd7 14.Nd2 000 15.Bf6: Bf6: 16.Bc4, with Nd5 Nxd5 Bxd5 to follow, and the entire position just feels like a long-term plus to me.

Don't know if I missed some grand Black deviation, but there's not that much room for alternatives? DB is a pretty small game sample after 13.Nb3 - but rather crushing score, as well.

That very much depends on the Anti. Calling 3.Bb5 toothless is just silly.

Regarding the book, does he recommend something particularly unique against 10.Bd3 in 6.Bg5? The more I look at it, the more it feels like some very good chances for a White advantage

The author proposes 6.Bc4 e6 and 7...Nc6 against any White 7th move, not just against 7.Be3. This is perhaps a bit more work than other playable repertoires against 6.Bc4, but the Najdorf entails a lot of work in any event and Vigorito makes a good case for his choice.

mxstoe wrote on 05/16/20 at 10:58:59:

He recommends 7...Nc6 against everything, including 7.Bb3.

What does he recommend against 6.Bc4 e6 and now not Bb3 ?
(for example 7. Be3: does he transpose to the Velimirovic with Nc6 or does he recommend another move? /7. 0-0 and here 7....Nc6 or another move?)

As a confirmed Caro Kann player, I must confess I have succumbed to the temptation to buy this book. I put it down to trying to play the Najdorf when I was first getting into the game, driven by Fischer hero worship (a not uncommon comment I know). Anyway, I came to my senses and played the Open Games for years, before getting into the Caro. I still think the Caro will remain my main defence but I have always been tempted to try the Najdorf, at least in friendlies or on the internet. This book seemed to hit all the right notes e.g. ...,e5 whenever possible, the "sensible" main line against Bg5 and the stated intention to try to "teach" the Najdorf to it's readers. I'm impressed at first glance and have scanned out the basic repertoire in ChessBase. I intend to use it, read based on games played and if the worst it does is sharpen my tactical ability and feel for the initiative, I will be very satisfied. I'll also probably play better in the sharp Caro main line with Bf5 !

BobbyDigital80 wrote on 12/18/19 at 04:42:50:


White can force a draw in at least one line.

Laramonet wrote on 12/11/19 at 20:40:10:

After 536 pages of Najdorf analysis, the book concludes with an 8-page bonus.

The Appendix starts off referring the reader to:

Grandmaster Repertoire 6A  by Kotronias which is a 500-page book on just anti-Sicilians, and

Grandmaster Repertoire 6 by Ftacnik which also includes anti-Sicilian coverage.

Quote:

2.Nc3 Trickery is a one-page discussion, reminiscent of Transpo Tricks by Soltis.

The Moscow Variation is 6 pages of analysis on 3...Nd7.

For 3...Bd7 the reader is referred to Ftacnik, for 3...Nc6 to Kotronias.

Bibs wrote on 12/15/19 at 10:36:26:



Thanks! I'm more of a lurker now.

At my level of play, I don't expect my opponents to know all the PP theory anyway so it hasn't been an issue. White is playing with even more risk than Black so I think it's a fair line. The forcing and initiative seeking play also makes sense to me. A lot of moves you can just eliminate on principle. I guess the biggest problem with it is that maybe someone could force a draw as White but I've never seen that.

Anyway, I don't have the book yet and I own more Najdorf books than I've actually read. Is there a particular line here that gets far better coverage than in other books? Basically, what's the selling point compared to most of the ones in the last year or so?

Bibs wrote on 12/15/19 at 10:36:26:


I am not an expert at all, status same as you (and not as strong player). But I have looked at the line a bit now, and it doesn't look like much fun for Black. I'd say that there is an improvement on the analyzed game in the side note, on move 22 (has been played in one corr-game before). I doubt that too many will find this, but the resulting variation looks rather thankless for Black. Sure, the knight on e5 is well placed, but to me it seems like White is playing for two results here.

7...Be7 still looks like less theory than the Poisoned Pawn, Gelfand, etc. Saying "it looks like Black is going to get mated at any second" makes me wonder if you've even read the chapters? I have it on Forward Chess and it all looks pretty reasonable to me. Any it's what the author has played. In any case, there are a million Najdorf books that cover other lines. Did we need a third book on the Poisoned Pawn?

I'm really struggling to understand why he'd ever pick Be7. I'm sure it's ultimately sound if Black plays the correct moves but it always looks like Black's about to get mated at any second and White isn't playing with the same risk as in the Poisioned Pawn. It even seems like it's just as much theory in some of the lines presented here. He'd probably avoid more theory with some early Nbd7 move instead. Can anyone really explain this to me? Am I missing some advantage of Be7 besides just the fact that the author is very familiar with it?

I think it looks magnificent Scary yes, but oh so very principled and sicillian like.

Laramonet wrote on 12/11/19 at 20:40:10:


It is a discussion on what to chose against the Anti-Sicilians as a Najdorf player (not a full repertoire). The main topics are 2. Nc3 and the Moscow variation.

Can anyone who has the book comment on the Anti-Sicilian Appendix mentioned on the contents page of the sample ?

Sorry , 
13.-Bg5, -Nc5, or -0-0

Lauri Torni wrote on 12/10/19 at 08:15:54:


13...0-0

https://www.chess4less.com/playing-the-najdorf-a-practical-repertoire-david-vigo...

20 available for immediate delivery

Is it released early in paper form.

I have bought it, couldn't help myself! I normally play the Kan, and have been looking at the Sveshnikov, but really want to learn the Najdorf as well, lol. Haven't had a look at the details yet, but I like the idea with mixed lines and whole annotated games.