What move does Giri recommend after 10.g4 h6 11.Bxf6 Bxf6 12.h4?

Well, if you still want to know what Giri gives, you can check the free Short & Sweet version.  It has:

6.Bg5 e6 7.f4 Be7 8.Qf3 Qc7 9.0-0-0 Nbd7 10.g4 h6 11.Bh4 b5.  

False. That is in the 10.Be2 line.

legion wrote on 12/27/20 at 20:14:46:


Thanks, legion.  Appreciate the response.

kylemeister wrote on 12/27/20 at 21:10:08:


For some reason I thought he was going to recommend 10...h6 instead of 10...b5.  I don't have the course though so I'm probably wrong.

LeeRoth wrote on 12/27/20 at 15:23:37:


Firstly, I'll correct myself. While Giri's main recommendation is 10. g4 h6, he also gives as alternatives, 10. g4 b5 11. Bxf6 Nxf6 12. g5 Nd7 13. f5 0-0 AND 10. g4 h6, he also gives 10. g4 b5 11. Bxf6 Nxf6 12. g5 Nd7 13. f5 Bxg5. 

I'm very hesitant to say the following, as someone who has only superficial knowledge of the Najdorf: I think his lines in the 13. f5 0-0 system are simpler and less dense than those in Vigorito's book. This is not necessarily a bad thing, as its not meant to be a theory tome. But something practical and meant to be used in spaced memorization. For example, they give exact lines in the 13. f5 0-0 14. f6 variation, but using the chessable tool over a few days has already gotten me much further in memorization than weeks of reading of the same lines in the book.

Another example (against 13.f5 O-O 14.Rg1 b4 15.Nce2 e5 16.f6 exd4 17.fxe7 Re8 18.Nxd4 Ne5 19.Qf4):
Giri's mainline goes 19..Qc5 20.Rg3 Rxe7 21.Nf5 Bxf5 22.exf5 Rc8 23.Rg2 a5 24.Ba6 Ra8 25.f6 Re6 26.Bb7 Ng6 27.Qf2 Rae8 (very easy to remember, but with a possibly long and deary shuffling endgame ahead depending on White's ambitions?). Vigorito's line goes longer, is harder to remember (again, chessable/CPT/listudy might make it work but who knows) but leads to a confirmed perpetual. See, as an online player who plays mostly 3+0 up to 15+10, I prefer mostly 15-18 deep lines that are fighting and lively (e.g Anti-Marshalls where I have bishop pair at cost of pawn) or 30-deep lines that lead to dead draws. Not 30-deep lines that lead to queen-less rook endgames and bishop vs knight disadvantage (defending a 2hour game is different). My point is that I like Vigorito's lines better, but I concede that they are tougher to learn (moreover, without the help of chessable).

Giri's coverage of 13.f5 O-O 14.h4 is extremely skimpy- only 3 variations and each only 3-5 ply deep. It feels slightly suspicious, when Negi gives 14.h4 as his mainline and when Vigorito gives it a lot of respect. But then again, 14.h4 is not popular compared to 14.Rg1 (which Giri gives more lines for). Negi and Vigorito give long analyses here.

As expected of a 1000+ line Chessable course, coverage of White tries is good and extensive, yet with blindspots(missing a3 lines in the 10.g4 b5 system for example). As of now, I have only completed the 10.g4/Bd3 b5 chapters and the quickstarter. I expect the 10. g4 h6 and 6. h3 e5 7. Nb3 Be7 8. Be3 h6 chapters to be more interesting since other black repertoires have not recommended them recently.

Thinking of getting this, as I have flirted with the Najdorf from time to time.  But I have found that Chessable courses, in general, tend to shy away from heavy theory and big main lines in favor of a keep it simple approach.    Maybe that’s not the case here as I saw that Giri also covers 10..b5.  BTW, what does he recommend there?   Also, could you comment on the explanations and depth of analysis.  Are plans well explained?  Does he cover enough of the White tries?    How does the course compare to, say, Vigorito’s book?  Thanks much.