Robbie you got to be a an ace tactician and have a memory like
10 elephants to play the Najdorf.
I'll play the Latvian against anyone.
I played the Najdorf just once - I won - but the ideas I saw for
White scared me witless. One tiny tiny incorrect move and a piece
(usually a Knight) lands on e6. I'll never play it again. Ever.
My record against it when I played 3.d4 was a huge plus.
I just developed and sacced something.
Far too much theory on it and some of the mainlines have White
sacs that you MUST know.
You give up a lot of space and waste a lot of developing time.
Leave it to the likes of Fischer, Kasparov and Tal.
Anyway these days you won't get one - the fashion appears to be
the Morra or Wing gambit, KIA's or one of the Bb5 lines.
I thought you London System players played the Caro Kann?
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Easy Guide to the Najdorf by Tony Kosten
http://www.amazon.com/Easy-Guide-Najdorf-Tony-Kosten/dp/1857445295
is a good, relatively modern reference that you should be able to find in bargain bins. I've been thinking about playing it myself lately - have always booked on the white-side - maybe could help avoid mistakes from the black. Did Carlsen's recent tutelage by Kasparov inspire you? He's tearing up that Nanjing tournament!
Originally posted by robbie carrobieI think a great place to start would be the Kasparov-Short World Championship match. The games were great, and would be a high-quality starting point.
hi, anyone know any good books or videos on the najdorf that they could recommend?
GM Danny King wrote a book entitled Winning with the Najdorf that I think is out of print, but I bet you could find a used copy somewhere.
John Nunn, Bobby Fischer, and Walter Browne were all great practitioners of the defense, and their games would be worthy of study.
There's also Richard Palliser's Starting Out: The Najdorf Sicilian
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1857443926?tag=clermchesscon-20&camp=14573&creative=327641&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=1857443926&adid=16AD68V0M1WQDXBZCECZ&
Paul
OOPs.
Too busy warning you that you have to be a good player to get
out of the opening alive.
Winning with the Najdorf by King is good.
It's complete games - a few played by him, 60 in all.
I picked it up 2nd hand and have enjoyed just playing through
the games. He uses a lot of Fischer's games both as White and Black.
The crossroad is move 6.
6.Be2. 6.Bc4 6.Bg5 6.f4 6.g3 6.h3. 6.a4
He states 6.Be2 is the most common move he faces.
I like King's writing. He has a specific player in mind and does not
shoot above it. You feel comfortable with him and he will not
offer you reams of analysis to wade though.
The section on 6. Bc4 is the bit you can see he enjoyed doing the
most. You cannot fail but to write inspired when you have excellent
games as these to note up.
In this position. de Firmian - Browne USA 1989
White has just played 14,Nd5!
King writes.
"Caramba. It looks as though Black is going to to get mushed -
but don't panic! 14...Bd8."
(Browne goes on to lose after 15.Re3?! again highlighting some
of the very difficult positions you have to handle in this opening).
A good book. It will give you a feel for the opening and the games
are excellent. But you have to ask yourself...
"Do you really want to be sitting behind the Black pieces on a cold
wet Sunday round 4 morning staring at a Knight on e6 which
theory says you can take and you cannot remember why?"
So the next time you wander out of that place you call Glasgow
and visit the Athens of the North. Let me know and I'll pass on the
book to you.
Note:
To give another indication of howe difficult things can be OTB
in this opening. Michael Stean wrote a Batsford book on the Najdorf.
After it's publication Stean resigned as Black in 15 moves v Beliavsky.
So what hope do us bottom feeders have if even the experts on this
opening flounder.
Originally posted by TerrierJackthanks Jack, it sounds just about my level, the eeeeasyyyyy guide to the Najdorf, sounds good!
Easy Guide to the Najdorf by Tony Kosten
http://www.amazon.com/Easy-Guide-Najdorf-Tony-Kosten/dp/1857445295
is a good, relatively modern reference that you should be able to find in bargain bins. I've been thinking about playing it myself lately - have always booked on the white-side - maybe could help avoid mistakes from the black. Did Carlsen's recent tutelage by Kasparov inspire you? He's tearing up that Nanjing tournament!
Actually ive been searching for something against 1.e4 for ages, so far ive tried the French with mixed results, the Modern which i like although ive had my a$$ kicked not a few times, and the Sicilian without actually knowing anything about it after 2.d6. I felt is was time to actually try to learn something with regard to thematic moves and the concepts as Macpo so well intimated in a post elsewhere.
I play the Najdorf OTB with excellent results. It does require a bit of memorization just in case, but you usually won't need it after the 10-12th move as most White players even up to "A" caliber in the States haven't memorized the lines that well. Know your basics (d5 as soon as possible, pressure down the c-file, etc. etc.) and watch the sac points e6, d5, b5. You'll kill or be killed and who wants to play boring endgames anyway?
Originally posted by no1marauderyes this is the point No.1 its very sharp and decisive.
I play the Najdorf OTB with excellent results. It does require a bit of memorization just in case, but you usually won't need it after the 10-12th move as most White players even up to "A" caliber in the States haven't memorized the lines that well. Know your basics (d5 as soon as possible, pressure down the c-file, etc. etc.) and watch the sac points e6, d5, b5. You'll kill or be killed and who wants to play boring endgames anyway?
Originally posted by Paul Leggettyes Paul here is a great Walter Browne game, in which he sacrifices a piece in the so called English attack (f3, Be3) variation. White gets great development and three pawns for the piece, from the U.S. Open 2004.
I think a great place to start would be the Kasparov-Short World Championship match. The games were great, and would be a high-quality starting point.
GM Danny King wrote a book entitled Winning with the Najdorf that I think is out of print, but I bet you could find a used copy somewhere.
John Nunn, Bobby Fischer, and Walter Browne were all great =14573&creative=327641&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=1857443926&adid=16AD68V0M1WQDXBZCECZ&
Paul
if black on move 18 had played ...Ra8 with the idea of ...Qa5 and castling things may have been quite different as in this position.
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As an aside (and no offense meant to GreenPawn) I think players fear memorization too much - on here you've got books (and still most vary from the book in the first 6 moves!) and OTB you're not likely facing a professional (doubt Rob and I are anyway.) You're playing a guy racking his brains to remember what the wife asked him to pick up at the store! Play what interests you! I know we're all supposed to pretend we are trying to get better but quite frankly I'm not 14 - I'm not going to break into the next super tournament - I play for fun - that's why I can't understand the epidemic of cheaters around here - what are they getting out of it? Some of them pretend they're trying to get better (which we all know is crap) and some of them are apparently so stupid that they are proud of letting a programmer do their work for them. It is sad. What is not sad is taking the ride of your life walking along the same narrow path that Tal and Fischer tread. Who cares if you (or your opponent) fall? Have fun!
Originally posted by TerrierJackHear hear! Well said, my good man.
As an aside (and no offense meant to GreenPawn) I think players fear memorization too much - on here you've got books (and still most vary from the book in the first 6 moves!) and OTB you're not likely facing a professional (doubt Rob and I are anyway.) You're playing a guy racking his brains to remember what the wife asked him to pick up at the store! P ...[text shortened]... ow path that Tal and Fischer tread. Who cares if you (or your opponent) fall? Have fun!
Originally posted by TerrierJacka wonderful analogy Jack, the Aonach Eagoch Ridge walk of the chess board, it may be three thousand feet to the bottom of the glen either side, but its truly exhilarating to walk.
As an aside (and no offense meant to GreenPawn) I think players fear memorization too much - on here you've got books (and still most vary from the book in the first 6 moves!) and OTB you're not likely facing a professional (doubt Rob and I are anyway.) You're playing a guy racking his brains to remember what the wife asked him to pick up at the store! P ...[text shortened]... ow path that Tal and Fischer tread. Who cares if you (or your opponent) fall? Have fun!