How to Beat the Najdorf

Based on the games of the strongest players, (2500+) what is considered the best way to fight the Najdorf? Maybe someone can run some Chessbase statistics? 😉

Please stop lecturing me on what to study and just answer my question. You have no idea how much time I spent on openings, tactics, strategy or the endgame. The opening is probably about 30% of the time I spent on studying chess.

Despite the greater importance of the other areas of chess, a good understanding of the opening is key to success. After all, knowing an opening well will give you important strategic insight, a familiar middle game and an idea of roughly how well you would do in the endgame as well as how to handle it. It is by no means to be ignored, even for 1600 players.

But in any case, I I'm probably closer to 1700 than 1600. This rating is provisional and based on my performance on FICS, USCL, ICC, Playchess.com, etc., I think it is not representative.

Anyway, back to the question, what line has worked best for you against the Najdotf? (For me it has been 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bb5+ so far.)

Where did you find this Kasparov quote? I find it hard to believe that he would say that openings are insignificant to a 1900+, Class A player.

Originally posted by JoniG
It does not matter if you still miss 3-5 move semi-proffesssional combinations.

True, but because you reach familiar positions from an opening you know well; that is less likely to happen.

Anyway, let's just get back to the question...

after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6...
3.d4 is by far most common while 3.c3 is far less common but statistically slightly better

3.Bb5+ is more common than 3.c3 but is statistically worse. It is less common than 3.d4 and is statistically worse. If you want numbers let me know...

Originally posted by o0obruceleeo0o
after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6...
3.d4 is by far most common while 3.c3 is far less common but statistically slightly better

3.Bb5+ is more common than 3.c3 but is statistically worse. It is less common than 3.d4 and is statistically worse. If you want numbers let me know...

Thanks, but which database did you use?

BTW: The question is in the first post. What lines after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 are best for white?