Najdorf Variation, Main Line

The old main line of the Najdorf begins when Black answers 6. Bg5 e6 7. f4 with 7...Be7. That move breaks the pin, so the threat of 8. e5 against the f6-knight loses its force. Play continues 8. Qf3 Qc7 9. O-O-O Nbd7, and the position carries the last Najdorf code, B99. With the kings heading for opposite wings, White gathers queen, rook and bishops against the center and kingside. Black keeps a compact setup: the queen on c7 covers e5, and the d7-knight supports ...b5 and can reroute toward b6 or c5. The structure is known for sacrifices on d5, b2, g7 and f7. Its large volume of analysis, much of it shaped by Fischer's work, made it the reference line for years, until the Poisoned Pawn with 7...Qb6 drew attention away from it.

The most frequent continuation is 10. g4, which prepares g5 to dislodge the f6-knight. The second most common choice, 10. Bd3, scores best for White in the database, while the prophylactic 10. Kb1 is rarer and has done poorly for White. The engine gives White a slight edge and prefers 10. g4, with 10. f5 and 10. a3 as alternatives.