Najdorf Variation, Opocensky Variation, Traditional Line

The Traditional Line arises when Black answers 8. O-O in the Opocensky Variation with 8...O-O. Black castles before deciding where the light-squared bishop goes, instead of choosing the 8...Be6 of the Modern Line. White's two most frequent tries, 9. Be3 and 9. f4, are about equally common, and the prophylactic 9. Kh1 comes next. The engine rates the position as roughly balanced, and in online games Black wins slightly more often than White.