Theoria
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Sicilian Defense

Najdorf Variation, Polugaevsky Variation

B96tacticalaggressive

  1. 1.e4c5
  2. 2.Nf3d6
  3. 3.d4cxd4
  4. 4.Nxd4Nf6
  5. 5.Nc3a6
  6. 6.Bg5e6
  7. 7.f4b5
346 games47%49%

Sharp Najdorf line where Black answers 6. Bg5 e6 7. f4 with 7...b5, expanding on the queenside and inviting the forcing 8. e5.

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About the Polugaevsky Variation

Instead of breaking the pin with 7...Be7, Black ignores White's threat of e5 and plays 7...b5, gaining queenside space with tempo-free development of ...Bb7 in view. The main test is 8. e5, when 8...dxe5 9. fxe5 Qc7 relies on the tactic 10. exf6 Qe5+, picking up the g5-bishop to recover the piece; 10. Qe2 is the Simagin Line. 8. Qf3 and 8. a3 are quieter alternatives. Play is highly forcing and theoretical.

Popular continuations

Named variations 1