The Najdorf Bg5 Revisited

The Najdorf Variation of the Sicilian Defence, named after the Polish-Argentine Grandmaster, is one of the most popular chess openings at all levels. It has been defended by many elite players, the three most notable being world champions Robert Fischer, Garry Kasparov and Viswanathan Anand. It has a reputation as a theoretically sound and uncompromising weapon. The positions that emerge in the Najdorf are among the most complex and double-edged positions that can be drawn from any opening, making it a very interesting but also demanding choice. The Najdorf has been part of my repertoire for many years and has brought me many good results.

This book is an ambitious project. I decided to thoroughly investigate the sharpest line of the Najdorf Variant, namely 6.Ag5, and produce a main repository of the current state of his theory. The book you have is the result of many months of research and analysis. It's a step ahead of the currently established theory, because I based much of my analysis on new correspondence and computer games. During my work I discovered many subtle nuances as well as spectacular shots. The material can be challenging in its complexity, but also rewarding in its beauty.

The book is intended primarily for advanced and expert players. Surely it's worth studying even for very strong grandmasters. In general, the higher your level, the more benefits you will get from memorizing the lines of the book. However, lower level players can also benefit from studying the material and trying to understand the complex variations. No doubt it will improve your tactical intuition. I included a large number of exercises (using critical positions from all chapters), in which the reader is required to find the best continuation. I think the process of solving them will greatly help the reader not only to memorize the lines but also to improve his tactical and positional skills.

My three most important sources were: Hiarcs 14zb Opening Book, an invaluable tool that provided a tree of variants based on high-level matchmaking and computer games; 1.e4 of Parimarjan Negi vs The Sicilian I - a modern classic that barely needs introduction; and Playing the Najdorf: A Practical Repertoire by David Vigorito, which is (in my opinion) the best book on the Najdorf to date.

Armed with the knowledge of this book, you can enter the tactical jungle of the 6.Ag5 Najdorf in both colors with confidence. I wish you great success in the most exciting of chess variants!