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How have White's Responses to the Najdorf Changed over the Years?

It is a matter of fashion.
For most of the popularity surges a single player is responsible.
'Theory, that is me' - Korchnoi

It is a matter of fashion. For most of the popularity surges a single player is responsible. 'Theory, that is me' - Korchnoi

Great post! Love this kind of anaylsis.

Great post! Love this kind of anaylsis.

This is a really nice and interesting analysis! Would love to see the same for some d4 lines, like the indian defenses or Queen's Gambit accepted vs. declined vs. Slav.

This is a really nice and interesting analysis! Would love to see the same for some d4 lines, like the indian defenses or Queen's Gambit accepted vs. declined vs. Slav.

Interesting post ! A unique chess conception that prove how players are relatives and homogeneous even with mental and level difference that we encounter each time a small singularity rather than a misconception of things. Thus ,discussing reasons are thoughtful too, in a way to enrich this purposeful exchange.

Interesting post ! A unique chess conception that prove how players are relatives and homogeneous even with mental and level difference that we encounter each time a small singularity rather than a misconception of things. Thus ,discussing reasons are thoughtful too, in a way to enrich this purposeful exchange.

It's important to note that Be2 and Be3 have some difficulties being statified, because they can transpose into each other, or into others. 6 Be3 can transpose into an English attack if white follows up with Nb3 and Qd2, or into a Be2 Najdorf, or into the Be3 e5 Nf3 Be7 Bc4 lines, and so on. Be2 can also transpose into a line of the English attack (with Be3 and f3) where if white chooses to castle long rather than play Nd5 quickly (followed by castle short), he can quickly get in trouble if he castles long and plays Nd5 later, as the bishop will wish it were on d3, due to tactics on the Be2, c2 square and the pawn on d5). And then there's the line where white plays an english attack setup with Be3/Qd2/h3 rather than f3, which is tricky as it tries to gain a full tempo by playing f2-f4 in one move. Black can exploit this by not playing ...h5, which is normally nice to play against 6 f3 (or ...h6 especially against long castles), since if white wants to push his h-pawn later, he now loses a tempo on that instead. The white 'attack' with h3 and g4-g5 is less dangerous than f3 and g2-g4-g5.

It's important to note that Be2 and Be3 have some difficulties being statified, because they can transpose into each other, or into others. 6 Be3 can transpose into an English attack if white follows up with Nb3 and Qd2, or into a Be2 Najdorf, or into the Be3 e5 Nf3 Be7 Bc4 lines, and so on. Be2 can also transpose into a line of the English attack (with Be3 and f3) where if white chooses to castle long rather than play Nd5 quickly (followed by castle short), he can quickly get in trouble if he castles long and plays Nd5 later, as the bishop will wish it were on d3, due to tactics on the Be2, c2 square and the pawn on d5). And then there's the line where white plays an english attack setup with Be3/Qd2/h3 rather than f3, which is tricky as it tries to gain a full tempo by playing f2-f4 in one move. Black can exploit this by not playing ...h5, which is normally nice to play against 6 f3 (or ...h6 especially against long castles), since if white wants to push his h-pawn later, he now loses a tempo on *that* instead. The white 'attack' with h3 and g4-g5 is less dangerous than f3 and g2-g4-g5.