How to play the Najdorf, Mr. Kasparov?

3/9/2006 – When the greatest player of all time offers to teach you chess, you sit up and listen. When he shows you his favourite opening, the one for which he became famous, this is even more compelling. But when he does it in high quality video, moving the pieces on a graphic chessboard as he speaks, it is positively breath-taking. Garry Kasparov's latest DVD is out.

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Garry Kasparov
How to play the Najdorf Vol. 2

The Najdorf system in the Sicilian Defence has a legendary reputation as a defensive weapon for Black. It is an opening where people often strive for a full point, instead of simply defending the position with the black pieces.

Many great players have contributed to the development of this complex opening. There were two world champions who formed much of their careers using the Najdorf system as their weapon of choice against 1.e4: Bobby Fischer and Garry Kasparov. Both players celebrated spectacular successes with it, both used the Najdorf (pronounced “nigh-dorff”, rhyming with “high-dwarf”) during their child prodigy years and retained it as an important part of their repertoire during their entire careers. For Garry Kasparov this added up to experience with the Najdorf at the very highest levels of chess.

For chess amateurs and professionals alike it is a great moment when the world’s leading expert shares all the secrets in his favourite opening. In part one Garry Kasparov introduced the various sub-systems of the Najdorf, including the central “Poisoned Pawn” variation. Part two, that is now shipping, is devoted to the main lines against 6.Bg5 e6 7.f4. This includes the legendary Polugaevsky Variation.

The DVD contains more than two hours of first-class private tuition. The package includes the latest ChessBase 9.0 Reader, a big reference database featuring all relevant Najdorf games, as well as a complete opening book that can be used to practice what you have learnt with Fritz.

Lines in Najdorf 2:

Intro 6.Bg5 e6
I 7.f4 Be7 8.Qf3 Qc7 9.0-0-0 Nbd7
2 10.g4 b5 11.Bxf6
3 10.Qg3
4 10.Bd3

II 7.f4 Nbd7
5 8.Qf3 Qc7 9.0-0-0 b5 10.Bd3
6 10.Bxb5
7 10.e5
8 8.Qe2
9 8.Bc4

III 7.f4 Qc7
10 8.Qf3 b5 9.0-0-0 b4
11 8.Qf3 b5 9.Bxf6 gxf6 10.e5
12 8.Qf3 b5 9.f5 b4 10.Ncb5
13 8.Qe2
14 8.Qxf6 gxf6 9.Qd2

IV Polugaevsky variation:
15 7.f4 b5 8.e5 dxe5 9.fxe5 Qc7
10.exf6 Qe5 11.Be2 Qxg5 12.0-0
16 12.Qd3
17 10.Qe2 Nfd7 11.0-0-0 Nc6
18 11.0-0-0 Bb7 12.Nxe6
19 12.Qg4
20 12.Qg4 Qxe5 13.Bd3
21 13.Be2
22 12.Qg4 Qb6
23 12.Qg4 Qb6 13.Be2 + Outro

Openings repertoire for Black

ISBN 3-937549-78-1 – Price: 29.99 €