Tree path 8 levels King's Pawn Game › Sicilian Defense › Sicilian Defense › Modern Variations › Sicilian Defense › Sicilian Defense › Modern Variations, Main Line › Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation
- Caissa Codex
- King's Pawn Game B00
- Sicilian Defense B20
- Sicilian Defense B27
- Modern Variations B50
- Sicilian Defense B50
- Sicilian Defense B50
- Modern Variations, Main Line B54
- Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation B90 you are here
Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation
Overview
Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation is a specific line in the Semi-Open Games family (ECO B90), arising from a recognised theoretical position.
The Semi-Open Games group covers semi-open games — replies to 1.e4 where Black declines the symmetrical 1…e5 in favour of an asymmetric pawn structure.
It is reached after 10 plies of play, with the move sequence 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6.
The line refines Sicilian Defense: Modern Variations, Main Line, which traces back to the root opening King's Pawn Game.
The line has 9 documented children — Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Adams Attack, Amsterdam Variation, and others being widely played.
Below the direct variations, the full subtree contains 34 documented sub-variations.
Explore the position on the interactive board, study its real-world results from Lichess, and challenge the engine when you are ready.
- ECO code
- B90
- Group
- Semi-Open Games (B)
- Plies
- 10
- Direct variations
- 9
- Total in subtree
- 34
This overview is generated automatically from the opening's metadata. Know this line well? Write a description — submissions are reviewed before publishing.
Statistics from Lichess
17,315,826 games · White 47.7% / Draw 4.8% / Black 47.5%
| Moves | Games | W / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| Bg5 | 4,185,561 | |
| Be3 | 3,291,178 | |
| Bc4 | 2,378,231 | |
| Be2 | 2,135,417 | |
| f3 | 1,352,974 | |
| Bd3 | 1,281,891 | |
| h3 | 665,547 | |
| a4 | 626,058 |
Source: Lichess Opening Explorer · cached 2026-09-26 02:14:58
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Variations (9)
Show all 34 sub-variations (full subtree)
- B94 Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation 11-ply
- B90 Adams Attack 11-ply
- B93 Amsterdam Variation 11-ply
- B90 Dekker Gambit 11-ply
- B90 English Attack 11-ply
- B90 Freak Attack 11-ply
- B90 Lipnitsky Attack 11-ply
- B92 Opocensky Variation 11-ply
- B91 Zagreb Variation 11-ply
- B95 Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation 12-ply
- B90 Anti-English 12-ply
- B94 Ivkov Variation 23-ply
- B92 Modern Line 16-ply
- B92 Traditional Line 16-ply
- B84 Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, Classical Variation 12-ply
- B85 Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, Classical Variation, Paulsen Variation 16-ply
- B90 Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, Delayed Keres Attack 13-ply
- B90 Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, English Attack, with f3 13-ply
- B80 Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, English Attack, with Qd2 13-ply
- B87 Sicilian Defense: Sozin Attack, Flank Variation 14-ply
- B96 Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation 13-ply
- B84 Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Scheveningen Variation 14-ply
- B84 Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, Classical Variation 14-ply
- B90 Perenyi Gambit 17-ply
- B98 Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation 14-ply
- B96 Neo-Classical Defense 14-ply
- B97 Poisoned Pawn Variation 14-ply
- B96 Polugaevsky Variation 14-ply
- B98 Browne Variation 18-ply
- B98 Goteborg Variation 18-ply
- B97 Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Poisoned Pawn Accepted 18-ply
- B96 Simagin Line 19-ply
- B98 Traditional Line 16-ply
- B99 Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Main Line 18-ply