Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Poisoned Pawn Accepted
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Statistics from Lichess
62,799 games: White 49.5% / Draw 4.8% / Black 45.7%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 20,62821K | ||
| 15,67716K | ||
| 9,4549,454 | ||
| 5,7225,722 | ||
| 4,5054,505 | ||
| 4,2774,277 | ||
| 1,6651,665 | ||
| 443443 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 31, 2026
Engine evaluation
+0.18 The position is about equal
Best play: 10. f5 Be7 11. fxe6 Bxe6 12. Nxe6 fxe6 13. Bc4 Nbd7 14. Bxe6 Nc5
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
Overview
Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Poisoned Pawn Accepted (ECO B97, Semi-Open Games) is a variation of the Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Poisoned Pawn Variation, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 e6 7. f4 Qb6 8. Qd2 Qxb2 9. Rb1 Qa3 (9 moves).
In 62,799 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 49.5%, Black 45.7% and 4.8% were drawn. White's most played move here is 10. e5, in 33% of those games.
Written from the Lichess opening list and explorer. Know this line well? Write about it.
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How to play against the Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Poisoned Pawn Accepted
10. f5 scores best for White: 57.1%, with White winning 53.5% and Black 39.4% of 16K games. The most played, 10. e5, scores 54.4% in 21K games, and 10. Bc4 scores lowest: 38.8%. Stockfish's first choice is also 10. f5.
Main answers: those played in at least 5% of these games. Score: White's wins plus half the draws, in rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500. How to play against other popular openings
Cite this page
Caissa Codex. “Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Poisoned Pawn Accepted (B97)”. Lichess data as of 31 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/sicilian-defense-najdorf-variation-poisoned-pawn-accepted