The Chess Mind

What started (jokingly, of course) as a proposed 15 minute presentation on all of the Sicilians has now reached its fifth part, four on the Najdorf, with each telescoping in with further detail. This week's show covers three variations: the Poisoned Pawn with 10.e5 (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), 7...Qc7 and 7...Nbd7. (The latter is covered in less detail than in this past week's ChessBase show [think of that as part 4a of the series], but it's still substantial - you'll have an excellent idea about where to investigate.)

So if you're ready to dig in to some deep Najdorf theory, or just want to see how hard its advocates must work while you enjoy the easy life, have a look here. The show is free (for at least the next month or so) and is available on demand - as are its predecessors in the Sicilian/Najdorf series.

Next week, the Najdorf series wraps up with the 7...Be7 main line(s).

I like very much that Stefan Bücker has entitled his opening article on 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f5?? "Lower Life in the Latvian Gambit". There's something remarkably appropriate there, but I can't quite put my finger on it. Anyway, while he reaches the conclusion that all sane people do and most of the insane ones do as well, I have a sneaking suspicion that in next month's part 2, he'll try to have the man bite the dog. We'll see!

And it still isn't the last presentation! (So much for "super-fast".) In this week's installment, we finally get to 6.Bg5, the ultimate main line of the Najdorf. Yet it's still premature to call it the main line, because Black has so many options in response. After a brief discussion of some sidelines, I cover several replies to 6...e6 7.f4: 7...Nc6, 7...h6, 7...b5 and "all" of 7...Qb6 except for the old-fashioned and now trendy 8.Qd2 Qxb2 9.Rb1 Qa3 10.e5 variation. That, along with 7...Qc7, 7...Nbd7 and 7...Be7, remains to be covered.

For now, you'll still find plenty of material to keep you entertained and hopefully instructed as well. Just click here and watch. The episode will be available, free and on-demand, for the next month or so.