Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation (5… a6 6. Bg5)
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5
The Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO B94, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5. It is a line of the Sicilian Defense. Black is to move. 2 named lines continue from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 7,206 times by this move order. White won 48%, 4% were drawn and Black won 48%. The most popular continuation is 6… e6 (70% of games).
Engine evaluation: 0.00 (Stockfish, depth 60; best line 6… e6 7. f4 Qb6 8. Qd2 Qxb2 9. Rb1)
- ECO
- B94
- Moves
- 11 plies
- FEN
rnbqkb1r/1p2pppp/p2p1n2/6B1/3NP3/2N5/PPP2PPP/R2QKB1R b KQkq - 1 6- PGN
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 368 | |
| 1500-1999 | 3,190 | |
| 2000+ | 3,648 | |
| All | 7,206 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 6… e6 Najdorf Variation (6. Bg5 e6) | 5,017 (70%) | |
| 6… Nbd7 | 1,058 (15%) | |
| 6… e5 | 741 (10%) | |
| 6… g6 | 87 (1%) | |
| 6… Nc6 | 83 (1%) | |
| 6… h6 | 82 (1%) | |
| 6… b5 | 54 (1%) | |
| 6… Qa5 | 24 (0%) |
Master games
7,037 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 39%, draw 18%, Black 43%). The strongest:
- Ethereal 12.19 (3708) – Stoofvlees II a14 (3730) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 18 Premier 2020 · 2020-05-30
- Stoofvlees II a14 (3730) – Ethereal 12.19 (3708) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 18 Premier 2020 · 2020-05-26
- LCZero0.31-dag-5350a2e-BT4-6147500 (3634) – Stockfishdev-20240513-e608eab8 (3662) 1-0 · TCEC 26 Superfinal 2024 · 2024-05-22
- Stockfishdev-20240513-e608eab8 (3662) – LCZero0.31-dag-5350a2e-BT4-6147500 (3634) 1-0 · TCEC 26 Superfinal 2024 · 2024-05-22
- LCZero 0.28-dev+_69626 (3623) – Stockfish 14_202107131735 (3639) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 21 Superfinal 2021 · 2021-07-29
Search all games of the Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- IM Mlchael (2888) – spartak20 (2723) 1-0 · 2026-09-04 · 180 + 0s
- qdxds (2911) – TIMETOLOCKINN (2668) 0-1 · 2026-09-02 · 180 + 0s
- FM Buyofl (2717) – GladiatorDefence (2777) 0-1 · 2026-09-03 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation (5. Nc3 a6) 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6
Continuations
- Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation (6. Bg5 e6) B95 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 e6
- Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Ivkov Variation B94 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 Nbd7 7. Bc4 Qa5 8. Qd2 e6 9. O-O-O b5 10. Bb3 Bb7 11. Rhe1 Nc5 12. e5
More Sicilian Defense lines (all)
- Sicilian Defense (1. e4 c5) B20
- Sicilian Defense: Amazon Attack B20
- Sicilian Defense: Big Clamp Formation B20
- Sicilian Defense: Bowdler Attack B20
- Sicilian Defense: Brick Variation B20
- Sicilian Defense: Czerniak Attack B20
- Sicilian Defense: Czerniak Attack, Queen Fianchetto Variation B20
- Sicilian Defense: Euwe Attack, Prins Gambit B20
- Sicilian Defense: Gloria Variation B20
- Sicilian Defense: Grob Variation B20
- Sicilian Defense: Keres Variation B20
- Sicilian Defense: King David's Opening B20
Opening names and moves from the Lichess openings dataset; statistics from the Lichess open database, 2026-09 (CC0), sample of 12.6 million games, bots excluded; evaluations from Lichess cloud analysis (all CC0). Master games from The Week in Chess #920–#1664 by Mark Crowther, used with permission.