Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Amsterdam Variation
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. f4
The Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Amsterdam Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO B93, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. f4. It is a line of the Sicilian Defense. Black is to move. 1 named line continues from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 678 times by this move order. White won 49%, 6% were drawn and Black won 45%. The most popular continuation is 6… e5 (41% of games).
Engine evaluation: 0.00 (Stockfish, depth 55; best line 6… e5 7. Nb3 Nc6 8. Be2 Be7 9. O-O)
- ECO
- B93
- Moves
- 11 plies
- FEN
rnbqkb1r/1p2pppp/p2p1n2/8/3NPP2/2N5/PPP3PP/R1BQKB1R b KQkq - 0 6- PGN
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. f4
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 34 | |
| 1500-1999 | 252 | |
| 2000+ | 392 | |
| All | 678 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 6… e5 | 275 (41%) | |
| 6… e6 | 213 (31%) | |
| 6… Nc6 | 44 (6%) | |
| 6… g6 | 42 (6%) | |
| 6… Qc7 | 38 (6%) | |
| 6… b5 | 23 (3%) | |
| 6… Nbd7 | 19 (3%) | |
| 6… Bg4 | 16 (2%) |
Master games
2,406 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 41%, draw 20%, Black 39%). The strongest:
- Stoofvlees II a14 (3504) – Ethereal 12.43 (3470) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 19 Premier 2020 · 2020-09-23
- Ethereal 12.43 (3470) – Stoofvlees II a14 (3504) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 19 Premier 2020 · 2020-09-19
- GM Jorden Van Foreest (2735) – GM Magnus Carlsen (2840) 1-0 · 31st Sigeman & Co 2026 · 2026-05-04
- GM Vasyl Ivanchuk (2753) – GM Leinier Dominguez Perez (2768) 1/2-1/2 · 49th Capablanca Elite 2014 · 2014-05-14
- GM Hikaru Nakamura (2736) – GM Anish Giri (2764) 1/2-1/2 · Skilling Open Prelim · 2020-11-22
Highest-rated Lichess games
- IM wLh26 (2828) – LuckyStar2011 (2808) 0-1 · 2026-09-05 · 180 + 0s
- GM BIZOO (2777) – F1nal_Masquerade (2799) 1-0 · 2026-09-03 · 180 + 0s
- GM BIZOO (2788) – F1nal_Masquerade (2787) 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: Scheveningen Variation, Classical Variation, Paulsen Variation (8. O-O Nc6) B85 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. f4 e6 7. Be2 Qc7 8. O-O Nc6
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.