Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, English Attack (7… Be6 8. f3)
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 e5 7. Nb3 Be6 8. f3
The Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, English Attack is a chess opening classified as ECO B90, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 e5 7. Nb3 Be6 8. f3. It is a line of the Sicilian Defense. Black is to move.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 670 times by this move order. White won 47%, 4% were drawn and Black won 49%. The most popular continuation is 8… Be7 (53% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.11 (Stockfish, depth 55; best line 8… h5 9. Be2 Nbd7 10. f4 Qc7 11. f5)
- ECO
- B90
- Moves
- 15 plies
- FEN
rn1qkb1r/1p3ppp/p2pbn2/4p3/4P3/1NN1BP2/PPP3PP/R2QKB1R b KQkq - 0 8- PGN
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 e5 7. Nb3 Be6 8. f3
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 8 | |
| 1500-1999 | 269 | |
| 2000+ | 393 | |
| All | 670 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 8… Be7 | 353 (53%) | |
| 8… Nbd7 | 134 (20%) | |
| 8… h5 | 132 (20%) | |
| 8… Nc6 | 18 (3%) | |
| 8… b5 | 13 (2%) | |
| 8… Qc7 | 11 (2%) | |
| 8… d5 | 5 (1%) | |
| 8… Bxb3 | 2 (0%) |
Master games
3,584 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 38%, draw 19%, Black 43%). The strongest:
- Stockfish dev16_202209170930 (3611) – LCZero 0.30-dag-bord-lf_784968 (3589) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 23 Premier 2022 · 2022-09-30
- LCZero 0.30-dag-bord-lf_784968 (3589) – Stockfish dev16_202209170930 (3611) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 23 Premier 2022 · 2022-09-30
- Stockfish 20210113 (3601) – LCZero 0.27.0d-Tilps-dje-magic_JH.94-100 (3586) 1-0 · TCEC 20 Superfinal 2020 · 2021-01-31
- LCZero 0.27.0d-Tilps-dje-magic_JH.94-100 (3586) – Stockfish 20210113 (3601) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 20 Superfinal 2020 · 2021-01-31
- Igel 3.5.5 (3502) – LCZero 0.31-dag-5107404-T2-5230000 (3633) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 25 Premier 2023 · 2023-09-06
Search all games of the Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, English Attack and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- Sunrise34 (2896) – LuckyStar2011 (2836) 1-0 · 2026-09-07 · 180 + 0s
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- nuitet868688 (2696) – LY0329 (2808) 1-0 · 2026-09-07 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, English Attack (5… a6 6. Be3) 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3
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.