Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Traditional Line
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 e6 7. f4 Be7 8. Qf3 Qc7
The Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Traditional Line is a chess opening classified as ECO B98, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 e6 7. f4 Be7 8. Qf3 Qc7. It is a line of the Sicilian Defense. White is to move. 1 named line continues from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 746 times by this move order. White won 46%, 6% were drawn and Black won 48%. The most popular continuation is 9. O-O-O (95% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.30 (Stockfish, depth 42; best line 9. O-O-O h6 10. Bh4 Nbd7 11. Be2 b5)
- ECO
- B98
- Moves
- 16 plies
- FEN
rnb1k2r/1pq1bppp/p2ppn2/6B1/3NPP2/2N2Q2/PPP3PP/R3KB1R w KQkq - 3 9- PGN
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 e6 7. f4 Be7 8. Qf3 Qc7
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 1 | |
| 1500-1999 | 172 | |
| 2000+ | 573 | |
| All | 746 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 9. O-O-O | 707 (95%) | |
| 9. Bd3 | 19 (3%) | |
| 9. g4 | 12 (2%) | |
| 9. f5 | 5 (1%) | |
| 9. Be2 | 2 (0%) | |
| 9. h3 | 1 (0%) |
Master games
423 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 55%, draw 15%, Black 30%). The strongest:
- Ethereal14.35 (3523) – Berserk13 (3540) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 26 Premier 2024 · 2024-04-30
- Berserk13 (3540) – Ethereal14.35 (3523) 1-0 · TCEC 26 Premier 2024 · 2024-04-27
- GM Abdulla Gadimbayli (2524) – GM Hao Wang (2722) 0-1 · 8th Gashimov Mem Rapid · 2022-12-18
- GM Zviad Izoria (2583) – GM Fidel Corrales Jimenez (2601) 1/2-1/2 · 7th Philadelphia Open · 2013-03-30
- GM Anuar Ismagambetov (2538) – GM Ngoc Truong Son Nguyen (2620) 0-1 · 43rd Olympiad 2018 · 2018-10-02
Search all games of the Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Traditional Line and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- FM Buyofl (2717) – GladiatorDefence (2777) 0-1 · 2026-09-03 · 180 + 0s
- IM licg (2585) – PioneerZhangBeihai (2704) 1-0 · 2026-09-02 · 180 + 0s
- Dondukov (2688) – FM VladislavKrasikov_FM (2429) 1-0 · 2026-09-06 · 180 + 2s
Comes from
Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation (7. f4 Be7) 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 e6 7. f4 Be7
Continuations
- Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Main Line B99 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 e6 7. f4 Be7 8. Qf3 Qc7 9. O-O-O Nbd7
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.