Crush the Sicilian Najdorf the Easy Way with the Classical Variation | Chess Opening Blueprint

Jonathan Schrantz gives a simple recipe to take down the most popular variation of the Sicilian Defense. Learn the main strategic plans in the Najdorf and start crushing people that play it against you today!

Check out all of the games in a Lichess study:

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Magnus Carlsen vs Hikaru Nakamura
Tata Steel Group A (2011), Wijk aan Zee NED, rd 8, Jan-23
Sicilian Defense: Najdorf. Opocensky Variation (B92)

Liang, Awonder (2430) vs. Troff, Kayden W (2543)
ch-USA Junior 2016 · 2016 · Sicilian, Najdorf, Opovcensky variation (B92) · 1-0

Olafsson, Fridrik (2550) vs. Kavalek, Lubomir (2625)
Las Palmas · 1974 · Sicilian, Najdorf, Opovcensky variation (B92)

Song: If I Had a Chicken – Kevin MacLeod

63 Comments

  1. Was just looking at the the rossolimo sicilian,now Im watching this,and it’s 3:00am,I need to stop lol.

  2. When playing against the petroff would you just play 3.bc4 and go for a ursov gambit

  3. 12:34 I came up with Rook takes Knight at f7, then Next Rook h8 mate? How is that not quicker?

  4. Mr. Schrantz, I have been watching your video content for a couple years now. From your work in St. Louis to your own personal channel, I've been captivated by your knowledge and the ease in which you're able to express it, and you do it with such clarity. You're knowledgeable, relatable and do very good high quality work. I've improved immensely in a short period of time, and much thanks to you. Please don't stop! Thanks again.

  5. Can i just say this. The format of these videos are great. Very instructional and easy to follow.

  6. At 12:34 after Nf7 white can play rh8! Nxh8 gxh8 kxh8 rh1 follows mate!?!?

  7. Fantastic, the najdorf is doo hard to play open Sicilian against bc it always seems like everyone i play is an expert. Johnathon schrantz openings videos were the best in STL so im hyped to get a fix of them again!

  8. I think naka should have resigned after Qg6

  9. Hi , I tried the Nakhmanson Gambit in Chess.com & I was successful. Thanks
    1. e4 e5 , 2. Nf3 Nc6, 3. Bc4 Nf6, 4. 0-0 Nxe4, 5. d4 exd4, 6. Nc3 dxc3, 7. Bxf7+ Kxf7, 8. Qd5+ Ke8, 9. Re1 Ne7, 10. Qxe4 cxb2, 11. Bxb2 d5, 12. Qf4 Bf5, 13. Qxf5 Qd7, 14. Qh5+ Kd8, 15. Rad1 Qb5, 16. Ng5 Qxb2, 17. Nf7+ Kc8, 18. Qg4+ Kb8, 19. Rxd5 Nxd5, 20.Re8# CHECKMATE

  10. I'm happy he is getting the recognition he deserves

  11. There is no such thing as crushing the Najdorf heheh. You can try,but thats where it stops 😝.

  12. What a shame, Hikaru seems in many ways a lot like Topalov: being on the losing end of an abnormally high number of model games by other players!

  13. Great stuff. Do you have a website to contact you regarding lessons?

  14. Not covering 6…e6 is a bit of a blunder 🙂

  15. Hi Jonathan can You do a Ware opening video ?

  16. Excellent game by Magnus Carlsen. Made it look so easy and smooth.

  17. Subscribed coz of the nakhmanson gambit.. finally a decent recommendation by YT 😄

  18. IMO good content. Does not cover what was considered "main" lines in the …e5 Be2 "classical" continuation decades ago, but I haven't looked at what is considered more fashionable recently. Bottom line though is the Be2 has always been a good continuation for White I don't think has ever been "solved" by Black and involves some very difficult, high level understanding by both players to play well.

  19. I love that you're judging the variations not by correctness but by fun

  20. Very welcome in the YT chess scenario….You made some lapsus, some mistakes but it's useful contents…

  21. Big fan since your unbeatable urusov video teaching to kids..nice to see your new avatar

  22. I needed this video as a person who gets somewhat apprehensive when playing against the Najdorf.

  23. Is there any way I can convince you to make videos for aggressive lines against the other main sicilian lines? lol

  24. what if… Nakamura plays f6 instead of Ne5

  25. This is so good, I am adopting this 100%. I have been playing 6. f3 (to prevent Ng4 and NxB while also preparing the eventual g4 push) for a long time because I saw it in the newspaper once and it's generally served me well, although I've often had problems with my light squared bishop. Turns out your suggestion of 6. Be2 serves a similar function and now there's no light squared bishop problems while you also develop a piece and you don't have to worry about Ng4. Thank you for improving my repertoire.

  26. Jonathan please post a video on how to play against Grunfeld

  27. I wish Prof Jo will finish first the game with the choice of move order by the players involve and insert all commentaries after. Sorry but I keep on losing track of the game and keeps forgetting what game after the labyrinthine commentaries. All in all tho, this is very good. I just wish that I could suggest an improvement

  28. Carlsoning it up.. Not looking good.. Not looking good.. Becomes a little bit trite

  29. Are you a chess coach? If so, please let me know the price. I'm interested.

  30. Why don't you challenge Danya to play najdorf and crush him with your Be2 classical!

  31. You deserve so many more followers. Keep up the good work.

  32. Thank you so much! A very informative video! keep posting these kind of videos! Will help a lot.

  33. using this video to prep for an otb tournament haha

  34. Thanks so much for this I literally beat the 11 year old magnus on play magnus app using this opening lol

  35. These blueprint videos are your best videos on your channel! It is like you are giving an opening repertoire that actually works, unlike those crazy lifetime repertoires made on chessable that are made for masters but paid for by patzers.

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