Understand the Najdorf - Aggressive Systems (9h Running Time) 

Understand the Najdorf - Aggressive Systems

The camp of GM Papaioannou - Understand the Najdorf - Aggressive Systems is already a digital product. 

This product includes all the videos from the workshop as well as the PGN file related to the training sessions. Overall, the material consists of 9 hours of video and a PGN database which includes 156 files! 

You will find the following lectures:

✅ Typical Strategies in the Aggressive Lines

✅ Repertoire against 6.Be3 - Part 1

✅ Repertoire against 6.Be3 - Part 2

✅ Repertoire against 6.h3

✅ Repertoire against 6.Bc4

✅ Repertoire against 6.Bg5

Now, we shall take a look at the different lectures.

Typical Strategies in the Aggressive Lines

In this lecture, you will learn the most important ideas in the sharp lines. All the games in this lecture feature positions with opposite sides castling.  In such positions, time is the most important asset. Hence, in order to be quicker than our opponent, we can apply various strategic and tactical tools.  For instance, after studying the material, you will know when and how we can get sufficient compensation by sacrificing an exchange on c3. Also, you will be aware of different ways of playing against White's knights on b3 and c3. It goes without saying that possible structural transformations are examined as well.

Make sure to study this lecture very carefully. This material will help you to understand the theoretical lectures.

SAMPLE GAME

Chess Viewer W51ZVBYHX6WE1OPHFYB230TRZ26VNL74

Repertoire against 6.Be3 - Part 1

The starting position of this lecture arises after 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e5

In this position, White's most popular continuation is 7.Nb3. 

Usually, this move is connected with castling long followed by a kingside attack. The most common way of attacking is f2-f3  followed by g2-g4. White, however, has different ways of handling the position.  This lecture covers all plans different from f2-f3 and g2-g4. After studying the material, you will understand that understanding and knowledge of typical patterns is far more important than memorization of concrete lines.

In this lecture, you will also learn how to fight against 7.Nf3.

On the one hand, this move stops an early ...Be6 because of Ng5 (Black could waste a tempo with ...  h7-h6 though, and then Be6 which is also quite playable) On the other hand,  the Nf3 does not cover c5 ..so the eventual ...Nbd7-Nc5! gives Black good counterplay. After studying the material, you will be more than confident when facing this system.

SAMPLE GAME

Repertoire against 6.Be3 - Part 2

This lecture deals with the most important system of the entire 6.Be3 variation arising after 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e5 7.Nb3 Be6 8.f3

White is planning to proceed with Qd2 followed by ... 0-0-0 and g2-g4. Having withstood the test of time, this attacking setup is considered very challenging. Black's most practical solution against this line is 8...h5. 

For many years now, this move is considered to be the best! We are stopping g2-g4 for many moves. However, the downside is that the h5-pawn  can also be a hook after Black castles short.  Now, White has two main ideas:  castling short or castling long. These ideas can be combined with Nd5 or not. In this lecture, you will learn all the important nuances related to these plans. As usual, understanding is far more important than knowledge of concrete theory.

SAMPLE GAME

Repertoire against 6.h3

The subject of this lecture is the position arising after 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.h3

This is a very interesting and complicated system. White is ready to meet 6...e6 with 7.g4, thus getting a  Keres Attack type of position.  As always, we will stick to the genuine  Najdorf positions by playing 6...e5. 

In this position, White's most common move is 7.Nde2, but according to Papaioannou, 7.Nb3 is even better. The arising positions are strategically very complex. Every little positional nuance can dramatically change the evaluation of the position. Besides providing you with a reliable repertoire against 6.h3, this lecture will improve your general chess understanding.

SAMPLE GAME

Repertoire against 6.Bc4

This lecture is dedicated to the position arising after 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bc4 e6 7.Bb3

White plays 7.Bb3 almost exclusively with the exception of some harmless sidelines (we cover them). The bishop is almost always going to end on b3, while White hasn't decided on whether to play Be3 or Bg5, or whether to castle long or short. An opening move that is certain, should be played.  This is a strategically risky position for White. He will be doing fine if the b3-bishop can be included in the game by means of f2-f4 followed by f4-f5 or e4-e5 at a good moment in combination with sacrifices on e6 or f7.  If Black can consolidate the position the bishop will be isolated on b3 and might even be captured.

On the other hand, Black's light-squared bishop on b7  will be unopposed. In short: the evaluation of the position depends on White's ability to include the b3-bishop in the game and Black's chances to prevent this. Here we will see that with the help of engines, Black manages to neutralize White's initiative and can take over in many lines.

SAMPLE GAME

Repertoire against 6.Bg5

The final lecture is dedicated to arguably the most dangerous system in the  Najdorf - the dreaded 6.Bg5. After the moves 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 Nbd7

This flexible continuation is very practical. In this line, the theoretical overload is considerably smaller in comparison to all the lines based on 6...e6.  Black is planning to answer the moves 7.f4 and 7.Qe2 with 7...Qa5!. The strongest continuation 7.Bc4, however, should be met by 7...Qb6. In the arising complex positions, Black has an excellent counterplay. Besides fresh new ideas, in this lecture, you will also see very deep concepts. Hopefully, all the theoretical analysis provided here will convince you that we can keep everything under control against 6.Bg5.

SAMPLE GAME