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Sicilian Defence: Najdorf, Amsterdam Variation

Ponomariov–Naiditsch, European Teams 2011, Porto Carras · Mamedov–Volokitin, European Team Chess Championship 2025 · 6:48 · ECO B93

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In this video

Game 1: Ruslan Ponomariov (2723) vs Arkadij Naiditsch (2712)

European Teams 2011, Porto Carras, 6 November 2011 · Black won (0-1) · 55 moves

Click a move to jump the video to it. Dotted moves are the opening line the video is about.

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Key moments

  1. 7.Nf3The first move after the opening line0:32
  2. 21...Nxc5The queens come off1:36
  3. 41.c4The evaluation moves from −1.48 to −3.87, and Black stays more than two pawns ahead from here3:14
  4. 54.Rxg6The evaluation moves from −5.18 to −6.564:19
  5. 55...c2Black wins after 55 moves4:26

Evaluation

Above the line, White is better; below it, Black. Scores are in pawns, capped at five either way.

Game 2: Rauf Mamedov (2655) vs Andrei Volokitin (2617)

European Team Chess Championship 2025, 13 October 2025 · White won (1-0) · 28 moves

Click a move to jump the video to it. Dotted moves are the opening line the video is about.

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Key moments

  1. 7.Nb3The first move after the opening line4:58
  2. 14...Bb7The evaluation moves from −0.09 to +1.765:28
  3. 21...Bc8White stays more than two pawns ahead from here6:02
  4. 23...fxe6The evaluation moves from +5.35 to +8.086:12
  5. 26...Rxd1The evaluation moves from +8.78 to mate in 8 for White6:28
  6. 28.Rxd1+White wins after 28 moves6:35

Evaluation

Above the line, White is better; below it, Black. Scores are in pawns, capped at five either way.

About these games

Against the Najdorf, 6.f4 prepares to gain space and attack on the kingside with pawns and pieces. Black's 6...e5 strikes at the centre at once and asks the knight on d4 where it wants to go. If White keeps tension, Black can take on f4 and use the e5 square for a knight. If White pushes f5, the light squares around d5 and e6 become the fight.

Ponomariov–Naiditsch began 7.Nf3 Qc7, and after 10.O-O exf4 11.Kh1 Ne5 Black had a firm knight on e5 with the score near level at +0.17. The minor pieces were exchanged, and 21...Nxc5 took the queens off at −0.71. Black kept a slightly better rook-and-knight ending around −0.89 and later won material on the queenside. The decisive moment was 41.c4, which moved the evaluation from −1.48 to −3.87. Black's passed c-pawn then decided the game, and after 55...c2 Black won.

Mamedov–Volokitin went 7.Nb3 Nc6 8.f5, fixing the e5 pawn and aiming at the light squares instead of letting Black use e5. Black answered with ...g6 and ...d5, but 14...Bb7 moved the score from −0.09 to +1.76. White then gave up pieces with 20.N3xe4 (+2.43 after 21...Bc8) and 23.Ne6, and 23...fxe6 raised the evaluation from +5.35 to +8.08. After 26...Rxd1 the engine showed mate in 8, and White won with 28.Rxd1+.

Chapters

  1. 0:00Introduction and the opening line
  2. 0:10Game 1: Ponomariov vs Naiditsch, European Teams 2011, Porto Carras
  3. 4:35Game 2: Mamedov vs Volokitin, European Team Chess Championship 2025

The opening line

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. f4 e5

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