Chess Opening Books

In this video we cover the move a4 gainst the Najdorf Sicilian. A suboptimal variation for white. Download the annotated Sicilian repertoires: https://www.patreon.com/posts/sicilian-defense-152926119? Here is what I use to learn openings: https://chessbook.com/hanging-pawns Books on the Sicilian Defense: https://chessreads.com/sicilian-defense Practice the Sicilian repertoire for black: https://go.noctie.ai/sicilian-black Learn the basics of the Sicilian: https://youtu.be/UQlQjco7Mc8 The move 6.a4 is a sideline against the Najdorf Black shouldn't fear. It has two ideas. The simple one is that white is trying to prevent b5. So forget about your typical Najdorfs with b5 for Black. The second reason a4 is played is more subtle, it's a waiting move with which white wants to see which setup Black will choose. The problem with a4 is that against many setups for Black it's not a useful developing move. A good example is the Dragon setup against which white will no longer be able to castle queenside because a4 weakens the queenside permanently. a4 is one of the earliest responses used against the Najdorf. In the 20s and 30s, people would play it to prevent b5. Today, almost no one uses it except as a surprise weapon. The Najdorf Variation of the Sicilian Defense (B90 - B99) is one of the sharpest, most heavily analyzed and most fun openings in all of chess. It can lead to completely mental positions which not many humans can completely understand. White has 11 (!) different ways of fighting the Najdorf and I will cover each in a separate video. 0:00 Introduction to the move 6.a4 against the Najdorf 03:02 Strategy and basics of the a4 Najdorf 13:59 History of the move a4 21:00 Theory of the 6.a4 Najdorf