Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Opocensky VariationBETA

b5 must be prepared carefully. If played too quickly, then white can use their lead in development to blast open the center with a4! b4, Nd5 even at the cost of a pawn or two.

The Be2 Najdorf (or Opocensky Variation) keeps the Najdorf in more positional waters. Often, white will castle on the same side as black, and slowly build up an initiative on the kingside with f4-f5 or g4-g5. Meanwhile, black has more flexibility than usual to create whatever setup that they are most comfortable with, whether it be the d6-e5 Najdorf structure or d6-e6 Scheveningen structure. Sometimes this line will directly transpose to a variation in the Scheveningen. The game can be decided by trading the correct pieces and focusing in on the appropriate weak squares.