"Each player should choose an opening that attracts him. Some players are looking for a gambit as White, others for Black gambits. Many players that are starting out (or have bad memories) want to avoid mainstream systems, others want dynamic openings, and others want calm positional pathways. It’s all about personal taste and personal need." - IM Jeremy Silman (January 28, 2016)
Plans and ideas in the Najdorf Sicilian
- The classical 6... e5. After 7. Nb3, Black usually continues 7... Be6, trying to control the d5-square. The most common move is then 8. f3, allowing White to play Qd2 next move. If White had tried to play 8. Qd2, then Black could respond with 8... Ng4. Instead White can play 7.Nf3, in which case Black's main choices are 7...Be7 and 7...Qc7.
- Trying to transpose to the Scheveningen by playing 6... e6. White can either opt for the standard English attack by playing 7. f3 or try the even sharper Hungarian attack (also known as Perenyi attack) by playing 7. g4.
- The knight move: 6... Ng4. White continues with: 7. Bg5 h6 8. Bh4 g5 9. Bg3 Bg7 but the nature of this position is quite different from the ones arising after 6... e6 and 6... e5 so sometimes White tries to avoid the knight jump by playing 6. f3 instead of 6. Be3. However, aside from eliminating the option to play the Hungarian attack mentioned above, it gives Black other possibilities such as 6... Qb6 and 6... b5 instead.
- The Verbeterde List approach: 6... Nbd7. The idea of this move is to get into the English attack while avoiding the Perenyi attack. 7. g4 is less dangerous now because with 6... Nbd7 black is more flexible as the bishop on c8 can attack g4 now and the knight on d7 can jump to interesting squares.
I have been trying to understand the najdorf with its plans and ideas and do not have time for lot of theory.Can you help?
Of course. Play some other opening.
What would you consider a non-heavily theorized opening for BLACK?
I play the Najdorf too, but do no studying.
... What would you consider a non-heavily theorized opening for BLACK? ...
Perhaps all the main openings for Black are heavily theorized to some degree, but some are more heavily theorized than others.
"... anyone who is just starting out should not dive into the vast ocean of theory that is the Najdorf. For beginners, the time invested in studying even minor lines can be more productively used solving tactical puzzles and basic endgame technique.
...
... In some lines, a good understanding of basic principles will take you far, while in others, such as the Poisoned Pawn (6 Bg5 e6 7 f4 Qb6!?), memorization is a must, as one wrong move can cost you the game in the blink of an eye. ..." - FM Carsten Hansen (2006)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140626175558/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen87.pdf
"... A major selling point, which cannot be overstressed is that the Kan is one of the easiest variations of the Sicilian to learn, unlike some of the more high profile lines I could mention (the Dragon, the Najdorf and the Sveshnikov), the onus is not on the player with the black pieces to memorise reams of opening theory simply to stay on the board. Of course Black still has to play good moves, but it is much less likely to be at 'disadvantage' simply down to a memory loss. ..." - GM John Emms (2002)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140627033203/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen46.pdf
... What would you consider a non-heavily theorized opening for BLACK? ...
Perhaps all the main openings for Black are heavily theorized to some degree, but some are more heavily theorized than others.
"... anyone who is just starting out should not dive into the vast ocean of theory that is the Najdorf. For beginners, the time invested in studying even minor lines can be more productively used solving tactical puzzles and basic endgame technique.
...
... In some lines, a good understanding of basic principles will take you far, while in others, such as the Poisoned Pawn (6 Bg5 e6 7 f4 Qb6!?), memorization is a must, as one wrong move can cost you the game in the blink of an eye. ..." - FM Carsten Hansen (2006)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140626175558/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen87.pdf
"... A major selling point, which cannot be overstressed is that the Kan is one of the easiest variations of the Sicilian to learn, unlike some of the more high profile lines I could mention (the Dragon, the Najdorf and the Sveshnikov), the onus is not on the player with the black pieces to memorise reams of opening theory simply to stay on the board. Of course Black still has to play good moves, but it is much less likely to be at 'disadvantage' simply down to a memory loss. ..." - GM John Emms (2002)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140627033203/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen46.pdf
There is no need to say this much. Just QUIT IT!

@defenserulz:
The only thing that really saves you then is that lots of low-rated players want to play like Kasparov, and they don't study either. By the way, saying that on the forums is an invitation for the few hard-working 1400s to drop a theoretical bomb on you.

@defenserulz:
The only thing that really saves you then is that lots of low-rated players want to play like Kasparov, and they don't study either. By the way, saying that on the forums is an invitation for the few hard-working 1400s to drop a theoretical bomb on you.
Right. But not Kasparov, Fischer
chesster3145 wrote:
@defenserulz:
The only thing that really saves you then is that lots of low-rated players want to play like Kasparov, and they don't study either. By the way, saying that on the forums is an invitation for the few hard-working 1400s to drop a theoretical bomb on you.
Right. But not Kasparov, Fischer
That does not matter who plays, but what you do.
No. Just no. Quit it with all of the "style" stuff. Until you are 2200, style isn't even a valid idea, and even then it's a dangerous one.
The only style you should ever have is playing good moves.