Answers.Body: <p>If the following five moves by both sides happen in a game, then you have the position that's called the Najdorf Defence:</p>
  
  <pre><code>[FEN ""]
  
  1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>However, white is by no means forced to play those moves. He can also play, say, 2.d4, 2.f4, 2.c3, 3.Bb5+, or 4.Qxd4, or 5.f3, or a lot of other moves.</p>
  
  <p>So black can't always get a Najdorf after 1.e4.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2013-03-12T13:02:27.243Z
Answers.Text: sorry i meant to say d4
Answers.UserDisplayName: Lynob
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2013-03-12T15:19:45.563Z
Answers.Text: 1.d4 is another way to avoid the Najdorf. A move order like Akavall's is of course possible, but especially 3.Nf3 seems very unlikely to me. It is not realistic to try to get a Najdorf against 1.d4.
Answers.UserDisplayName: RemcoGerlich
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Answers.CreationDate: 2013-03-12T12:34:18.173Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2013-03-12T12:34:18.173Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: RemcoGerlich
Answers.Body: <p>If White starts with <code>1.d4</code> it is possible to reach a Najdorf position, for example:</p>
  
  <pre><code>[FEN ""]
  1.d4 d6 2.e4 c5 3.Nf3 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>However, White has other moves on move 2, which still give them an advantage: <code>2. c4</code> and <code>2.Nf3</code>, also White could play <code>3. c3</code>. So Najdorf is not that easy to get. Moreover, some people play <code>1.d4</code> to avoid Sicilian and especially Najdorf; they will certainly not follow the above line.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2013-03-12T17:17:18.353Z
Answers.Text: yes that was my question!
Answers.UserDisplayName: Lynob
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2013-03-12T17:20:25.900Z
Answers.Text: but d4 is a natural move that most people make without thinking, only high rated players know what they do, most people do e4 or d4 naturally
Answers.UserDisplayName: Lynob
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Answers.CreationDate: 2013-03-13T21:28:32.540Z
Answers.Text: I checked my database. I have 45,320 Najdorf games, of which only 13 started 1.d4. And then none of those used this move order. 10 times, the games started 1.d4 c5, and then either 2.e4 cxd4 3.Nf3 d6 etc, or 2.Nf3 cxd4 3.Nxd4 Nf6 4.Nc3 d6 5.e4 a6. 3 times, they went 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nc3 c5 3.Nf3 cxd4 4.Nxd4 d6 5.e4 a6. But well, that's one in 3486 Najdorfs that started 1.d4.
Answers.UserDisplayName: RemcoGerlich
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Answers.CreationDate: 2013-03-13T21:51:00.623Z
Answers.Text: @RemcoGerlich, Interesting! Thanks. I checked with an engine and it seems that `2...c5` from black is not very strong and should be met with `3.dxc5` and after `3...Qa5+ 4.Nc3 Qxc5 5. Be3` white has a nice advantage in development. This must be the reason that my given line does not show up.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Akavall
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Answers.CreationDate: 2013-03-14T08:26:31.133Z
Answers.Text: That, and there's also 3.d5 with a type of Benoni structure that's usually considered slightly easier to play for white. A 1.d4 player would be much more likely to go for that sort of familiar line than going for an Open Sicilian. That would just giving black what he wants.
Answers.UserDisplayName: RemcoGerlich
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Answers.CreationDate: 2013-03-12T14:41:50.517Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2013-05-22T03:50:10.093Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2013-05-22T03:50:10.093Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Akavall
Body: <p>After white plays <code>1. d4</code>, is it still possible for black to play the Najdorf Defense?</p>
  
  <p>Is it possible, for Black to play in a way in order to reach a Najdorf setup? If so, how should Black continue?</p>
  
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2019-09-29T00:23:15.607Z
Comments.Text: It's possible via transposition, but White must allow it:  1.d4 c5 2.e4 cxd4 3.Nf3 d6 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6. Of course, on the second move White could have played 2.d5.
Comments.UserDisplayName: Inertial Ignorance
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2013-05-21T19:16:08.867Z
Comments.Text: Note that opening names refer to the configurations of pieces of both colors, not just one side. You can't play a Najdorf without the cooperation of both players.
Comments.UserDisplayName: dfan
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2013-12-30T16:05:58.330Z
Comments.Text: (I wrote more on this common misunderstanding [in response to this question](http://chess.stackexchange.com/a/4259/291)).
Comments.UserDisplayName: dfan
Tags: <opening><learning><najdorf>
Title: Is it possible to play the Najdorf Defense if white played 1. d4?
ThreadText: # Is it possible to play the Najdorf Defense if white played 1. d4?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2013-03-12)
  
  After white plays `1. d4`, is it still possible for black to play the Najdorf Defense?
  
  Is it possible, for Black to play in a way in order to reach a Najdorf setup? If so, how should Black continue?
  
  **Tags:** opening, learning, najdorf
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_2**: Note that opening names refer to the configurations of pieces of both colors, not just one side. You can't play a Najdorf without the cooperation of both players.  
  > **username_2**: (I wrote more on this common misunderstanding [in response to this question](http://chess.stackexchange.com/a/4259/291)).  
  > **username_1**: It's possible via transposition, but White must allow it:  1.d4 c5 2.e4 cxd4 3.Nf3 d6 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6. Of course, on the second move White could have played 2.d5.  
  
  ---
  
  ## 2 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_4 on 2013-03-12. Score: 4 | Accepted answer
  
  If White starts with 1.d4 it is possible to reach a Najdorf position, for example:
  [FEN ""]
  1.d4 d6 2.e4 c5 3.Nf3 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6
  
  However, White has other moves on move 2, which still give them an advantage: 2. c4 and 2.Nf3, also White could play 3. c3. So Najdorf is not that easy to get. Moreover, some people play 1.d4 to avoid Sicilian and especially Najdorf; they will certainly not follow the above line.
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_0**: yes that was my question!  
  > **username_0**: but d4 is a natural move that most people make without thinking, only high rated players know what they do, most people do e4 or d4 naturally  
  > **username_3**: I checked my database. I have 45,320 Najdorf games, of which only 13 started 1.d4. And then none of those used this move order. 10 times, the games started 1.d4 c5, and then either 2.e4 cxd4 3.Nf3 d6 etc, or 2.Nf3 cxd4 3.Nxd4 Nf6 4.Nc3 d6 5.e4 a6. 3 times, they went 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nc3 c5 3.Nf3 cxd4 4.Nxd4 d6 5.e4 a6. But well, that's one in 3486 Najdorfs that started 1.d4.  
  > **username_4**: @username_3, Interesting! Thanks. I checked with an engine and it seems that `2...c5` from black is not very strong and should be met with `3.dxc5` and after `3...Qa5+ 4.Nc3 Qxc5 5. Be3` white has a nice advantage in development. This must be the reason that my given line does not show up.  
  > **username_3**: That, and there's also 3.d5 with a type of Benoni structure that's usually considered slightly easier to play for white. A 1.d4 player would be much more likely to go for that sort of familiar line than going for an Open Sicilian. That would just giving black what he wants.  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_3 on 2013-03-12. Score: 3
  
  If the following five moves by both sides happen in a game, then you have the position that's called the Najdorf Defence:
  [FEN ""]
  
  1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6
  
  However, white is by no means forced to play those moves. He can also play, say, 2.d4, 2.f4, 2.c3, 3.Bb5+, or 4.Qxd4, or 5.f3, or a lot of other moves.
  So black can't always get a Najdorf after 1.e4.
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_0**: sorry i meant to say d4  
  > **username_3**: 1.d4 is another way to avoid the Najdorf. A move order like username_4's is of course possible, but especially 3.Nf3 seems very unlikely to me. It is not realistic to try to get a Najdorf against 1.d4.  
  
  ---
  
  