The first real decision. I've tried various options against the Najdorf but never quite settled on one. Since it's a correspondence game I probably don't want to play anything too theoretical, in case my opponent has access to better books than I do. So I'll just aim for a more positional game.

Funny, the line with 5. Nc6 6. Be2 e5 was actually one of my favorites with the black side of the classical sicilian. Nb3 doesn't really do anything there (scoring as little as 34% over 800 games) so critical was 7. Nf3 (50.3%) after which black takes time to stop 8. Bg5 with 7. ... h6. The position we have here this game I've never played before as black, but my database suggests that 6. ... e5 is playable, I'll go for that. After the most likely Nb3 I'll play Be7 and castle short. Fun fact: I've beaten the highest rated opponent I won from in a long game in this opening, playing white. Here's the game:

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5.
Nc3 a6 6. Be2 e5 7. Nf3 h6 8. O-O Be6 9. Be3 Nbd7 10. Ne1 Be7 11. Nd3 g5 12.
Qd2 Rc8 13. Rad1 Rc4 14. f3 Rc8 15. Nb4 Nb6 16. Rf2 a5 17. Bb5+ Kf8 18. Nbd5
Bxd5 19. exd5 Nc4 20. Bxc4 Rxc4 21. Qd3 Rc8 22. Qb5 Nd7 23. g4 h5 24. Ne4 h4
25. h3 b6 26. Nxg5 Bxg5 27. Bxg5 Qxg5 28. Qxd7 Kg7 29. Qxd6 Qe3 30. Rdd2 Rhe8
31. Qd7 Qf4 32. g5 Rcd8 33. Qg4 Qxg4+ 34. fxg4 e4 35. Rf5 Rd7 36. Re2 Red8 37.
c4 b5 38. b3 a4 39. Rxe4 bxc4 40. bxc4 a3

Sicilian guys, question. On move 6 for white, what is supposed to be the most critical test of the Najdorf? What's the reputation of 6. Be2?

Continuing as planned.

So was 7. Nb3 just book there or why was no explanation given for it when there's a reasonable looking alternative in 7. Nf3?

Also important, how do you pronounce Najdorf?

@Tex: It oscillates between 6. Bg5 and 6. Be3. I think 2-3 years ago the focus has shifted back to 6. Bg5.
Be2 is obviously a decent move, with slower play where white tries to conquer d5 with positional means. Usually signals short castling.

@ Gansta: I guess just N-I-dorf. I think 7. Nf3 is just not as good as Nb3 because it looks in the way of the f-pawn. 7. Nf3 is better in the analogous Boleslavsky Sicilian with Nc6 instead of a6, because there black tends to harrass the Nb3 with a5 which would lose a tempo here. Instead in the Najdorf black can attack the e-pawn with b5-b4 when it's useful to have either f2-f3 or Be2-f3 available.

This is a pretty important decision. The old lines where White plays for f4 are not considered that dangerous for Black. One of the modern plans is 0-0 with Bf3 and Re1 with a very positional approach trying to limit Black's options.

The other plan is to delay castling with Be3, to create a quick attack after 0-0 g4. But Black can reply Be6 and I don't think the Bishop is very well placed on e3, while g4 doesn't have much punch. So I guess I'll stick with my positional plan.

The two main options here are Be6 and 0-0. I feel 0-0 is more flexible, so I go with that.

Thanks, Noir_Desir, appreciate it.

a better Nf3 line is 6.Be3 e5 7.Nf3, not the most critical but it's not that easy to equalize as Black, and White is in less risk of getting ran over than he is in 6.Bg5 or the English attack

Continuing with my plan.

Not a very familiar plan to me but interesting. Is White trying to provoke queenside weaknesses? Maybe I'll check what Georgiev says about this in "The Sharpest Sicilian" later

I understand white's plan about trying to lock down d5 and subsequent counterplay, but what is white doing for activity to further his game, assuming black creates no weaknesses? Can white do some sort of a g3->Bg2->f4 plan, or is that not good in this structure?

That's a surprise. White does score quite well in this variation, however it is based on a small sample. White's development on the king side will be slow, since f4 is not possible. I found some games with b6 which seem comfortable for black.

All these comments, from both players, about how various lines score, etcetera, are going to lead to a much better played opening than we usually see in Malkovich games, but aren't too interesting to follow along with compared to watching someone try to muddle their way through an opening that they maybe remember mostly or the like. A lot less explanation of the reasoning behind the moves this way. I think this method is how I'd prefer to play a Malkovich game (having been crushed in the opening when I tried my hand at Malkovich chess), but as a spectator I'd prefer the default rule of no books, and treating it like OTB.

I agree, and that's the way I played against Nikachu (although I do have to admit that I had the line prepared for him after we had played in the recent 2+2 rapid championships)

This is quite a logical move by Black.

If I play Nd5 Nd5 Qd5 this looks fine for Black.

The only other aggressive plan is to play something like Be3 Bb7 g4, but I don't see how this can be good. Even after I play g5, Black will always have counterplay with f5.

Since I started out playing positionally I think I have to continue in the same style. FIrst I thought I would play Qe2 and Rd1, but it looks kind of awkward to meet b5.

So I'll start with a4 and follow up with Qe2 and Rd1.

Two games in my database, which diverge here. Gelfand has played Bb7 and went on to draw, whereas Koziak won after playing Be6.

The idea of Be6 is to play Rb8 and b5, after which white's queenside pawns are quite weak.

After Bb7 back has completely equalized, he has acces to active squares for his pieces, whereas white does not have immediate access to weak squares to put pressure on black's position.

I do feel Be6 makes for a more interesting game, so I will continue with that.

Didn't expect Be6 - I thought the idea behind b6 was to put the Bishop on B7.

Well after Be6 the move Qe2 doesn't look very logical since Black has Bc4 in some lines.

So I guess there's nothing better than Re1 and follow up with Nd2-f1-e3.

Following Koziak, Qc7 seems most flexible. Nbd7 is an obvious alternative, however it does block in the white-square bishop, and ideas with Nc6 and Nd4 are no longer possible. Looks like were transposing back into some other games.

Now if I continue with Nd2, Nc6 looks difficult to meet. My other options are Be3 and Bg5. I don't like Bg5 because I don't think it can ever be good to give up the dark-squared Bishop in this position. So Be3 it is.

Oh no, I'm on my own now, database shows no more games. Be3 is aiming for the 'weak' black squares on the queenside. However, after a5 b5 there is not really much to attack there and e3 is a good square for a knight, for example after Nd2 - f1 - e3. Bg5, as played in some previous games seemed more logical.

Two moves to consider here imo, Rc8 and Nbd7. Nc6 -d4 is not really an option anymore now d4 is overprotected. Nbd7 seems more natural. I'm not quite sure where to put my rooks (I think b8 and c8. However, c8 and d8 may also be an option in some lines), so I'll just wait for his next move, which should show some of his intentions.