Opening family
Benoni Defense Lines and Variations
The Benoni Defense family contains 61 named lines in this opening book, spanning ECO A40 to A79. Use this page as the map, then open individual lines for exact move orders and diagrams.
How to study this family
White
White should use the move order as a checkpoint: finish development, identify the central break, and compare the continuations below before memorizing moves.
Black
Black should ask what White is threatening in the center, then choose development moves that prepare a clean pawn break or a useful exchange.
Start with the shortest line, then branch to the variations that change the pawn structure or tactical target. Memorizing every branch before understanding the family plan is usually wasted work.
Main named lines
- A43 · Benoni Defense: Old Benoni
- A43 · Benoni Defense: Benoni Gambit Accepted
- A43 · Benoni Defense: Old Benoni
- A43 · Benoni Defense: Zilbermints-Benoni Gambit
- A43 · Benoni Defense: Benoni Gambit, Schlenker Defense
- A43 · Benoni Defense: Benoni-Indian Defense
- A43 · Benoni Defense: Cormorant Gambit
- A43 · Benoni Defense: Old Benoni
- A43 · Benoni Defense: Old Benoni, Mujannah Formation
- A43 · Benoni Defense: Snail Variation
- A44 · Benoni Defense: Old Benoni
- A56 · Benoni Defense
- A43 · Benoni Defense: Benoni-Indian Defense, Kingside Move Order
- A43 · Benoni Defense: Benoni-Staunton Gambit
- A43 · Benoni Defense: French Benoni
- A43 · Benoni Defense: Zilbermints-Benoni Gambit
- A43 · Benoni Defense: Hawk Variation
- A43 · Benoni Defense: Old Benoni, Schmid Variation
- A43 · Benoni Defense: Woozle
- A43 · Benoni Defense: Zilbermints-Benoni Gambit, Tamarkin Countergambit
- A44 · Benoni Defense: Semi-Benoni
- A56 · Benoni Defense: Czech Benoni Defense
- A56 · Benoni Defense: Hromádka System
- A56 · Benoni Defense: Weenink Variation
Deep theory branches
- 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 c5 4. d5 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. Nc3 g6 7. Bg2 Bg7 8. Nf3 O-O 9. O-O a6 10. a4 Nbd7 11. Nd2 Re8 — Benoni Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Hastings Defense, Main Line
- 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6 4. Nc3 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. e4 g6 7. Nf3 Bg7 8. Be2 O-O 9. O-O Re8 10. Nd2 Na6 11. f3 — Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Czerniak Defense
- 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 c5 4. d5 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. Nc3 g6 7. e4 Bg7 8. Be2 O-O 9. O-O a6 10. a4 Bg4 — Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Argentine Counterattack
- 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 c5 4. d5 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. Nc3 g6 7. e4 Bg7 8. Be2 O-O 9. O-O Re8 10. Nd2 Na6 — Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Czerniak Defense
- 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6 4. Nc3 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. e4 g6 7. Nf3 Bg7 8. Be2 O-O 9. O-O a6 10. a4 — Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Full Line
- 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6 4. Nc3 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. e4 g6 7. Nf3 Bg7 8. Be2 O-O 9. O-O Re8 10. Nd2 — Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Czerniak Defense, Tal Line
- 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 c5 4. d5 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. Nc3 g6 7. Bg2 Bg7 8. Nf3 O-O 9. O-O Nbd7 — Benoni Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Hastings Defense
- 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6 4. Nc3 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. e4 g6 7. f4 Bg7 8. Nf3 O-O 9. Be2 Re8 — Benoni Defense: Four Pawns Attack, Main Line
- 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6 4. Nc3 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. e4 g6 7. Nf3 Bg7 8. Be2 O-O 9. O-O Re8 — Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Czerniak Defense
- 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. f3 c5 4. d5 d6 5. e4 Bg7 6. Nc3 e6 7. Be3 O-O 8. Qd2 exd5 9. cxd5 — Benoni Defense: King's Pawn Line
- 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. f3 O-O 6. Bg5 c5 7. d5 e6 8. Qd2 exd5 9. exd5 — Benoni Defense: King's Pawn Line, with Bg5
- 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. f3 O-O 6. Nge2 c5 7. d5 e6 8. Ng3 exd5 9. cxd5 — Benoni Defense: King's Pawn Line, with Nge2
- 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6 4. Nc3 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. e4 g6 7. Nf3 Bg7 8. Be2 O-O 9. O-O — Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Main Line
- 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 c5 4. d5 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. Nc3 g6 7. Bg2 Bg7 8. Nf3 O-O — Benoni Defense: Fianchetto Variation
- 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6 4. Nc3 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. e4 g6 7. f4 Bg7 8. Nf3 O-O — Benoni Defense: Four Pawns Attack
- 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6 4. Nc3 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. e4 g6 7. Nf3 Bg7 8. Be2 O-O — Benoni Defense: Classical Variation