The Four Pawns e5 break is lesson 9 of 10 in Brilliant sacrifices 5: master sacrifices, an opening course suited to players rated around 2100 (strong club players). Modern Benoni, Four Pawns Attack, A69. White pushes e5 and gives a pawn to free the d-pawn. It has 3 interactive exercises: 3 find-the-move puzzles. You play every move on a board and get feedback straight away. The lesson is free.
What this lesson explains
This is the Four Pawns Attack against the Benoni. White's pawns on d5, e4 and f4 are strong. Black's rook on e8 presses e4. White breaks through first. About 103,000 rated games on Lichess have reached this position.
e5! The pawn pushes into Black's position. After dxe5 and fxe5, the knight on f6 must move, and the d5 pawn gets free.
After dxe5, fxe5 and Ng4, Bg5 hits the queen. Black wins the e5 pawn with Nxe5, but White's d-pawn and active pieces give good play. The engines call it about equal.
Recap.
In the Four Pawns Attack, e5 is the key break.
After dxe5 and fxe5, the knight on f6 must move.
The d5 pawn becomes free.
White gives a pawn for active play.
What you practise
First play the line. You are White: play the moves of the Benoni Defence, up to the moment of the sacrifice.
Your turn: find the sacrifice. Black's rook on e8 presses e4. Break first with a pawn.
Black does not take on e5. The knight goes back to d7. Jump in with a knight toward f7 and e6.
Worked examples
First play the line. You are White: play the moves of the Benoni Defence, up to the moment of the sacrifice. Good. Black answers Re8. Now the position is ready for the sacrifice.
Your turn: find the sacrifice. Black's rook on e8 presses e4. Break first with a pawn. That is the e5 break. White gives a pawn to free the d-pawn and open lines.
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