Benoni Defense

Benoni Defense is a chess opening with the ECO code A56. It goes 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5. White opens with 1. d4 (the queen's pawn) and Black answers 1... Nf6. After 4 moves it is White to move. The lesson on the board explains every move of the line and lets you play it yourself; it is free.

The moves

• 1. d4 – White plays the pawn to d4
• 1... Nf6 – Black plays the knight to f6
• 2. c4 – White plays the pawn to c4
• 2... c5 – Black plays the pawn to c5

In chessGM's opening book this position continues with 3. d5.

About the Benoni Defense

Black plays ...c5 against 1.d4 and, after d5, builds an unbalanced pawn structure. Black gets activity and queenside play in return for less space.

• Black fianchettoes with ...g6 and ...Bg7, aiming the bishop at the long diagonal.
• Black's plan is the queenside pawn push ...a6 and ...b5.
• White wants the e4-e5 break in the centre; Black must stop it.

chessGM has a full course for this line: open the Benoni Defense course lesson.

Related openings

• It extends: Indian Defense: Normal Variation (1. d4 Nf6 2. c4)
• Continues with: English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Anti-Benoni Variation, Kasparov Gambit – adds 3. Nf3 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5
• Continues with: Benoni Defense: Czech Benoni Defense – adds 3. d5 e5
• Continues with: Benoni Defense: Hromádka System – adds 3. d5 d6
• Continues with: Benoni Defense: Weenink Variation – adds 3. dxc5 e6
• Continues with: Grünfeld Defense: Three Knights Variation, Burille Variation, Reversed Tarrasch – adds 3. e3 g6 4. Nc3 Bg7
• Continues with: Vulture Defense – adds 3. d5 Ne4
• Continues with: Benko Gambit – adds 3. d5 b5
• Continues with: Benoni Defense: Modern Variation – adds 3. d5 e6
• Related line: Benoni Defense: Semi-Benoni (1. d4 c5 2. d5 e5 3. e4 d6)
• Related line: Benoni Defense: Czech Benoni Defense (1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e5)
• Related line: Benoni Defense: Old Benoni (1. d4 c5 2. d5 e5)
• Related line: Benoni Defense: Hromádka System (1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 d6)
• Related line: Benoni Defense: Zilbermints-Benoni Gambit, Tamarkin Countergambit (1. d4 c5 2. Nf3 cxd4 3. b4 e5)
• Related line: Benoni Defense: King's Indian System (1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e5 4. Nc3 d6 5. e4 g6)

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