Benoni Defense: Benoni Gambit Accepted

Benoni Defense: Benoni Gambit Accepted is a chess opening with the ECO code A43, part of the Benoni Defense family. It goes 1. d4 c5 2. dxc5. White opens with 1. d4 (the queen's pawn) and Black answers 1... c5. After 3 moves it is Black to move. After the last move White is a pawn ahead in material. 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... c5 – Black plays the pawn to c5
• 2. dxc5 – White captures on c5 with the d-pawn

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.

Related openings

• It extends: Benoni Defense: Old Benoni (1. d4 c5)
• Continues with: Benoni Defense: Benoni Gambit, Schlenker Defense – adds 2... Na6
• Continues with: Benoni Defense: Cormorant Gambit – adds 2... b6
• Related line: Benoni Defense: Franco-Sicilian Hybrid (1. d4 e6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 exd5 4. cxd5 d6 5. Nc3 g6 6. e4 Bg7 7. Nf3 Ne7)
• Related line: Benoni Defense: Benoni Gambit, Schlenker Defense (1. d4 c5 2. dxc5 Na6)
• Related line: Benoni Defense: Benoni-Indian Defense (1. d4 c5 2. d5 Nf6)
• Related line: Benoni Defense: Benoni-Indian Defense, Kingside Move Order (1. d4 c5 2. d5 Nf6 3. Nf3)
• Related line: Benoni Defense: Benoni-Staunton Gambit (1. d4 c5 2. d5 f5 3. e4)
• Related line: Benoni Defense: Cormorant Gambit (1. d4 c5 2. dxc5 b6)

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