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Benoni Defense

What is the Benoni Defense?

The Benoni Defense is a chess opening that begins with 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5. It is classified under ECO A40–A79 and has 66 named variations. Black chooses it with the move c5.

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Moves: 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5

ECO: A40–A79

Chosen by: Black

Main variations

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Old Benoni A43
1. d4 c5
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Benoni Gambit Accepted A43
1. d4 c5 2. dxc5
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Old Benoni A43
1. d4 c5 2. d5
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Zilbermints-Benoni Gambit A43
1. d4 c5 2. b4
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Benoni Gambit, Schlenker Defense A43
1. d4 c5 2. dxc5 Na6
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Benoni-Indian Defense A43
1. d4 c5 2. d5 Nf6

All 66 variations

ECOVariationMoves
A43Old Benoni1. d4 c5
A43Benoni Gambit Accepted1. d4 c5 2. dxc5
A43Old Benoni1. d4 c5 2. d5
A43Zilbermints-Benoni Gambit1. d4 c5 2. b4
A56Main line1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5
A43Benoni Gambit, Schlenker Defense1. d4 c5 2. dxc5 Na6
A43Benoni-Indian Defense1. d4 c5 2. d5 Nf6
A43Cormorant Gambit1. d4 c5 2. dxc5 b6
A43Old Benoni1. d4 c5 2. d5 d6
A44Old Benoni1. d4 c5 2. d5 e5
A43Old Benoni, Mujannah Formation1. d4 c5 2. d5 f5
A43Snail Variation1. d4 c5 2. d5 Na6
A43Benoni-Indian Defense, Kingside Move Order1. d4 c5 2. d5 Nf6 3. Nf3
A43Benoni-Staunton Gambit1. d4 c5 2. d5 f5 3. e4
A43French Benoni1. e4 e6 2. d4 c5 3. d5
A43Zilbermints-Benoni Gambit1. d4 c5 2. Nf3 cxd4 3. b4
A56Czech Benoni Defense1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e5
A43Hawk Variation1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 c5 3. d5 c4
A56Hromádka System1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 d6
A60Modern Variation1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6
A43Old Benoni, Schmid Variation1. d4 c5 2. d5 d6 3. Nc3 g6
A44Semi-Benoni1. d4 c5 2. d5 e5 3. e4 d6
A56Weenink Variation1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. dxc5 e6
A43Woozle1. d4 c5 2. d5 Nf6 3. Nc3 Qa5
A43Zilbermints-Benoni Gambit, Tamarkin Countergambit1. d4 c5 2. Nf3 cxd4 3. b4 e5
A56King's Indian System1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e5 4. Nc3 d6 5. e4 g6
A60Modern Variation, Snake Variation1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6 4. Nc3 exd5 5. cxd5 Bd6
A65King's Pawn Line1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6 4. Nc3 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. e4
A61Main line1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 c5 4. d5 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. Nc3 g6
A70Classical Variation1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 c5 4. d5 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. Nc3 g6 7. e4
A61Fianchetto Variation1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 c5 4. d5 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. Nc3 g6 7. g3
A65King's Pawn Line, with Bg51. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. f3 O-O 6. Bg5 c5 7. d5
A61Knight's Tour Variation1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 c5 4. d5 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. Nc3 g6 7. Nd2
A66Pawn Storm Variation1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6 4. Nc3 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. e4 g6 7. f4
A61Uhlmann Variation1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 c5 4. d5 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. Nc3 g6 7. Bg5
A40Franco-Sicilian Hybrid1. d4 e6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 exd5 4. cxd5 d6 5. Nc3 g6 6. e4 Bg7 7. Nf3 Ne7
A65King's Pawn Line1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6 4. Nc3 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. e4 g6 7. f3 Bg7
A71Classical Variation, Averbakh-Grivas Attack1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 c5 4. d5 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. Nc3 g6 7. e4 Bg7 8. Bg5
A70Classical Variation, New York Variation1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 c5 4. d5 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. Nc3 g6 7. e4 Bg7 8. h3
A70Classical Variation, Traditional Variation1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 c5 4. d5 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. Nc3 g6 7. e4 Bg7 8. Be2
A65King's Pawn Line, with Be31. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6 4. Nc3 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. e4 g6 7. f3 Bg7 8. Be3
A65King's Pawn Line, with Bg51. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6 4. Nc3 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. e4 g6 7. f3 Bg7 8. Bg5
A65King's Pawn Line, with Nge21. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6 4. Nc3 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. e4 g6 7. f3 Bg7 8. Nge2
A66Mikenas Variation1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6 4. Nc3 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. e4 g6 7. f4 Bg7 8. e5
A67Taimanov Variation1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6 4. Nc3 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. e4 g6 7. f4 Bg7 8. Bb5+
A72Classical Variation1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6 4. Nc3 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. e4 g6 7. Nf3 Bg7 8. Be2 O-O
A62Fianchetto Variation1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 c5 4. d5 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. Nc3 g6 7. Bg2 Bg7 8. Nf3 O-O
A68Four Pawns Attack1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6 4. Nc3 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. e4 g6 7. f4 Bg7 8. Nf3 O-O
A73Classical Variation, Main Line1. 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
A68Four Pawns Attack1. 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
A65King's Pawn Line1. 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
A65King's Pawn Line, with Bg51. 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
A65King's Pawn Line, with Nge21. 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
A76Classical Variation, Czerniak Defense1. 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
A63Fianchetto Variation, Hastings Defense1. 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
A69Four Pawns Attack, Main Line1. 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
A77Classical Variation, Czerniak Defense, Tal Line1. 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
A74Classical Variation, Full Line1. 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
A75Classical Variation, Argentine Counterattack1. 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
A78Classical Variation, Czerniak Defense1. 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
A77Classical Variation, Czerniak Defense, Tal Line1. 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 Nbd7
A69Four Pawns Attack, Main Line1. 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 Nbd7 10. O-O Re8
A79Classical Variation, Czerniak Defense1. 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
A69Four Pawns Attack, Main Line1. 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 Nbd7 10. O-O Re8 11. Nd2
A69Four Pawns Attack, Main Line1. 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 a6 10. a4 Re8 11. Nd2
A64Fianchetto Variation, Hastings Defense, Main Line1. 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

How to learn an opening

Learn the ideas before the moves: where the pieces go, which pawn breaks matter and what the typical middlegame plans are. Then play it, and after each game look up the point where you or your opponent left the known moves. MentoChess shows that point automatically for every game you import.

Opening lessons: Three golden opening rules · Scholar’s mate and how to stop it · Italian Game: plans, not just moves · Answering 1.d4: the Queen’s Gambit Declined · Meeting the Sicilian with 2.c3 · From moves to structures

Other openings starting 1. d4

Queen's Gambit DeclinedKing's Indian DefenseNimzo-Indian DefenseQueen's Pawn GameSemi-Slav DefenseDutch DefenseQueen's Gambit AcceptedGrünfeld DefenseQueen's Indian DefenseIndian DefenseSlav DefenseCatalan Opening