Indian · a defense for Black

Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Argentine Counterattack

20/20
1.d4Nf62.c4e63.Nf3c54.d5exd55.cxd5d66.Nc3g67.e4Bg78.Be2O-O9.O-Oa610.a4Bg4
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Argentine Counterattack13k games · White to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
36%4.7k51%
31%4.0k47%
12%1.6k52%
6.5%84747%
4.1%53849%
3.5%46448%
2.3%30348%
1.6%21148%
0.9%11632%
0.6%8151%
Famous games in this line356 master games
Anand, Viswanathan (2765) – Illescas Cordoba, Miguel (2635)19971–0Anand, Viswanathan (2794) – Hernandez, Gilberto (2567)20011–0Le, Quang Liem (2729) – Jobava, Ba (2577)2025½–½Kozul, Zdenko (2593) – Gashimov, Vugar (2703)2008½–½Hansen, Lars Bo (2570) – Gelfand, Boris (2719)20080–1Nyzhnyk, Illya (2625) – Erdos, Viktor (2650)2013½–½Portisch, Lajos (2620) – Kasparov, Garry (2630)1981½–½Gajewski, Grzegorz (2504) – Navara, David (2719)2006½–½
Heroes of this opening Anand, Viswanathan · Gelfand, Boris
Family
Benoni Defense
Category
Indian
First move
1.d4
ECO
A75
Line
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
SharpAggressive
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Nearby lines in the family
Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Full Line2…c5 3.d5 e6 4.Nc3 exd5 5.cxd5 …Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Czerniak Defense, Tal Line2…c5 3.d5 e6 4.Nc3 exd5 5.cxd5 …Benoni Defense: Four Pawns Attack, Main Line2…c5 3.d5 e6 4.Nc3 exd5 5.cxd5 …
From the archives

The name comes from Aaron Reinganum's 1825 book 'Ben-Oni' — Hebrew for 'son of sorrow'. Reinganum's own words give the reason: he sat over a chessboard whenever he wanted to take refuge from melancholy. Tal made the Modern Benoni a terror in the 1950s and 60s: give up the centre, then let every piece point at White's queenside like an accusation.

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