Indian · a defense for Black
Benoni Defense: Classical Variation
13/13
1.d4Nf62.c4e63.Nf3c54.d5exd55.cxd5d66.Nc3g67.e4
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Benoni Defense: Classical Variation351k games · Black to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
87%305k52%
6.7%24k51%
5%18k56%
1%3.6k48%
0.1%36147%
0%12142%
0%7539%
0%5535%
0%5342%
0%3649%
Famous games in this line3.5k master games
So, Wesley (2770) – Caruana, Fabiano (2835)Mamedyarov, S. (2765) – Caruana, F. (2819)Aronian, L. (2786) – Caruana, F. (2794)So, W.. (2770) – Vachier Lagrave, M.. (2760)Karpov, Anatoly (2775) – Topalov, Veselin (2750)Carlsen, Magnus (2770) – Ivanchuk, Vassily (2746)Karpov, Anatoly (2770) – Kamsky, Gata (2735)Morozevich, Alexander (2788) – Polgar, Judit (2711)Heroes of this opening Caruana, F. · So, W.. · Carlsen, Magnus
- Family
- Benoni Defense
- Category
- Indian
- First move
- 1.d4
- ECO
- A70
- Line
- 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 c5 4. d5 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. Nc3 g6 7. e4
Sharp
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Go deeper — named lines from here
Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, New York Variation7…Bg7 8.h3Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Traditional Variation7…Bg7 8.Be2 · 1 deeper lineBenoni Defense: Classical Variation, Averbakh-Grivas Attack7…Bg7 8.Bg5Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Argentine Counterattack7…Bg7 8.Be2 O-O 9.O-O a6 10.a4 …
Nearby lines in the family
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.
Study this opening