1h2g3f4e5d6c7b8a

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5

Shown from Black's side. ECO A56.

Opening guide · an opening for Black

Benoni Defense

The Benoni Defense starts 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5. Black challenges the d4 pawn at once. After 3. d5 White has more space in the centre, and in the Modern Benoni Black trades with ...e6 and ...exd5 to get a queenside pawn majority and an active bishop on g7. The play is sharp and unbalanced.

Games in our sample
29,949
White wins
48.5%
Draws
4.3%
Black wins
47.1%
Open this position on the analysis boardResults by rating

How the Benoni Defense scores at each rating

Each row is one rating band. The share is how much of all the games in that band started with this opening.

RatingGamesShareWhite winsDrawsBlack wins
under 10007240.3%50.4%4.4%45.2%
1000 to 11991,5570.5%50.4%3.4%46.2%
1200 to 13992,8360.6%49.7%3.3%47.0%
1400 to 15994,8670.8%48.5%3.5%48.0%
1600 to 17996,4111.0%48.1%3.5%48.5%
1800 to 19996,7721.3%48.4%4.6%47.0%
2000 to 21994,6781.8%47.7%6.0%46.4%
2200 and over2,1041.9%48.5%6.8%44.7%
All ratings29,9490.9%48.5%4.3%47.1%

Counted from 3,156,949 rated blitz, rapid and classical games played on Lichess from 2026-10-01 to 2026-10-02 (the first 5,000,000 games of the month's public file; bullet and unrated games left out). The rating is the average of the two players' Lichess ratings. Source: the Lichess open database (public domain).

Main lines

The named lines of the Benoni Defense that were played most in our sample, each with the position it reaches.

  • 1h2g3f4e5d6c7b8a

    Old Benoni

    1. d4 c5

    15,184 games · White 47.9% · draws 4.3% · Black 47.8%

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  • 1h2g3f4e5d6c7b8a

    Benoni Gambit Accepted

    1. d4 c5 2. dxc5

    5,234 games · White 47.2% · draws 4.2% · Black 48.6%

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  • 1h2g3f4e5d6c7b8a

    French Benoni

    1. e4 e6 2. d4 c5 3. d5

    2,654 games · White 53.1% · draws 4.1% · Black 42.8%

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  • 1h2g3f4e5d6c7b8a

    Hromádka System

    1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 d6

    1,006 games · White 49.4% · draws 5.6% · Black 45.0%

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  • 1h2g3f4e5d6c7b8a

    King's Pawn Line

    1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6 4. Nc3 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. e4

    875 games · White 52.3% · draws 2.9% · Black 44.8%

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  • 1h2g3f4e5d6c7b8a

    Modern Variation

    1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6

    737 games · White 49.7% · draws 4.9% · Black 45.5%

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Ideas for White

  • Push d5 and use the space. The break in the centre with e4 and e5 is the main plan.

Ideas for Black

  • Use the queenside majority with ...a6 and ...b5, with the bishop on g7 behind it.
  • The Benko Gambit, 3...b5, gives a pawn for lasting pressure on the queenside.

Questions

What are the moves of the Benoni Defense?
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5. In the ECO classification it is filed under A56.
How does the Benoni Defense score?
In 29,949 games with it in our sample, White won 48.5%, 4.3% were drawn and Black won 47.1%.
At which ratings is the Benoni Defense played most?
Among players rated 2200 and over it is 1.9% of all games in our sample, its highest share. Its lowest share, 0.3%, is among players rated under 1000.
Which line of the Benoni Defense is played most?
Benoni Defense: Old Benoni (1. d4 c5), with 15,184 games in our sample.

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