Old Benoni Defense
Stockfish 16.1 · runs in your browser1.d4 c5 · For Black against 1.d4 · ECO A40 to A79
The example line for Benoni Defense is 1. d4 c5. Explore 66 saved positions and compare up to three engine continuations per position. The saved Stockfish 16 analysis reaches depth 16, with scores in pawns from White's perspective. Step through the opening on the board and try a continuation to explore the resulting position.
By Chessvia · Updated Oct 18, 2026
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Old Benoni Defense
1.d4 c5
White’s choices
- 2.c4 c5 3.d5 exd5 4.cxd5 d6 5.Nc3 g6 6.e4 Bg7 7.Nf3 Ne7 · Franco-Sicilian Hybrid
- 2.dxc5 · Benoni Gambit Accepted
- 2.d4 c5 3.d5 · French Benoni
- 2.d5
- 2.b4 · Zilbermints-Benoni Gambit
- 2.Nf3 cxd4 3.b4 · Zilbermints-Benoni Gambit
- 2.c4 c5 · After 2...c5
- 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 c5 4.d5 exd5 5.cxd5 d6 6.Nc3 g6 · After 6...g6
- 2.c4 e6 3.g3 c5 4.d5 exd5 5.cxd5 d6 6.Nc3 g6 7.Bg2 Bg7 8.Nf3 O-O · Fianchetto Variation
- 2.c4 g6 3.f3 c5 4.d5 d6 5.e4 Bg7 6.Nc3 e6 7.Be3 O-O 8.Qd2 exd5 9.cxd5 · King's Pawn Line
- 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.f3 O-O 6.Bg5 c5 7.d5 · King's Pawn Line, with Bg5
- 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.f3 O-O 6.Nge2 c5 7.d5 e6 8.Ng3 exd5 9.cxd5 · King's Pawn Line, with Nge2
Stockfish 16 · depth 16 · + favours White
White slightly better +0.70
Engine lines
Franco-Sicilian Hybrid: 2.c4 c5 3.d5 exd5 4.cxd5 d6 5.Nc3 g6 6.e4 Bg7 7.Nf3 Ne7
White clearly better +1.17
Play this lineBenoni Gambit Accepted: 2.dxc5
Level +0.15
Play this lineFrench Benoni: 2.d4 c5 3.d5
White slightly better +0.76
Play this lineAfter 2.d5: 2.d5
White slightly better +0.72
Play this line| Line | Moves | Engine check (+ favours White) | Board |
|---|---|---|---|
| Benoni-Indian Defense | 2...Nf6 | White slightly better +0.69 | Play |
| Kingside Move Order | 3.Nf3 | White slightly better +0.54 | Play |
| Hawk Variation | 3...c4 | White clearly better +1.16 | Play |
| Woozle | 3.Nc3 Qa5 | White clearly better +1.04 | Play |
| After 2...d6 | White slightly better +0.80 | Play | |
| Schmid Variation | 3.Nc3 g6 | White slightly better +0.80 | Play |
| Mujannah Formation | 2...f5 | White clearly better +1.41 | Play |
| Benoni-Staunton Gambit | 3.e4 | White clearly better +1.47 | Play |
| Snail Variation | 2...Na6 | White clearly better +1.05 | Play |
| After 2...e5 | White clearly better +1.27 | Play | |
| Semi-Benoni | 3.e4 d6 | White clearly better +1.33 | Play |
Zilbermints-Benoni Gambit: 2.b4
Black slightly better -0.59
Play this lineZilbermints-Benoni Gambit: 2.Nf3 cxd4 3.b4
Black slightly better -0.94
Play this line| Line | Moves | Engine check (+ favours White) | Board |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tamarkin Countergambit | 3...e5 | Black slightly better -0.78 | Play |
After 2...c5: 2.c4 c5
White slightly better +0.56
Play this line| Line | Moves | Engine check (+ favours White) | Board |
|---|---|---|---|
| Czech Benoni Defense | 3.d5 e5 | White clearly better +1.16 | Play |
| King's Indian System | 4.Nc3 d6 5.e4 g6 | White clearly better +1.17 | Play |
| Hromádka System | 3.d5 d6 | White clearly better +1.03 | Play |
| Weenink Variation | 3.dxc5 e6 | Level +0.02 | Play |
| Modern Variation | 3.d5 e6 | White clearly better +1.00 | Play |
| Snake Variation | 4.Nc3 exd5 5.cxd5 Bd6 | White clearly better +1.11 | Play |
| King's Pawn Line | 4.Nc3 exd5 5.cxd5 d6 6.e4 | White slightly better +0.82 | Play |
| After 7...Bg7 | 6...g6 7.f3 Bg7 | White slightly better +0.44 | Play |
| With Be3 | 8.Be3 | Level +0.20 | Play |
| With Bg5 | 8.Bg5 | Level +0.24 | Play |
| With Nge2 | 8.Nge2 | White slightly better +0.32 | Play |
| Pawn Storm Variation | 6...g6 7.f4 | White slightly better +0.87 | Play |
| Mikenas Variation | 7...Bg7 8.e5 | Level +0.05 | Play |
| Taimanov Variation | 7...Bg7 8.Bb5+ | White clearly better +1.08 | Play |
| Four Pawns Attack | 7...Bg7 8.Nf3 O-O | Level +0.29 | Play |
| After 9.Be2 | White slightly better +0.45 | Play | |
| Main Line | 9...Re8 | White slightly better +0.60 | Play |
| Main Line | 9...Nbd7 10.O-O Re8 | White slightly better +0.38 | Play |
| After 11.Nd2 | Level +0.22 | Play | |
| Main Line | 9...a6 10.a4 Re8 11.Nd2 | White slightly better +0.48 | Play |
After 6...g6: 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 c5 4.d5 exd5 5.cxd5 d6 6.Nc3 g6
White slightly better +0.84
Play this line| Line | Moves | Engine check (+ favours White) | Board |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fianchetto Variation | 7.g3 | White slightly better +0.35 | Play |
| Knight's Tour Variation | 7.Nd2 | White slightly better +0.65 | Play |
| Uhlmann Variation | 7.Bg5 | Level +0.20 | Play |
| Classical Variation | 7.e4 | White slightly better +0.69 | Play |
| New York Variation | 7...Bg7 8.h3 | White slightly better +0.68 | Play |
| Traditional Variation | 7...Bg7 8.Be2 | White slightly better +0.57 | Play |
| After 8...O-O | White slightly better +0.74 | Play | |
| Main Line | 9.O-O | White slightly better +0.56 | Play |
| Full Line | 9...a6 10.a4 | White slightly better +0.64 | Play |
| Argentine Counterattack | 10...Bg4 | White slightly better +0.58 | Play |
| Czerniak Defense | 9...Re8 | White slightly better +0.69 | Play |
| Tal Line | 10.Nd2 | White slightly better +0.68 | Play |
| After 10...Nbd7 | White slightly better +0.76 | Play | |
| After 10...Na6 | White slightly better +0.61 | Play | |
| After 11.f3 | White slightly better +0.67 | Play | |
| Averbakh-Grivas Attack | 7...Bg7 8.Bg5 | Level +0.29 | Play |
Fianchetto Variation: 2.c4 e6 3.g3 c5 4.d5 exd5 5.cxd5 d6 6.Nc3 g6 7.Bg2 Bg7 8.Nf3 O-O
White slightly better +0.54
Play this lineKing's Pawn Line: 2.c4 g6 3.f3 c5 4.d5 d6 5.e4 Bg7 6.Nc3 e6 7.Be3 O-O 8.Qd2 exd5 9.cxd5
Level +0.26
Play this lineKing's Pawn Line, with Bg5: 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.f3 O-O 6.Bg5 c5 7.d5
White slightly better +0.35
Play this line| Line | Moves | Engine check (+ favours White) | Board |
|---|---|---|---|
| After 9.exd5 | 7...e6 8.Qd2 exd5 9.exd5 | Black slightly better -0.68 | Play |
King's Pawn Line, with Nge2: 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.f3 O-O 6.Nge2 c5 7.d5 e6 8.Ng3 exd5 9.cxd5
White slightly better +0.33
Play this line