- ECO code
- A56
- Moves
- 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5
- Family
- Benoni Defense
- To move
- White
- Master games
- 880
- Average game length
- 42 moves
- Years covered
- 1895–2026
Benoni Defense is the opening filed under ECO code A56, reached after 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5. It belongs to the Benoni Defense family; in the resulting position it is White to move.
Katuranga's collection of 138,070 master games contains 880 games on this line — the 120th most played opening in the collection. The oldest game on this line is from 1895 and the most recent from 2026. The busiest decade in this collection is the 2020s, with 180 games. An average game here lasts 42 moves.
White wins 41% of those games, 28% end in a draw, and Black wins 31%. Compared with the collection average (White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28%), Black scores better here by 3 percentage points. Draws are less common here than usual, by 7 points.
From this position the most popular move is 3.d5, played in 777 games, followed by 3.Nf3 (87) and 3.e3 (14). After 3.d5 White scores 41% and Black 32%.
The name that appears most often on the White side of this line is Kortschnoj, Viktor (47 games); on the Black side, Tal, Mihail (54).
1 named variation branch off this position and have their own page here, among them Benko Gambit.
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Results in master games
- White 41% (359)
- Draws 28% (245)
- Black 31% (276)
Most played continuations
| Move | Games | White / draws / Black | Leads into |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.d5 | 777 | 41/27/32 | — |
| 3.Nf3 | 87 | 40/30/30 | — |
| 3.e3 | 14 | 29/42/29 | — |
| 3.dxc5 | 2 | 50/50/0 | — |
Variations from this position
- Benko Gambit · 3.d5 b5 · 305 games
How the position is reached
- Queen's Pawn Game · 1.d4 · 45,810 games
- Indian Defense · 1.d4 Nf6 · 29,631 games
- Indian Defense: Normal Variation · 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 · 22,243 games
Played most often by
As White
- Kortschnoj, Viktor 47
- Mamedyarov,S 31
- Karpov, Anatoly 20
As Black
- Tal, Mihail 54
- Aronian,L 40
- Carlsen,M 38
Games per decade
- 1890s 3
- 1910s 1
- 1920s 2
- 1930s 3
- 1940s 3
- 1950s 54
- 1960s 63
- 1970s 65
- 1980s 93
- 1990s 142
- 2000s 118
- 2010s 153
- 2020s 180
Master games on this line
| White | Black | Result | Year | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Makarian,Rudik | Aronian,L | 0-1 | 2026 | Chess.com Open PlayIn3 |
| Erigaisi,Arjun | Galchenko,Matvey | 0-1 | 2026 | Titled Tue 26th May 2026 |
| Caruana,F | Taher,Yoseph Theolifus | 1-0 | 2026 | 2nd 3-0 Thu 23rd Apr 2026 |
| Ivanchuk,V | Theodorou,Nikolas | 1-0 | 2026 | FIDE World Rapid Team |
| Nakamura,Hi | Theodorou,Nikolas | 0-1 | 2026 | Titled Tue 28th Apr 2026 |
| Golubovic,Erik | Caruana,F | 0-1 | 2026 | Titled Tue 28th Apr 2026 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the Benoni Defense?
It is the opening with ECO code A56, reached after 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5. It belongs to the Benoni Defense family.
Is the Benoni Defense good for White or for Black?
In 880 master games on this line White wins 41%, 28% are drawn and Black wins 31%. The collection average is White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28% — so this line is a slightly better bargain for Black than the field as a whole.
What is the main continuation of the Benoni Defense?
3.d5 — played in 777 of the master games on this line.
Which grandmasters play the Benoni Defense?
On the White side Kortschnoj, Viktor (47), Mamedyarov,S (31), Karpov, Anatoly (20); on the Black side Tal, Mihail (54), Aronian,L (40), Carlsen,M (38).
Every number on this page is computed from Katuranga's master game collection; names and ECO codes follow the lichess opening book (CC0).
Try this line on the board
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