Current setup
Move ideas
Takes central space with a protected pawn and frees the queen’s bishop.
Idea: Build a stable center that supports a broad positional setup.
Challenges White’s d4-pawn from the flank at once.
Idea: Trade space for an asymmetrical pawn structure and active counterplay.
Advances the c-pawn to gain queenside space and control new squares.
Idea: Create useful wing space while keeping the central structure flexible.
Captures the pawn on d4 and changes the local pawn or piece balance.
Idea: Open lines in the center and reshape the center for the next phase.
Advances to e3 to claim central space and control nearby key squares.
Idea: Give the pieces room to develop behind a durable central foothold.
Waiting for Lichess game popularity.
Each line below is an indexed entry under Benoni Defense. Open one to load it on the board and keep exploring from that position.
23 more named lines sit inside this family — the tree above walks all of them.
ECO groups openings by the structures they lead to, so these families tend to share plans with the Benoni Defense.