Current position
Benoni Defense: Benoni-Indian Defense
1.d4 c5
The Benoni Defense starts with 1.d4 c5 and is catalogued under ECO A43, in the flank openings half of the book. The catalog indexes 61 lines inside it, grouped into 47 named variations, and the position after those moves has 2 playable continuations to walk from here.
Root edges show how often each move is played around your Elo. Use the arrow on a position to reveal the next replies.
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 to d5 to claim central space and control nearby key squares.
Idea: Give the pieces room to develop behind a durable central foothold.
Develops the knight to f6, bringing it into the game.
Idea: Improve piece coordination and clear the back rank for castling and the rooks.
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.