Benoni Defense: Classical Variation (8. Be2 O-O)
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6 4. Nc3 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. e4 g6 7. Nf3 Bg7 8. Be2 O-O
The Benoni Defense: Classical Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO A72, reached after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6 4. Nc3 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. e4 g6 7. Nf3 Bg7 8. Be2 O-O. It is a line of the Benoni Defense. White is to move. 1 named line continues from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 67 times by this move order. White won 55%, 8% were drawn and Black won 37%. The most popular continuation is 9. O-O (84% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.58 (Stockfish, depth 38; best line 9. Nd2 Na6 10. O-O Nc7 11. a4 Re8)
- ECO
- A72
- Moves
- 16 plies
- FEN
rnbq1rk1/pp3pbp/3p1np1/2pP4/4P3/2N2N2/PP2BPPP/R1BQK2R w KQ - 4 9- PGN
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6 4. Nc3 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. e4 g6 7. Nf3 Bg7 8. Be2 O-O
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 1500-1999 | 18 | |
| 2000+ | 49 | |
| All | 67 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 9. O-O Classical Variation, Main Line | 56 (84%) | |
| 9. h3 | 4 (6%) | |
| 9. Nd2 | 3 (4%) | |
| 9. Bg5 | 2 (3%) | |
| 9. Bf4 | 1 (1%) | |
| 9. Be3 | 1 (1%) |
Master games
40 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 53%, draw 17%, Black 30%). The strongest:
- GM Alexey Sarana (2649) – GM Alexandr Fier (2569) 1-0 · Titled Tuesday 1st June · 2021-06-01
- GM Alexey Sarana (2693) – IM Ahmad Ahmadzada (2505) 1-0 · Titled Tue 19th Sep Early · 2023-09-19
- GM Bogdan-Daniel Deac (2671) – FM Khazar Babazada (2431) 1-0 · Titled Tue 3rd May Early · 2022-05-03
- GM Konstantin Sakaev (2584) – GM Artur Gabrielian (2499) 0-1 · ch-RUS Rapid 2018 · 2018-10-06
- GM Alexey Sarana (2673) – IM Rout Padmini (2354) 1-0 · 1st 3-0 Thu 18th Dec 2025 · 2025-12-18
Search all games of the Benoni Defense: Classical Variation and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- FM bangalibabu (2472) – hierasousse (2544) 0-1 · 2026-09-07 · 180 + 0s
- pashka001 (2351) – terrorboy (2417) 0-1 · 2026-09-01 · 180 + 2s
- ecolefrancaise (2400) – qu1t_wh1l3_4h34d (2360) 1-0 · 2026-09-01 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Benoni Defense: King's Pawn Line (5… d6 6. e4) 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6 4. Nc3 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. e4
Continuations
- Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Main Line A73 · 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6 4. Nc3 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. e4 g6 7. Nf3 Bg7 8. Be2 O-O 9. O-O
More Benoni Defense lines (all)
- Benoni Defense: Franco-Sicilian Hybrid A40
- Benoni Defense: Benoni Gambit Accepted A43
- Benoni Defense: Benoni Gambit, Schlenker Defense A43
- Benoni Defense: Benoni-Indian Defense A43
- Benoni Defense: Benoni-Indian Defense, Kingside Move Order A43
- Benoni Defense: Benoni-Staunton Gambit A43
- Benoni Defense: Cormorant Gambit A43
- Benoni Defense: French Benoni A43
- Benoni Defense: Hawk Variation A43
- Benoni Defense: Old Benoni (1. d4 c5) A43
- Benoni Defense: Old Benoni (1… c5 2. d5) A43
- Benoni Defense: Old Benoni (2. d5 d6) A43
Opening names and moves from the Lichess openings dataset; statistics from the Lichess open database, 2026-09 (CC0), sample of 12.6 million games, bots excluded; evaluations from Lichess cloud analysis (all CC0). Master games from The Week in Chess #920–#1664 by Mark Crowther, used with permission.