Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Argentine Counterattack
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 c5 4. d5 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. Nc3 g6 7. e4 Bg7 8. Be2 O-O 9. O-O a6 10. a4 Bg4
The Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Argentine Counterattack is a chess opening classified as ECO A75, reached after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 c5 4. d5 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. Nc3 g6 7. e4 Bg7 8. Be2 O-O 9. O-O a6 10. a4 Bg4. It is a line of the Benoni Defense. White is to move.
This exact move order didn't appear in our sample of 12.6 million Lichess games: it's a rare line.
Engine evaluation: +0.51 (Stockfish, depth 42; best line 11. Nd2 Bxe2 12. Qxe2 Nbd7 13. Nc4 Nb6)
- ECO
- A75
- Moves
- 20 plies
- FEN
rn1q1rk1/1p3pbp/p2p1np1/2pP4/P3P1b1/2N2N2/1P2BPPP/R1BQ1RK1 w - - 1 11- PGN
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 c5 4. d5 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. Nc3 g6 7. e4 Bg7 8. Be2 O-O 9. O-O a6 10. a4 Bg4
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Master games
7 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 14%, draw 29%, Black 57%). The strongest:
- FM Juan Pablo Castro Lombana (2183) – GM Bharath Subramaniyam H (2591) 0-1 · Titled Tue 7th Jul 2026 · 2026-07-07
- Sergej Acimovic (2097) – GM Matej Sebenik (2512) 0-1 · 32nd ch-SLO 2022 · 2022-07-04
- Franciszek Sernecki (2285) – IM Zlatko Martic (2308) 1/2-1/2 · FSIM November 2019 · 2019-11-09
- Allan Kiviaho (2173) – Pekka Koykka (2242) 0-1 · TCh-FIN SM 2012-13 · 2012-11-17
- Rado Tavcar (1956) – FM Reinhard Postler (2232) 0-1 · 23rd World Seniors 2013 · 2013-11-12
Comes from
Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Traditional Variation 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 c5 4. d5 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. Nc3 g6 7. e4 Bg7 8. Be2
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.