Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Czerniak Defense (10. Nd2 Na6)
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 Re8 10. Nd2 Na6
The Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Czerniak Defense is a chess opening classified as ECO A78, 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 Re8 10. Nd2 Na6. It is a line of the Benoni Defense. White is to move.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 1 times by this move order. White won 0%, 100% were drawn and Black won 0%. The most popular continuation is 11. f3 (100% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.76 (Stockfish, depth 50; best line 11. f3 Nc7 12. a4 b6 13. Kh1 Qe7)
- ECO
- A78
- Moves
- 20 plies
- FEN
r1bqr1k1/pp3pbp/n2p1np1/2pP4/4P3/2N5/PP1NBPPP/R1BQ1RK1 w - - 7 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 Re8 10. Nd2 Na6
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 2000+ | 1 | |
| All | 1 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 11. f3 | 1 (100%) |
Master games
12 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 25%, draw 50%, Black 25%). The strongest:
- StoofvleesII d2 (3479) – Stockfishdev-20240413-c55ae376 (3657) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 26 Premier 2024 · 2024-05-04
- Stockfishdev-20240413-c55ae376 (3657) – StoofvleesII d2 (3479) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 26 Premier 2024 · 2024-05-02
- GM Petar Drenchev (2490) – GM Bozidar Ivanovic (2427) 1/2-1/2 · Danilo Batricevic Mem Balkan GP · 2012-10-27
- IM Jung Min Seo (2466) – FM Isak Sjoberg (2322) 1-0 · Titled Tuesday 18th Jan · 2022-01-18
- FM Marco Materia (2315) – FM P. Maheswaran (2156) 1-0 · Titled Tuesday 24th Aug · 2021-08-24
Search all games of the Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Czerniak Defense and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- JAGMM (2637) – Demon_of_Draws (2509) 1/2-1/2 · 2026-09-03 · 180 + 2s
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.