Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, New York Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 c5 4. d5 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. Nc3 g6 7. e4 Bg7 8. h3
The Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, New York Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO A70, reached after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 c5 4. d5 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. Nc3 g6 7. e4 Bg7 8. h3. It is a line of the Benoni Defense. Black is to move.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 11 times by this move order. White won 64%, 9% were drawn and Black won 27%. The most popular continuation is 8… O-O (91% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.43 (Stockfish, depth 34; best line 8… O-O 9. Be3 Re8 10. Nd2 a6 11. a4)
- ECO
- A70
- Moves
- 15 plies
- FEN
rnbqk2r/pp3pbp/3p1np1/2pP4/4P3/2N2N1P/PP3PP1/R1BQKB1R b KQkq - 0 8- PGN
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 c5 4. d5 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. Nc3 g6 7. e4 Bg7 8. h3
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 1500-1999 | 2 | |
| 2000+ | 9 | |
| All | 11 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 8… O-O | 10 (91%) | |
| 8… Nbd7 | 1 (9%) |
Master games
143 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 44%, draw 24%, Black 32%). The strongest:
- GM Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (2768) – GM Maxim Matlakov (2694) 1/2-1/2 · World Blitz 2016 · 2016-12-29
- GM Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (2747) – GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov (2713) 1/2-1/2 · Aimchess Rapid KO · 2022-10-18
- GM Vitaly Kunin (2592) – GM S.P. Sethuraman (2656) 1/2-1/2 · 49th Biel Master Open · 2016-07-29
- GM Yue Wang (2690) – IM Temur Kuybokarov (2472) 1-0 · PRO League Group Stage · 2018-02-07
- GM Suri Vaibhav (2542) – GM Levan Pantsulaia (2605) 1/2-1/2 · PRO League Group Stage · 2018-02-04
Highest-rated Lichess games
- kmuruganim (2474) – Lampo4ka4G (2315) 1-0 · 2026-09-02 · 180 + 2s
- Kumir_Shaxm_StrimerH (2367) – Diamondwx (2407) 1-0 · 2026-09-05 · 180 + 0s
- Povalm (2340) – IM CleverKenkz (2428) 1-0 · 2026-09-02 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Benoni Defense: Classical Variation (6… g6 7. e4) 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 c5 4. d5 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. Nc3 g6 7. e4
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.