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
The Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Traditional 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. Be2. It is a line of the Benoni Defense. Black is to move. 2 named lines continue from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 24 times by this move order. White won 58%, 13% were drawn and Black won 29%. The most popular continuation is 8… O-O (79% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.49 (Stockfish, depth 40; best line 8… a6 9. O-O O-O 10. a4 Bg4 11. Nd2)
- ECO
- A70
- Moves
- 15 plies
- FEN
rnbqk2r/pp3pbp/3p1np1/2pP4/4P3/2N2N2/PP2BPPP/R1BQK2R b KQkq - 2 8- PGN
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 c5 4. d5 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. Nc3 g6 7. e4 Bg7 8. Be2
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 1500-1999 | 5 | |
| 2000+ | 19 | |
| All | 24 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 8… O-O | 19 (79%) | |
| 8… Bg4 | 4 (17%) | |
| 8… a6 | 1 (4%) |
Master games
82 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 37%, draw 12%, Black 51%). The strongest:
- GM Parham Maghsoodloo (2701) – GM Guha Mitrabha (2490) 1-0 · Chess.com RCC Wk19 Swiss · 2022-07-02
- IM Jegor Lashkin (2517) – GM Sanan Sjugirov (2646) 0-1 · Titled Tue 3rd Dec Early · 2024-12-03
- GM Krikor Sevag Mekhitarian (2537) – GM Axel Bachmann (2604) 0-1 · VII SESC Caioba Open 2023 · 2023-06-25
- GM Alisher Suleymenov (2512) – GM Vugar Rasulov (2560) 0-1 · Pavlodar Open A 2023 · 2023-10-24
- FM Vladyslav Sydoryka (2301) – GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov (2766) 0-1 · Titled Tue 7th May Late · 2024-05-07
Highest-rated Lichess games
- ScaryIndianJunior (2819) – fortunex2 (2615) 1-0 · 2026-09-01 · 180 + 0s
- JAGMM (2665) – Puntano (2581) 1/2-1/2 · 2026-09-02 · 180 + 2s
- JAGMM (2637) – Demon_of_Draws (2509) 1/2-1/2 · 2026-09-03 · 180 + 2s
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
Continuations
- Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Argentine Counterattack A75 · 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
- Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Czerniak Defense (10. Nd2 Na6) A78 · 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
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.