Benoni Defense: Modern Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6
The Benoni Defense: Modern Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO A60, reached after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6. It is a line of the Benoni Defense. White is to move. 2 named lines continue from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 3,935 times by this move order. White won 47%, 5% were drawn and Black won 48%. The most popular continuation is 4. Nc3 (85% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.82 (Stockfish, depth 55; best line 4. Nc3 g6 5. e4 d6 6. Nf3 Bg7)
- ECO
- A60
- Moves
- 6 plies
- FEN
rnbqkb1r/pp1p1ppp/4pn2/2pP4/2P5/8/PP2PPPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 4- PGN
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 182 | |
| 1500-1999 | 1,629 | |
| 2000+ | 2,124 | |
| All | 3,935 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 4. Nc3 | 3,353 (85%) | |
| 4. dxe6 | 332 (8%) | |
| 4. Nf3 | 57 (1%) | |
| 4. Bg5 | 55 (1%) | |
| 4. d6 | 50 (1%) | |
| 4. e4 | 49 (1%) | |
| 4. g3 | 20 (1%) | |
| 4. f3 | 7 (0%) |
Master games
5,366 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 45%, draw 19%, Black 36%). The strongest:
- LCZero 0.31-dag-5350a2e-BT4-61 (3631) – Stockfish dev-20240728-2343f71 (3662) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 26 Balanced Lines · 2024-08-03
- Stockfish dev-20240728-2343f71 (3662) – LCZero 0.31-dag-5350a2e-BT4-61 (3631) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 26 Balanced Lines · 2024-08-03
- LCZero 0.30-dag-9a9c42d_784968 (3599) – Stockfish dev16_20221027 (3625) 1-0 · TCEC 23 Superfinal 2022 · 2022-11-16
- Stockfish dev16_20221027 (3625) – LCZero 0.30-dag-9a9c42d_784968 (3599) 1-0 · TCEC 23 Superfinal 2022 · 2022-11-16
- KomodoDragon 2894.00 (3600) – Stockfish dev15_20220401 (3617) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 22 Superfinal 2022 · 2022-04-21
Search all games of the Benoni Defense: Modern Variation and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- GM sillyMASTER (2833) – IM shuriks91 (2756) 1-0 · 2026-09-02 · 180 + 0s
- NM Andrey11976 (2796) – IM shuriks91 (2759) 1-0 · 2026-09-04 · 180 + 0s
- Nut5105 (2732) – CM Romaa2011 (2779) 0-1 · 2026-09-03 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Benoni Defense (2. c4 c5) 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5
Continuations
- Benoni Defense: Modern Variation, Snake Variation A60 · 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6 4. Nc3 exd5 5. cxd5 Bd6
- Benoni Defense: King's Pawn Line (5… d6 6. e4) A65 · 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6 4. Nc3 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. 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.