Benoni Defense: Zilbermints-Benoni Gambit (2… cxd4 3. b4)
1. d4 c5 2. Nf3 cxd4 3. b4
The Benoni Defense: Zilbermints-Benoni Gambit is a chess opening classified as ECO A43, reached after 1. d4 c5 2. Nf3 cxd4 3. b4. It is a line of the Benoni Defense. Black is to move. 1 named line continues from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 2 times by this move order. White won 50%, 50% were drawn and Black won 0%. The most popular continuation is 3… e5 (50% of games).
Engine evaluation: −0.69 (Stockfish, depth 44; best line 3… Nc6 4. b5 Qa5+ 5. c3 Qxb5 6. cxd4)
- ECO
- A43
- Moves
- 5 plies
- FEN
rnbqkbnr/pp1ppppp/8/8/1P1p4/5N2/P1P1PPPP/RNBQKB1R b KQkq - 0 3- PGN
1. d4 c5 2. Nf3 cxd4 3. b4
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 2000+ | 2 | |
| All | 2 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 3… e5 Zilbermints-Benoni Gambit, Tamarkin Countergambit | 1 (50%) | |
| 3… a5 | 1 (50%) |
Highest-rated Lichess games
- BrilliantGambiteer (2253) – ARGO57 (2216) 1/2-1/2 · 2026-09-05 · 300 + 0s
- BrilliantGambiteer (2270) – WeBIe (2156) 1-0 · 2026-09-01 · 300 + 0s
Comes from
Continuations
- Benoni Defense: Zilbermints-Benoni Gambit, Tamarkin Countergambit A43 · 1. d4 c5 2. Nf3 cxd4 3. b4 e5
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… c5 2. d5) A43
- Benoni Defense: Old Benoni (2. d5 d6) A43
- Benoni Defense: Old Benoni, Mujannah Formation 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.