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Benoni Defense: 3 quick facts

  • The Benoni Defense gets its name from the Hebrew בֶּן־אוֹנִי (Ben-Oni), meaning “son of sorrow,” which was used in the title of an 1825 book on defenses against gambit moves. Over the course of the 19th century, the name Benoni gradually became attached to the opening, although the move sequence used back then was different from the modern Benoni Defense.
  • It’s an aggressive, imbalanced, counterattacking opening for Black.
  • While sound, the Benoni isn’t a grandmaster staple and is more popular among lower-level players.

Benoni Defense: The moves

Here are the moves for the Benoni Defense:

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1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5

A gif showing the opening moves for the Benoni Defense: 1. White’s d-pawn moves to d4 and Black’s knight moves to f6. 2. White’s c-pawn moves to c4 and Black’s c-pawn moves to c5. 3. White’s d-pawn moves to d5.

Note that the Benoni Defense can be reached by several move orders, including 1. d4 c5, sometimes known as the Old Benoni.

Leave your opponents sorrowful

If you’re an attacking player on the hunt for a dynamic opening, try the Benoni Defense!

If you’re looking for more openings, check out our guide featuring over 30 options for every skill level!