Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Main Line

An entry in the Encyclopedia of Chess Openings (ECO A73), reached after 17 half-moves: 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6 4. Nc3 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. e4 g6 7. Nf3 Bg7 8. Be2 O-O 9. O-O.

Black rook — Use ← → arrows or click moves to step through.

Black knight — Use ← → arrows or click moves to step through.

End of this line

No further variations branch from this position in our database. To explore neighbouring ideas:

About this opening

Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Main Line is an opening in the Encyclopedia of Chess Openings, classified under code A73. ECO group A (A00–A99) covers flank and irregular openings, including the English, Bird, Réti and Dutch defences. This particular variation is reached after 17 half-moves from the starting position, with the move sequence 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6 4. Nc3 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. e4 g6 7. Nf3 Bg7 8. Be2 O-O 9. O-O.

It belongs to the Benoni Defense family. Within that family this is a level-2 branch (the Classical Variation → Main Line line). The immediate parent line is Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, transitioned via 9.O-O.

The opening sequence in prose form: 1.d4 Nf6, 2.c4 c5, 3.d5 e6, 4.Nc3 exd5, 5.cxd5 d6, 6.e4 g6. From this position the encyclopaedia records no further canonical continuations — practical play branches into unnamed transpositions or returns to the parent line for alternative ideas.