ecocodes
Volume A · Flank openings‹ A55A57 ›
a1b2c3d4e5f6g7h8
Reference position · White to move

A56 Benoni Defense

Also filed here: Grünfeld Defense, Vulture Defense.

A56 holds seven named lines from three openings, most of them (five) under Benoni Defense. It leaves A50 (Indian Defense: Normal Variation) with 2...c5. Lines of 16 other codes continue from its position, the widest spread of the 23 Benoni Defense codes. With seven named lines it is the third-largest code of the 23 Benoni Defense codes. At four plies, its reference line is the second-shortest of the 23 Benoni Defense codes.

Score sheet
#WhiteBlack
1d4Nf6
2c4c5

The move that completes A56

The reference line of A57 plays all of these moves and continues beyond them; A56 is the position reached at 2...c5.

  1. 2...c5 The c-pawn advances two squares to c5, covering b4 and d4, opening a line for the queen on d8.

Lines filed under A56

All seven share their first four plies, the whole reference line and then split three ways at White’s move 3.

NameAfter the shared startPliesAt the end
Benoni Defense(the shared start itself)4
Benoni Defense: Czech Benoni Defense3.d5 e56
Benoni Defense: Hromádka System3.d5 d66
Benoni Defense: Weenink Variation3.dxc5 e66White +1
Vulture Defense3.d5 Ne46
Benoni Defense: King’s Indian System3.d5 e5 4.Nc3 d6 5.e4 g610
Grünfeld Defense: Three Knights Variation, Burille Variation, Reversed Tarrasch3.e3 g6 4.Nc3 Bg7 5.Nf3 O-O 6.Be2 cxd4 7.exd4 d5 8.O-O Nc616both castled

The road to A56

  1. 1.d4one earlier stop: A40
  2. 1...Nf6A45 Indian Defense
  3. 2.c4A50 Normal Variation
  4. 2...c5A56

The position after 2...c5

Black has brought out the knight on f6; White has not yet moved a knight or bishop. White could capture with dxc5. Undefended and attacked: the pawn on c5. White is to move and has 30 legal moves.

WhiteBlackMaterial (pawn units)3939Minor pieces developed01Moves spent on pawns21Pawns on d4, e4, d5, e510Squares attacked in the other half64not castlednot castled

Codes that branch off from A56

The reference lines of three other codes leave A56 from the position after 2...c5, each with its own moves.

CodeMovesReference line
A313.Nf3English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Anti-Benoni Variation
A573.d5 b5Benko Gambit
A603.d5 e6Benoni Defense: Modern Variation

Closest boards in other codes

CodeLineDiffers on
A15English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defensefour squares: d2, d4, c5, c7
A30English Opening: Symmetrical Variationfour squares: d2, d4, f6, g8
A43Benoni Defense: Old Benonifour squares: c2, c4, f6, g8
A45Indian Defensefour squares: c2, c4, c5, c7
A51Indian Defense: Budapest Gambitfour squares: c5, e5, c7, e7
A53Old Indian Defensefour squares: c5, d6, c7, d7
E60Indian Defense: West Indian Defensefour squares: c5, g6, c7, g7

Where lines continue from here

Besides the codes above, they belong to A58, A59, A65, A66, A67, A68, A69, A72, A73, A74, A76, A77, A79.

Volume A

  1. 00
  2. 01
  3. 02
  4. 03
  5. 04
  6. 05
  7. 06
  8. 07
  9. 08
  10. 09
  11. 10
  12. 11
  13. 12
  14. 13
  15. 14
  16. 15
  17. 16
  18. 17
  19. 18
  20. 19
  21. 20
  22. 21
  23. 22
  24. 23
  25. 24
  26. 25
  27. 26
  28. 27
  29. 28
  30. 29
  31. 30
  32. 31
  33. 32
  34. 33
  35. 34
  36. 35
  37. 36
  38. 37
  39. 38
  40. 39
  41. 40
  42. 41
  43. 42
  44. 43
  45. 44
  46. 45
  47. 46
  48. 47
  49. 48
  50. 49
  51. 50
  52. 51
  53. 52
  54. 53
  55. 54
  56. 55
  57. 56
  58. 57
  59. 58
  60. 59
  61. 60
  62. 61
  63. 62
  64. 63
  65. 64
  66. 65
  67. 66
  68. 67
  69. 68
  70. 69
  71. 70
  72. 71
  73. 72
  74. 73
  75. 74
  76. 75
  77. 76
  78. 77
  79. 78
  80. 79
  81. 80
  82. 81
  83. 82
  84. 83
  85. 84
  86. 85
  87. 86
  88. 87
  89. 88
  90. 89
  91. 90
  92. 91
  93. 92
  94. 93
  95. 94
  96. 95
  97. 96
  98. 97
  99. 98
  100. 99

Other move orders

  • Benoni Defense is also reached inside A31 English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Anti-Benoni Variation, whose order is 1.c4 Nf6 2.d4 c5.

Open this line in the finderAll Benoni Defense codes