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Benoni Defense

47 variations · 27M games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

Key Finding

Benoni Defense is balanced for White at 50.5% expected score.

This opening produces roughly even results, with outcomes depending more on middlegame play than opening choice.

You play
Playable
Rating
Time
White Expected Score0.0%Range (90% confident): 50.5% – 50.5%Aggregated from 47 variations
0%50.5%100%
Range (90% confident): 50.5% – 50.5%
ContextOverall · n=27M
Outcome Distribution
48.6%3.7%47.7%
Win
Draw
Loss
6...g6
Benoni Defense
Variations47
Games (Context)27M
Avg Length35 moves
Draw Rate3.7%

What Should I Play?

Player-controlled continuations for White · Overall

#1Benoni Defense: Mikenas VariationTop Pick
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 e6 4.Nc3 exd5 5.cxd5 d6 6.e4 g6 7.f4 Bg7 8.e5
Min adv +14.9% · n=11K
58.3%
#2Benoni Defense: Knight's Tour Variation
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 c5 4.d5 exd5 5.cxd5 d6 6.Nc3 g6 7.Nd2
Min adv +9.7% · n=26K
55.4%
#3Benoni Defense: Taimanov Variation
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 e6 4.Nc3 exd5 5.cxd5 d6 6.e4 g6 7.f4 Bg7 8.Bb5+
Min adv +9.3% · n=46K
55.1%
#4Benoni Defense: Benoni-Staunton Gambit
1.d4 c5 2.d5 f5 3.e4
Min adv +7.7% · n=3.8K
55.2%
#5Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, New York Variation
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 c5 4.d5 exd5 5.cxd5 d6 6.Nc3 g6 7.e4 Bg7 8.h3
Min adv +7.5% · n=69K
54.1%
#6Benoni Defense: King's Pawn Line, with Bg5
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.f3 O-O 6.Bg5 c5 7.d5
Min adv +6.7% · n=6.2K
54.4%
#7Benoni Defense: Fianchetto Variation
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 c5 4.d5 exd5 5.cxd5 d6 6.Nc3 g6 7.g3
Min adv +6.7% · n=56K
53.8%
#8Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Czerniak Defense, Tal Line
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 Re8 10.Nd2
Min adv +5.5% · n=19K
53.4%
#9Benoni Defense: French Benoni
1.e4 e6 2.d4 c5 3.d5
Min adv +4.8% · n=1.9M
52.5%
#10Benoni Defense: King's Pawn Line
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 e6 4.Nc3 exd5 5.cxd5 d6 6.e4
Min adv +4.5% · n=742K
52.4%

Continuations show the most common variations from this opening. Higher expected scores indicate better statistical outcomes, but familiarity and playstyle matter too.

What is the Benoni Defense expected score for White?

Snapshot

Overall, the Benoni Defense family has a 50.5% expected score for White (we're 90% confident it's between 50.5% and 50.5%), aggregated from 47 variations and 27M Lichess games.

White Win% by Rating

Improves with rating: 48% → 52%

0
1000
1200
1400
1600
1800
2000
2200
2500+

  • 0-999: 48.1% win rate (383,513 games)
  • 1000-1199: 48.7% win rate (937,620 games)
  • 1200-1399: 48.7% win rate (1,971,768 games)
  • 1400-1599: 48.5% win rate (3,446,116 games)
  • 1600-1799: 48.3% win rate (4,948,476 games)
  • 1800-1999: 48.1% win rate (5,947,898 games)
  • 2000-2199: 48.4% win rate (5,184,312 games)
  • 2200-2499: 49.6% win rate (3,659,957 games)
  • 2500+: 51.7% win rate (793,078 games)

White Win% by Time Control

Similar across time controls (~49%)

UltraBullet
Bullet
Blitz
Rapid
Classical

  • UltraBullet: 48.2% win rate (246,617 games)
  • Bullet: 48.7% win rate (14,486,090 games)
  • Blitz: 48.6% win rate (10,537,911 games)
  • Rapid: 48.8% win rate (1,939,606 games)
  • Classical: 48.9% win rate (62,514 games)

Rating vs Time Control Matrix

Click cells to filter · White expected scores

White% by Rating × Time Control

Click any cell to filter. Green = above 50%, Red = below 50%.

RatingUBBulleBlitzRapidClass
0-999
1000-1199
1200-1399
1400-1599
1600-1799
1800-1999
2000-2199
2200-2499
2500+

Expected score matrix by rating bracket and time control

  • 0-999 rating, UltraBullet: 35.9% expected score (1,300 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Bullet: 47.8% expected score (143,685 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 50.2% expected score (182,545 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 52.4% expected score (55,460 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Classical: 55.8% expected score (523 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 45.7% expected score (3,577 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 48.7% expected score (373,934 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 50.6% expected score (440,867 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 51.4% expected score (117,456 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 51.0% expected score (1,786 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 46.2% expected score (11,401 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 49.1% expected score (792,353 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 50.5% expected score (920,357 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 51.2% expected score (241,584 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 51.1% expected score (6,073 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 45.7% expected score (37,579 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 49.2% expected score (1,452,815 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 50.3% expected score (1,547,525 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 50.8% expected score (393,012 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 51.1% expected score (15,185 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 48.6% expected score (65,396 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 49.5% expected score (2,265,461 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 50.2% expected score (2,142,677 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 51.0% expected score (455,937 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 51.5% expected score (19,005 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 49.8% expected score (62,096 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 49.7% expected score (2,936,998 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 50.1% expected score (2,527,551 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 50.7% expected score (407,261 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 51.7% expected score (13,992 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 52.0% expected score (42,557 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 50.1% expected score (3,051,328 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 51.2% expected score (1,875,977 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 51.6% expected score (209,484 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 53.6% expected score (4,966 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 54.8% expected score (21,167 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 51.4% expected score (2,753,362 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 54.0% expected score (827,045 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 55.2% expected score (57,500 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 60.6% expected score (883 games)
  • 2500+ rating, UltraBullet: 60.0% expected score (1,544 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 54.5% expected score (716,154 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 57.6% expected score (73,367 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 64.3% expected score (1,912 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Classical: 72.4% expected score (101 games)

Matrix view reveals how performance varies across rating brackets and time controls. Green indicates favorable, red indicates challenging contexts.

Variations (47)

1
Benoni Defense: Four Pawns Attack, Main Line39K games
58.9%
2
Benoni Defense: Mikenas Variation11K games
58.3%
3
Benoni Defense: Modern Variation, Snake Variation62K games
55.5%
Benoni Defense: Knight's Tour Variation26K games
55.4%
Benoni Defense: Taimanov Variation46K games
55.1%
Benoni Defense: Benoni-Staunton Gambit3.8K games
55.2%
Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, New York Variation69K games
54.1%
Benoni Defense: Snail Variation5.7K games
54.6%
Benoni Defense: King's Pawn Line, with Bg56.2K games
54.4%
Benoni Defense: Fianchetto Variation56K games
53.8%
Benoni Defense: Cormorant Gambit60K games
53.6%
Benoni Defense: Old Benoni, Schmid Variation57K games
53.1%
Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Czerniak Defense, Tal Line19K games
53.4%
Benoni Defense: French Benoni1.9M games
52.5%
Benoni Defense: King's Pawn Line742K games
52.4%
Benoni Defense: King's Pawn Line, with Nge21.4K games
54.4%
Benoni Defense: Woozle14K games
52.6%
Benoni Defense: Franco-Sicilian Hybrid10K games
52.7%
Benoni Defense: Benoni-Indian Defense416K games
52.0%
Benoni Defense: Hawk Variation3.3K games
53.3%
Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Full Line9.5K games
52.5%
Benoni Defense: Modern Variation476K games
51.5%
Benoni Defense: Semi-Benoni141K games
51.6%
Benoni Defense: Old Benoni, Mujannah Formation45K games
51.7%
Benoni Defense: Benoni-Indian Defense, Kingside Move Order229K games
51.4%
Benoni Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Hastings Defense6.5K games
52.1%
Benoni Defense: Hromádka System739K games
51.1%
Benoni Defense: King's Indian System25K games
51.5%
Benoni Defense: Benoni Gambit, Schlenker Defense41K games
50.9%
Benoni Defense: Old Benoni17M games
50.3%
Benoni Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Hastings Defense, Main Line11K games
51.0%
Benoni Defense: Pawn Storm Variation19K games
50.7%
Benoni Defense: Weenink Variation49K games
50.4%
Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Main Line21K games
50.4%
Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Traditional Variation6.7K games
50.7%
Benoni Defense1.1M games
49.7%
Benoni Defense: Benoni Gambit Accepted3.5M games
49.2%
Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Argentine Counterattack6.7K games
50.1%
Benoni Defense: Classical Variation112K games
48.9%
Benoni Defense: Czech Benoni Defense131K games
48.8%
Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Czerniak Defense18K games
48.7%
Benoni Defense: Four Pawns Attack49K games
48.2%
Benoni Defense: Uhlmann Variation25K games
48.1%
Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Averbakh-Grivas Attack54K games
47.8%
Benoni Defense: King's Pawn Line, with Be3734 games
49.4%
Benoni Defense: Zilbermints-Benoni Gambit1.7K games
43.6%
Benoni Defense: Hrom��dka System102 games
49.0%
Analyze Benoni Defense PositionsGet move-by-move win rates with the TrueElo analyzer

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Benoni Defense win rate?

The Benoni Defense family has a 48.6% (90% CI: 48.6%-48.6%) win rate for white, aggregated from 47 variations and 27M rated games from Lichess.

How many Benoni Defense variations are there?

This analysis covers 47 Benoni Defense variations with sufficient game data. Each variation has its own statistics page with detailed win rates by rating and time control.

At what rating does the Benoni Defense perform best?

The Benoni Defense family performs best at 2500+ Elo with a 51.7% win rate for white (793K games). Performance may vary by specific variation.

Is the Benoni Defense better in blitz or rapid?

Rapid (48.8%) outperforms UltraBullet (48.2%) by 0.6% across all Benoni Defense variations.

How sharp is the Benoni Defense?

Benoni Defense games are 96.3% decisive (non-draws), with an average length of 35 moves. Sharpness varies by specific variation.

Is the Benoni Defense a good opening family?

The Benoni Defense family is statistically balanced overall with a 48.6% (90% CI: 48.6%-48.6%) aggregated win rate. However, win rates vary significantly between the 47 variations—explore individual lines to find the best fit for your style.