Chess Openings Lab
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Benoni Defense: French Benoni

The French Benoni comes from 1...e6 and 2...c5 against 2.d4, and 3.d5 pushes past c5 to grab space. White wants a broad center on d5 and e4 backed by Nc3 and Bd3, while Black chooses between keeping the tension with ...Nf6 and ...d6 or releasing it with ...exd5.

Moves
1.e4 e6 2.d4 c5 3.d5
ECO
A43
Engine
+0.67 · a slight edge for White (Stockfish 17.1, depth 20)
Played
3,513 games in our lichess sample
White scores
51.7%

Key ideas for both sides

White

  • Support d5 with Nc3 and develop with Bd3 and Nge2, keeping the f-pawn free to advance to f4 later.
  • If Black plays ...exd5, recapture with the e-pawn to get a half-open e-file and a rook on e1 after castling.
  • Add c4 later to make the d5 wedge harder to break, as in the third engine line after short castling.

Black

  • ...Nf6 first hits e4 and asks White to commit with Nc3 before Black decides about ...exd5.
  • With ...d6, ...Be7 and short castling, Black gets a compact setup and later chooses between ...exd5 and ...b5.
  • In the ...g6 lines the bishop goes to g7 and the knight to e7, then ...f5 can come to hit e4.

Plans and pawn structure

The fight is about the d5 pawn. If Black keeps the tension, White builds with Nc3, Bd3, Nge2 and castles, then can try f4 for kingside space. If Black takes on d5 and White recaptures with the e-pawn, the position opens: White gets pressure on the e-file and a grip on d5, while Black gets ...Ne7 and ...Ng6 with active pieces. Black's queenside plan is ...a6 and ...b5, and ...f5 is the kingside lever when the bishop sits on g7.

What the engine plays from here

Stockfish 17.1 at depth 20 rates the position +0.67: a slight edge for White. Its three top choices for Black:

  1. +0.67 3...Nf6 4.Nc3 d6 5.Bd3 Be7 6.Nge2
  2. +0.89 3...exd5 4.exd5 d6 5.Bd3 Ne7 6.Nf3
  3. +0.89 3...d6 4.Bd3 g6 5.Nf3 Bg7 6.O-O

Pawns, from White's side.

How it scores on lichess

3,513 rated lichess games reached this position; White scored 51.7%.

under 120057.0%
1200–159950.4%
1600–199952.5%
2000 and up48.6%

Light: White wins. Grey: draws. Dark: Black wins. About the sample.

How to play against it

As Black, ...Nf6 is the most flexible reply. It develops with tempo on e4 and keeps ...exd5 in reserve. Avoid an early ...exd5 if you are not ready for Bd3 and fast kingside pressure, as in the h4 line. Keep an eye on the d6 pawn once the d-file opens.

Questions

What are the moves of the Benoni Defense: French Benoni?

The Benoni Defense: French Benoni starts 1.e4 e6 2.d4 c5 3.d5. Its ECO code is A43.

Is the Benoni Defense: French Benoni good for White?

Stockfish 17.1 rates the position +0.67 at depth 20, which is a slight edge for White. In 3,513 lichess games from our sample, White scored 51.7%. A sensible way for White to sidestep the French, rewarding players who know Benoni plans; Black needs to know which structure to choose.

What is the main idea of the Benoni Defense: French Benoni?

White meets Black's French-style ...e6 and ...c5 by pushing to d5, getting a Benoni-type space edge. Black aims for ...Nf6, ...d6 and quick development, then chooses between ...exd5 and queenside play with ...b5.

What should Black play next?

The engine's first choice is Nf6, with exd5 and d6 close behind. 3...Nf6 develops with a hit on e4 and keeps the choice between ...exd5 and ...d6 open for one more move.

Updated October 2026. Sources and method.