Benoni Defense: Modern Classical & Argentine Counterattack
Benoni Defense
Definition
The Benoni Defense is a family of openings that begins after the moves 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5. Black immediately challenges White’s center with the c-pawn instead of the more common 2…e6 or 2…g6 setups. The name “Benoni” derives from Aaron Reinganum’s 1825 Hebrew chess treatise Ben Oni (“son of my sorrow”). In modern opening manuals the name covers several branches, the most important being the Modern Benoni (…e6 and …exd5) and the Czech Benoni (…e5).
How It Is Used in Chess
The Benoni appeals to dynamic players who relish an unbalanced pawn structure and sharp piece play. Typical plans are:
- Black: Fianchetto the king’s bishop with …g6 …Bg7, pressure the e4-pawn, and engineer breaks with …b5 (queenside) or …f5 (kingside).
- White: Claim central space with e4-d5, exploit the d6 backward pawn, and mount kingside attacks using the f- and h-pawns.
Strategic & Historical Significance
The Modern Benoni (ECO A60-A79) exploded in popularity after Mikhail Tal’s successes in the 1960s. Garry Kasparov later used it as a surprise weapon, notably against Anatoly Karpov in the 1987 World Championship match. Its reputation swings cyclically: periods of fashionable activity are followed by times when elite players shun it for strategic risk.
Typical Example Line
Modern Benoni main line:
Interesting Facts & Anecdotes
- Tal’s Laboratory: Tal reportedly called the Benoni “my lover,” because he could count on it for dynamic counterplay.
- Computer Age: Engines once disparaged the Benoni for its cramped structure, but modern neural-network programs again view it more favourably, appreciating its long-term piece activity.
- Etymology Quirk: Chess openings rarely carry Hebrew names; the Benoni is a notable exception.
Modern Classical (Variation of the Benoni)
Definition
The Modern Classical Variation is White’s most reputable system against the Modern Benoni. After fianchettoing the king’s bishop, Black castles and White develops in classical fashion with Be2 and O-O:
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.
In ECO codes this line is catalogued as A70–A79.
Usage and Typical Plans
- White: Solidifies the e4-pawn, keeps the option of Nd2-c4, and often launches a kingside pawn storm with h3, Bf4, Nd2, and f4.
- Black: Chooses a setup (…Re8, …Na6, …a6 or …Bg4) to prepare …b5. Central counterplay with …c4 followed by …b5 is another thematic idea.
Strategic Significance
The variation balances sound positional foundations with tactical tension. Many world-class encounters in the 1970s–1990s revolved around whether Black could generate enough queenside activity before White’s kingside attack crashed through.
Illustrative Example
The position after 9…Re8 is the gateway to several sub-variations, the most popular being the Argentine Counterattack (…Na6).
Interesting Facts
- Garry Kasparov employed the Modern Classical to defeat Veselin Topalov in Linares 1999, a game famous for its brilliant queen sacrifice.
- The line is a favourite of attacking specialists such as Richard Rapport and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave.
Argentine Counterattack
Definition
The Argentine Counterattack is a combative branch of the Modern Classical Variation of the Benoni in which Black re-routes a knight via a6–c7 to bolster the …b5 break. The critical position arises after:
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 Na6.
Black’s idea (popularised by Argentine grandmasters Oscar Panno and Miguel Najdorf, hence the name) is to regroup the knight to c7, play …a6 and …b5, and meet White’s kingside ambitions head-on.
Strategic Themes
- Piece Re-routing: …Na6-c7 supports …b5 and eyes the e6 square, avoiding exchanges.
- Queenside Minority Break: …b5 can open the b-file or dislodge White’s c4-knight should it appear.
- King Safety: Black’s king is usually secure behind a fianchetto, but must watch for e4-e5 breaks that open the long diagonal.
Historical Moment
The counterattack earned international attention in the 1955 Gothenburg Interzonal when Panno neutralised Soviet preparation, demonstrating the resilience of this knight maneuver.
Example Continuation
Both sides have committed to their plans: White eyes f4-f5 while Black prepares …a6 and …b5.
Interesting Facts
- Double-Edged Reputation: Engines often give White a small plus, yet practical results remain roughly balanced—a testament to Black’s counterplay.
- Name Confusion: Some databases list this as the “Panno Variation,” but traditionally that term applies to a line in the King’s Indian; in the Benoni context “Argentine Counterattack” is preferred.
- Modern Practice: Levon Aronian and Pentala Harikrishna regularly defend the Argentine Counterattack in elite events to avoid heavily analysed computers lines that follow 9…a6.