Old Benoni Defense & Schlenker Defense
Old Benoni Defense
Definition
The Old Benoni Defense is a response to 1. d4 in which Black strikes at the center immediately with 1… c5, normally followed by 2. d5. The characteristic tabiya comes after
1. d4 c5 2. d5
By playing …c5 before …Nf6, Black reaches a Benoni structure without allowing the Modern Benoni’s typical pawn break …e6 3. dxe6 fxe6. ECO codes A43–A44 cover the opening.
Main Move-Orders
- 1. d4 c5 2. d5 Nf6 3. Nc3 e6 (the most “Benoni-like” treatment)
- 1. d4 c5 2. d5 g6 aiming for a King’s-Indian set-up
- 1. d4 c5 2. d5 e5!? the sharp Czech Benoni structure
Strategic Ideas
Because White’s pawn sits on d5, the center is closed and space is fixed. Typical themes resemble other Benoni systems:
- Black:
- Queenside majority plans …b5 and …c4 to gain space or open files.
- Piece pressure on the long dark-square diagonal after …g6 and …Bg7.
- Counter-punching in the center with …e6 or …f5 when possible.
- White:
- Exploiting central space with e2–e4, f2–f4 and a potential knight-outpost on e4.
- Minor-piece squeeze on queenside squares b5 and c6.
- End-games often favor White’s extra space and kingside majority (f-, g- and h-pawns).
Historical & Theoretical Notes
The Old Benoni predates the Modern Benoni (1… Nf6 2. c4 c5) by more than a century—games can be found as early as the 1840s. Its popularity waned after the hyper-modern revolution, but interest revived in the 1970s when players such as Jonathan Penrose, Michael Basman and later Vugar Gashimov used it as a surprise weapon.
Illustrative Mini-Game
The short fragment below shows typical themes: Black mis-handles the queenside and White’s space advantage tells.
[[Pgn| d4|c5| d5|Nf6| Nc3|e6| e4|exd5| e5|d4| exf6|dxc3| Qe2+|Be7| fxg7|Rg8| d6|Nc6| Bh6||arrows|d4c3 e5f6 c5d4|squares|e5 g7 ]]Interesting Facts
- The opening’s name is Hebrew for “Son of woe,” coined by Aron Nimzowitsch to describe Black’s often difficult defensive task.
- Because White can avoid theory with an early c2-c4, club players sometimes use the Old Benoni to steer the game away from mainstream Queen’s-Pawn lines.
- Computers have recently given the defense new life; engines such as Stockfish rate many positions close to equality when Black shows patience.
Schlenker Defense
Definition
The Schlenker Defense is an uncommon sideline of the Italian Game that arises after:
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nd4 (!?)
Black immediately attacks the f3-knight and the c2-square, aiming to unbalance the position and pull White out of well-trodden Giuoco Piano theory. The line owes its name to the 19-century German problemist and analyst Bernhard Schlenker, who championed 3…Nd4 in local tournaments around 1880.
How It Is Used
- Surprise weapon: Because most opponents expect 3…Bc5 or 3…Nf6, 3…Nd4 can create early psychological pressure.
- Practical choice vs developing systems: The move is most disruptive when White intends a quiet Italian (d3 lines). After 4. Nxd4 exd4 the game turns into a reversed Open Sicilian with colors switched.
- Bridge to gambits: Black may sacrifice a pawn with 4. Nxd4 exd4 5. d3 c6 6. O-O d5, reaching dynamic central play.
Theory & Evaluation
Modern engines regard 3…Nd4 as risky (≈ +0.6 for White) but playable with precise play. White’s principled moves are:
- 4. Nxd4 exd4 5. O-O – consolidating before striking.
- 4. c3 Nxf3+ 5. Qxf3 – retaining bishop-pair, at the cost of some structure.
Black counts on counter-play along the e-file, an isolated d-pawn majority, and swift development with …Bc5, …Ne7-g6 and kingside castling.
Sample Line
[[Pgn| e4|e5| Nf3|Nc6| Bc4|Nd4| Nxd4|exd4| O-O|Bc5| c3|Ne7| b4|Bb6| Qf3|O-O| Bb2|d5 |arrows|c4f7 d4e2|squares|d4 d5 f7 ]]Historical & Anecdotal Notes
While not appearing in elite grand-master practice, the defense crops up in correspondence chess and blitz, where springing an early …Nd4 can net quick wins. A fun anecdote: GM Simon Williams once used the move in an online bullet game, teasing in the post-mortem that “it’s so bad it must be good.” Despite its reputation, the move surprised his GM opponent enough to secure a 20-move win.
Practical Tips
- Black should avoid automatic castling; sometimes leaving the king in the center is safer until d- and e-files clarify.
- If White plays 4. Nxd4 exd4 5. c3, do not grab the pawn on c3 too quickly—development is worth more than material.
- End-games often favor White’s superior pawn structure, so Black must keep pieces on and maintain activity.
Interesting Facts
- The line has been jokingly called the “Head-Banger” in internet circles—one false move from either side and the position collapses.
- ChessBase shows fewer than 600 master-level games with 3…Nd4, compared to well over 200,000 with the classical 3…Bc5.
- Because it carries almost no theory, many amateurs memorize only three ideas: hit the center, trade bishops on c5 if needed, and push …d5 at the right moment.