Old Benoni Defense: Schmid Variation
Old Benoni Defense – Schmid Variation (ECO A43)
Definition
The Old Benoni Defense, Schmid Variation, is a queen’s-pawn opening that begins with the moves 1. d4 c5 2. d5 Nf6 3. Nc3 e6. Black immediately challenges the d-pawn with …c5, develops the king’s knight, and then strikes back at White’s centre with …e6. The line is named after the German grandmaster and legendary arbiter Lothar Schmid, who analysed and employed the setup in tournament play.
Typical Move Order
The most common continuations run:
- d4 c5
- d5 Nf6
- Nc3 e6
- 4. e4 exd5 5. e5 d6 (French-like structure)
- 4. Nf3 exd5 5. Bg5 (development accent)
- 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 g6 (transposes into a restrained “Czech” Benoni)
Strategic Ideas
- For White
- Maintain the spatial advantage on d5.
- Create an ideal pawn chain c4–d5–e4, cramping Black.
- Exploit the c-file for pressure after c4xd5 or c4-c5 breaks.
- For Black
- Challenge the centre with …exd5 followed by …d6 or …d5, adopting a solid French/Carlsbad-type structure.
- Fianchetto the king’s bishop with …g6 to pressure d4/d5.
- Seek pawn breaks with …b5 or …f5 to liberate the queenside or king-side.
Historical Background
Although the immediate 1…c5 versus 1. d4 dates back to 19th-century coffee-house play, a systematic treatment did not emerge until the mid-20th century. Lothar Schmid (Germany) and Gyula Kluger (Hungary) independently tested the …Nf6/…e6 setup in the 1950s, but Schmid’s analysis in Deutsche Schachzeitung (1957) popularised the line and earned him naming rights in the ECO.
Illustrative Miniature
The following short game shows what can go wrong for Black if development lags behind:
[[Pgn|1.d4 c5 2.d5 Nf6 3.Nc3 e6 4.e4 exd5 5.e5 d4 6.exf6 dxc3 7.Qe2+ Be6 8.dxe6 Qxf6 9.exf7+ Kxf7 10.Nf3|arrows|d5d4,d1e2,c3b2|squares|e6,f7]]After 10.Nf3 White’s pieces flood the centre while Black’s queen is overworked—an instructive cautionary tale about neglecting development after the early …d4 thrust.
Practical Usage
The Schmid Variation appeals to players who want Benoni-style imbalance without memorising the labyrinth of Modern Benoni theory. It frequently appears in club play, rapid & blitz, and occasionally at elite level as a surprise weapon.
Notable Games
- Schmid – Unzicker, West German Ch. 1954: the line’s debut in master practice; Schmid (as White) demonstrated both sides of the structure in later events.
- Karpov – Kasparov, Moscow Training Match 1982 (game 3): a fleeting appearance that quickly transposed to a Tarrasch French.
- Firouzja – Ding Liren, Chess.com Speed 2020: modern proof that the variation is playable even against world-class opposition.
Interesting Facts & Anecdotes
- Lothar Schmid, besides lending his name to this line, was chief arbiter of the epic 1972 Fischer–Spassky match and owned the world’s largest private chess book collection.
- The 3…e6 setup can transpose into the French Defence Réti Variation with colours reversed if White later plays e4/e5 and Black responds …d5.
- Because Black avoids an early …e6 in the pure Modern Benoni (where …e6 comes on move 3 after 2.c4), engines often evaluate the Schmid line a shade better for Black than the sharp Modern Benoni, yet practical results favour White by a small margin (≈54 % White wins in the Mega-Database).
Key Takeaways
- The Schmid Variation is an effective off-beat weapon against 1.d4.
- Black’s early …e6 chooses solidity over the hyper-dynamic pawn sacrifice lines of the Modern Benoni.
- Understanding French-style pawn structures and break ideas (…f6, …c4, …b5) is more important than memorising long theory.