Benoni

3 …e5  Czech Benoni

3 …e6  Modern Benoni
3 …b5  Volga / BENKO Gambit
Czech Benoni
Similar to King indian& Old indian blocked center. D5 will ve remain unchallenged for a long time.
Fight will be on the flanks. B D B is bad bishop, due to locked dark pawns in the center.

WHITE TO DO LIST for KING SIDE

- f2-f4/ g2-g4 can play. However should be careful after e5xf4, B can post Knight on e5.
- Avoid B D B exchanges
- Simply develop minor pieces and push g&h pawns to open line for the rooks.

WHITE TO DO LIST for QUEEN SIDE

- Prepared for queenside assault like a2-a3, b2-b4
- Pressure on c5 like Be3, Nd3( Nf3, e1,d3)
- Superiority of the majör pieces on b file
- When ready to enter enemy camp b4xc5
- Prevent enemy f7-f5, prolong it ASAP. Either f2-f3 or f2-f4 ( IF black has no good control on e5)

BLACK has 2 choice for Dark Bishop ( Bg7, Be7 ( next page)
- Bg7 for long term even now e5 locked.
TODO LIST
- Qd2, O-O-O avoid Bg7-h6
- Support g2 g4  f2-f3 or *** Nh3, Nf2
5. ..Be7 6. Bd3, o-o
What is BLACK’S THREAT
- Prevent Exchange dark bishops Stop Bg5 via Nf3
- Stop f7-f5 so h2-h3  g2-g4

WHITE TO DO LIST
- Pay attention to Black f7-f5 / b7-b5 breakthgroughs
- King is safe in the mid, so dont hurry to castle
- In case g7-g6 played for Ng7, then use h6/f6 weak dark squares around
the King
- prepare b2-b4 b4xc5 and create a pass pawn on d5
- When Nd7 away, f2-f4 can be pushed (only when e5xf4 is good, in case
black can not install a piece to e5
Modern Benoni
- Black direct attack d5, If dxe6 by White, then fxe6 lead to a strong pawn mass in the center for BLACK
- Black would like to open e file and create pressure on e-file via Re8.
- Black main plan in Benoni is b7-b5 / f7-f5 pawn pushes to gain space and active play on queenside.

- Black has control on dark squares via d6-d5 & Bg7, however via c5-c4, Nd7-Nc5, f7-f5
- g3-Bg2 is good against Benoni with White because: White control f4 & h4
- Bg2 control e4, d5 squares after e4, e5 can be pushed. Since Black pushed c5, then h1-a8 diagonal
good

- Block b7-b5 via a4, a5 as long as possible

- Pressure d6 via, Nb5, Ne4,Bf4, Nc4
- Prepare e4-e5, get free d5 pawn, e4 can be free for Nc3
- After d5 pawn opened, a1-h8 digonal dangerous.
- Nb8-d7 left d6 unprotected. So Trade Bg7
- If Black attak our bishop@f4, then escape it to the d2 to protect c3 as well.
- Prevent e5 to install Ng4-e5 via h3 ** e5 control is important, because it
blocks e5 as well.
- After push b2-b4 via Rb1, then escape c5 pawn, then Nd4-c6, Night can
install c6 square.
BENKO(VOLGA) GAMBIT(Benoni) Best Gambit
(Except QG)
- Black sacrifices b5 pawn( + and a6.) to open2 files for the majör pieces. d5 pawn undermined
- 3...b5 4.cxb5 a6 5.bxa6 g6 6.Nc3 Bxa6 7.Nf3 d6 8.g3 Bg7 9.Bg2 Nbd7 10.0-0 0 -0 11.Qc2 Qa5 Diagram 2

- Classic benko gambit position,
where black has 2 open files,
- g7 fioncetti, a6-f1 diaogonal
- compact pawn structure
- Whitehas lots of weak squares,
a4, b4, c4,d4
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 b5 4.Qc2
White doesn’t accept the pawn sacrifice to gain time and focus on e4 push
Bf4, Re1 and Nd2-c4 to support e5
- White has to play on center, via e4-e5
- After d6xe5 Black collapse, Because
- White has the open e-file, where attack back
e7 pawn
- If White get e5, then Nf3, e5, c6 to attack
queenside
- d5 become free pawn and d5-d6 push possible
- After d6xe5, c5 become target