Caissa Codex
A75

Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Argentine Counterattack

Chess diagram: Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Argentine Counterattack after 10…Bg4

Type a move and press Enter: e4, Nf3, O-O, or from and to squares like g1f3 (e7e8q to promote). The board is also played with the mouse.

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Statistics from Lichess

20,866 games: White 45.5% / Draw 6.3% / Black 48.2%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
8,2738,273
5,6195,619
3,2423,242
1,0871,087
751751
728728
420420
283283

Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 30, 2026

Engine evaluation

+0.48 White is slightly better

Best play: 11. Bf4 Bxf3 12. Bxf3 Qe7 13. e5 dxe5 14. d6 Qe6 15. Re1 Nbd7

Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.

Overview

Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Argentine Counterattack (ECO A75, Flank Openings) is a variation of the Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Traditional Variation, reached after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 c5 4. d5 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. Nc3 g6 7. e4 Bg7 8. Be2 O-O 9. O-O a6 10. a4 Bg4 (10 moves).

In 20,866 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 45.5%, Black 48.2% and 6.3% were drawn. White's most played move here is 11. Nd2, in 40% of those games.

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How to play against the Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Argentine Counterattack

11. Bf4 scores best for White: 50.8%, with White winning 47.6% and Black 45.9% of 3,242 games. The most played, 11. Nd2, scores 50.4% in 8,273 games, and 11. Bg5 scores lowest: 45.8%. Stockfish's first choice is also 11. Bf4.

Main answers: those played in at least 5% of these games. Score: White's wins plus half the draws, in rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500. How to play against other popular openings

Other lines from the same position

Instead of 8…O-O 9. O-O a6 10. a4 Bg4, the position after Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Traditional Variation also goes on to:

Transpositions

This position is also reached from these lines, by another move order:

Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Argentine Counterattack (A75)”. Lichess data as of 30 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/benoni-defense-classical-variation-argentine-counterattack

https://chesscodex.org/openings/benoni-defense-classical-variation-argentine-counterattack