Caissa Codex
A64

Benoni Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Hastings Defense, Main Line

Chess diagram: Benoni Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Hastings Defense, Main Line after 11…Re8

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Statistics from Lichess

34,688 games: White 47.4% / Draw 6.4% / Black 46.2%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
15,49315K
11,81712K
2,9322,932
2,6012,601
548548
469469
280280
270270

Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 27, 2026

Engine evaluation

+0.15 The position is about equal

Best play: 12. e4 Rb8 13. Qe2 Nb6 14. Qd3 Nbd7 15. h3 Nh5 16. Qe2 Ne5

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

Overview

Benoni Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Hastings Defense, Main Line (ECO A64, Flank Openings) is a variation of the Benoni Defense: Fianchetto Variation, reached after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 c5 4. d5 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. Nc3 g6 7. Bg2 Bg7 8. Nf3 O-O 9. O-O a6 10. a4 Nbd7 11. Nd2 Re8 (11 moves).

In 34,688 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 47.4%, Black 46.2% and 6.4% were drawn. White's most played move here is 12. Nc4, in 45% of those games.

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How to play against the Benoni Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Hastings Defense, Main Line

12. h3 scores best for White: 52.5%, with White winning 49.1% and Black 44.1% of 12K games. The most played, 12. Nc4, scores 49.6% in 15K games, and 12. e4 scores lowest: 46.6%. Stockfish's first choice is 12. e4.

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 9. O-O a6 10. a4 Nbd7 11. Nd2 Re8, the position after Benoni Defense: Fianchetto Variation also goes on to:

Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “Benoni Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Hastings Defense, Main Line (A64)”. Lichess data as of 27 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/benoni-defense-fianchetto-variation-hastings-defense-main-line

https://chesscodex.org/openings/benoni-defense-fianchetto-variation-hastings-defense-main-line