A68

Benoni Defense: Four Pawns Attack

Chess diagram: Benoni Defense: Four Pawns Attack after 8…O-O

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

120,868 games: White 46.1% / Draw 4.7% / Black 49.3%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
61,55262K
42,88843K
5,2285,228
4,3004,300
3,1813,181
1,1071,107
851851
601601

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

Engine evaluation

+0.09 The position is about equal

Best play: 9. Be2 Re8 10. e5 dxe5 11. fxe5 Ng4 12. e6 fxe6 13. d6 Nc6

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

Overview

Benoni Defense: Four Pawns Attack (ECO A68, Flank Openings) is a variation of the Benoni Defense: Pawn Storm Variation, reached after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6 4. Nc3 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. e4 g6 7. f4 Bg7 8. Nf3 O-O (8 moves).

In 120,868 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 46.1%, Black 49.3% and 4.7% were drawn. White's most played move here is 9. Bd3, in 51% of those games.

It continues into one named variation, Benoni Defense: Four Pawns Attack, Main Line.

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How to play against the Benoni Defense: Four Pawns Attack

9. Be2 scores best for White: 54.1%, with White winning 51.7% and Black 43.4% of 43K games. The most played answer, 9. Bd3, scores lowest: 45.7% in 62K games. Stockfish's first choice is also 9. Be2.

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

Variations (1)

Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “Benoni Defense: Four Pawns Attack (A68)”. Lichess data as of 27 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/benoni-defense-four-pawns-attack