Benoni Defense: Franco-Sicilian Hybrid
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Statistics from Lichess
13,425 games: White 53.1% / Draw 4.3% / Black 42.6%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 3,0843,084 | ||
| 2,3782,378 | ||
| 2,3182,318 | ||
| 1,9611,961 | ||
| 882882 | ||
| 697697 | ||
| 638638 | ||
| 310310 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 30, 2026
Engine evaluation
+1.36 White is better
Best play: 8. Bf4 O-O 9. Qd2 a6 10. Bd3 Bg4 11. h4 Nd7 12. Bxd6 Re8
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
Overview
Benoni Defense: Franco-Sicilian Hybrid (ECO A40, Flank Openings) is a variation of the Horwitz Defense, reached after 1. d4 e6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 exd5 4. cxd5 d6 5. Nc3 g6 6. e4 Bg7 7. Nf3 Ne7 (7 moves).
In 13,425 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 53.1%, Black 42.6% and 4.3% were drawn. White's most played move here is 8. Bd3, in 23% of those games.
Written from the Lichess opening list and explorer. Know this line well? Write about it.
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How to play against the Benoni Defense: Franco-Sicilian Hybrid
8. h3 scores best for White: 58.6%, with White winning 55.9% and Black 38.8% of 882 games. The most played, 8. Bd3, scores 54.8% in 3,084 games, and 8. Bc4 scores lowest: 52.0%. Stockfish's first choice is 8. 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
Cite this page
Caissa Codex. “Benoni Defense: Franco-Sicilian Hybrid (A40)”. Lichess data as of 30 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/benoni-defense-franco-sicilian-hybrid