Benoni Defense: Uhlmann Variation
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Statistics from Lichess
99,487 games: White 44.0% / Draw 4.7% / Black 51.3%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 88,54089K | ||
| 7,7517,751 | ||
| 1,6171,617 | ||
| 567567 | ||
| 530530 | ||
| 400400 | ||
| 2323 | ||
| 1616 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 30, 2026
Engine evaluation
+0.19 The position is about equal
Best play: 7... h6 8. Bc1 Bg7 9. Nd2 O-O 10. e4 Nbd7 11. Be2 Ne5 12. O-O
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
Overview
Benoni Defense: Uhlmann Variation (ECO A61, Flank Openings) is a variation of the Benoni Defense, reached after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 c5 4. d5 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. Nc3 g6 7. Bg5 (7 moves).
In 99,487 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 44.0%, Black 51.3% and 4.7% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 7…Bg7, in 89% 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: Uhlmann Variation
7…h6 scores best for Black: 55.4%, with Black winning 52.7% and White 41.9% of 7,751 games. The most played answer, 7…Bg7, scores lowest: 53.5% in 89K games. Stockfish's first choice is also 7…h6.
Main answers: those played in at least 5% of these games. Score: Black'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: Uhlmann Variation (A61)”. Lichess data as of 30 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/benoni-defense-uhlmann-variation