Benoni Defense: Weenink Variation
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Statistics from Lichess
114,809 games: White 43.1% / Draw 7.0% / Black 50.0%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 47,06447K | ||
| 21,70422K | ||
| 16,28516K | ||
| 8,6778,677 | ||
| 6,1376,137 | ||
| 5,0165,016 | ||
| 3,5963,596 | ||
| 3,0503,050 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 31, 2026
Engine evaluation
+0.04 The position is about equal
Best play: 4. Be3 Qa5+ 5. Nd2 Bxc5 6. Bxc5 Qxc5 7. Ngf3 O-O 8. e3 b6
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
Overview
Benoni Defense: Weenink Variation (ECO A56, Flank Openings) is a variation of the Benoni Defense, reached after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. dxc5 e6 (3 moves).
In 114,809 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 43.1%, Black 50.0% and 7.0% were drawn. White's most played move here is 4. Nc3, in 41% 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: Weenink Variation
4. e3 scores best for White: 50.9%, with White winning 46.7% and Black 44.9% of 8,677 games. The most played, 4. Nc3, scores 47.8% in 47K games, and 4. b4 scores lowest: 36.3%. Stockfish's first choice is 4. Be3.
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: Weenink Variation (A56)”. Lichess data as of 31 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/benoni-defense-weenink-variation