Mastering the Benoni Defense: Ultimate Chess Resources Guide

Benoni Defense
 Crush White's d4 Dreams with Razor-Sharp Counterplay

The Benoni Defense is a bold and dynamic chess opening for Black, characterized by the moves:

• 1. d4 Nf6
• 2. c4 c5
• 3. d5 e6

Named after Hungarian chess player Gyula Benoni, this opening offers Black sharp counterplay and leads to complex, unbalanced positions. Here's what you need to know:

• Strategic Aims: Black challenges White's center early, aiming for queenside counterplay and potential kingside attacks.
• Pawn Structure: The characteristic c5 pawn thrust creates tension in the center, often leading to a closed center with opposing pawn chains.
• Piece Activity: Black often develops the light-squared bishop to g7 (fianchetto), applying pressure on the long diagonal.
• Tactical Opportunities: The unbalanced nature of the position frequently leads to sharp tactical play and sacrificial attacks.
• Variations: The Benoni family includes the Modern Benoni, Czech Benoni, and the aggressive Benko Gambit, each with its own strategic nuances.

While considered slightly risky for Black, the Benoni Defense rewards precise play with dynamic counterattacking chances. It's favored by players who enjoy tactical, high-stakes chess and are willing to navigate complex middlegame positions.

 Bishops Bounty Benko Gambit page

Bishops Bounty Czech Benoni Page 

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Books & Courses (Free)

Chessable Course (Free)

• Short & Sweet: Modern Benoni  -  Opening course by GM Mircea Parligras - with 29 Trainable Variations and 72 Min of Video - A weapon to give White a run for his money against 1.d4
  
  
• Short & Sweet: Alonso's Modern Benoni - GM Alvar Alonzo Rosell - 10 Variations w/ 39 Min of Video. 10 lines of the purest Modern Benoni repertoire to sample. You'll also get Alonso's unique descriptive move-by-move annotations.

Internet Archive

• 200 Modern Chess Traps In The Fianchetto Openings - by J.B.Howson   (Page 69-89)
  
  

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Benoni Chess Articles

Delve into the theory, history, and key variations of the Benoni Defense.

• Benoni Defense: Complete Guide - FM Zaur Tekeyev - Chess World Article - Nice Overview of all the Main variations, Modern, Snake, Czech, Benko and Classical w/ example Games.
  
  
• The Benoni defense  - Article By Alberto Chueca  (Simple with main ideas)
  
  
• The Velimirovic's Guide to the Modern Benoni - GM Gregory Serper - GM Dragoljub Velimirovic Games w/ Analysis (7 Games w/ several puzzles Included)
  
  
• Benoni Defense Guide - 365Chess.com - Ideas, Most Played moves, General Overview of the Variations and Links to Games in these Extensive Database.
  
  
• When White Avoids the Benoni: The Vaganian Gambit - GM Gregory Serper - A positional Gambit w/ a Kasparov game analyzed in great detail.
• A Modern Approach With the Benoni Defense  - Chessable Blog Article w/ embedded Video 
  
  
• Fighting the Benoni: The Remarkable Nh5 Idea - ChessWorld Article - In which situations should black seriously consider playing Nh5? 3 Famous Games including a Fisher Game w/ analysis.

 

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Benoni LiChess Studies

Explore interactive training tools to solidify your understanding of the opening's concepts.

• The Benoni Defense  - 32 Chapter Study (Very In-depth)  - Some explanations of the main lines w/ many repertoire variations against many of Whites different Attacks.
  
  
• The Benoni Defense explained - 12 Chapter Study - Detailed Explanations of Variations.
  
  
• Deep Into the Benoni Defense  - 18 Chapter Study - Detailed mainly about the Old Benoni
  
  
• Black Repertoire in the Benoni - 16 Chapter Study - Detailed Modern Benoni Variations

  

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GAMES & DATABASES

Analyze real-life games featuring the Benoni Defense and see how it's played in practice.

• THE FORGOTTEN MODERN BENONI  -  GM Walter Browne vs GM Nick deFimnian
  Played in the U. S. Championship, 1994.   (Full Analysis )
  
  
• Magic in the Benoni Defense - ChessWorld.com - 3 games w/ Analysis of GM Vladamir Savon 
  
  
• g3 Benoni by GM Magesh and GM Arun - Chess.com Article w/ 2 Games w/ analysis

Chessgames.com

• Benoni Defense (A56) -  4280 Games - Database
  
  Collections
  
  • Benoni Defense - 24 games - Modern Benoni Defense great games from White and Black points of view.
    
  • Tal the tactician -//- The benoni as black - 13 Games
  • Instructive Benoni Defense Games - 10 Games - This collection is for instructive black wins in the Benon

365chess.com

• A43: Old Benoni defence 1. d4 c5  - 17,000 Games  
  
• A56: Benoni defence 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 - 54,600 Games 
  
  

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Benoni Chess PUZZLES

Test your tactical skills with puzzles specifically designed for the Benoni.

WTHarvey.com 

• Old Benoni (ECO A43)  -  50 Puzzles
  
• Old Benoni Defense (ECO A44)  - 12 Puzzles
  
• Benoni Defense (ECO A56)  - 34 Puzzles
  
• Benko Gambit (ECO A59)  - 18 puzzles
  
• Benoni, Four Pawns Attack, Main line (ECO A69) - 8 Puzzles
  
• Benoni, Classical, 9.O-O (ECO A73)  - 8 Puzzles
  
  

LiChess Openings Puzzles

• LiChess Benoni Defense Puzzles -  7600 Puzzles 
• ( Puzzles Openings Theme Page - Can be broken down into 12 Benoni Variations)

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BENONI VIDEO Lessons

Playlists

• Benoni Defense Opening Theory   -  6 Part Playlist   -  4+ Hrs   Hanging Pawns
  
• Czech Benoni  -  13 Video Playlist  (Short Videos to the point of Diff Lines and Middle-game Plans) - NM Bryan Tillis
  
  

The Benoni: Lecture by GM Ben Finegold  - 50 min - GM Ben Finegold (New 2024)
Mostly covering the Modern Benoni

Understanding Your Openings | The Benoni Defence - 24 Min IM Andreas Toth - A mini lecture about the importance of pattern recognition in the opening/early middlegame in the Benoni structure!

Chess Openings: Learn to Play the Benoni Defense! - 15 Min  Chess Giant - Lesson on the Modern Benoni, which is the most popular variation at the Grandmaster level.
Chess Openings: Learn to Play the Old Benoni Defense - 11 Min  Chess Giant - The Old Benoni Defense is one of the best responses to d4 and in this video we cover the chess strategy, chess moves, chess ideas, chess principles, chess theory, chess traps, chess tricks, and a chess lesson.

NM Spencer Finegold

• The Modern Benoni Part 1: Vugar Gashimov with NM Spencer Finegold - 55 Min - Discusses several of Vugar Gashimov's wins as Black in the Modern Benoni.
  
• The Modern Benoni Part 2: Vugar Gashimov with NM Spencer Finegold - 58 Min
  
• The Modern Benoni Part 3: Nd2 and f3 Variations - 60 Min - Discusses 7.Nd2 as well as f3 variations White can play against the Modern Benoni.

Benoni Chess Traps

• Chess Traps - Old Benoni Trap - 8 Min
  
• Chess Trap 16 (Fischer's Trap in Modern Benoni) - 7 Min
  
• Dirty Chess Tricks 37 (Tricky line against Benoni Openings) - 16 Min

 

Chess 24 Lessons

• Great Games in the Benoni - Lessons on cochess.com - 74 Min  WIM Sgircea|- An interactive chess lesson with her student and will answer questions from the chat.
  
• Test your Knowledge in the Benoni - lessons with WIM Raluca Sgircea - 74 Min - Looking at classical games and typical ideas and this time let's test our knowledge in the Benoni.
  
• Great games in the Benoni #3 | WIM Raluca Sgirea - 89 Min - Classical games and typical ideas
  
• Great games in the Benoni #4 | WIM Raluca Sgircea - 70 Min
  
• Play the Benoni Defense | Kestony | World Online Schools | Cochess.com - 56 Min - A stream on learning the Benoni.

St.Louis Chess Club

Jonathan Schrantz presents three Modern Benoni lectures.

•  The Modern Benoni is No Baloney: Part 1 - Chess Openings Explained  - 52 Min - Part 1 focuses on the Taimanov Attack variation.
• The Modern Benoni is No Baloney: Part 2 - Chess Openings Explained  - 50 Min -  Explores the classical and modern main lines of the Modern Benoni
• The Modern Benoni is No Baloney: Part 3 - Chess Openings Explained  - 54 Min -  Completes the Benoni trilogy with this walkthrough of the Fianchetto and Knight's Tour Variations of the Modern Benoni.

Game Videos w/ Analysis

Playlists

• Benoni Defence (includes Modern Benoni) - Chess Opening - 100 Game Playlist  - Kingcrusher
  
  
• Benoni  - 14 game Playlist  - Chessbase India

FM Dennis Monokroussos - Tactics in the Benoni  - 37 Min
Benoni is Back! | Xiong VS Caruana | US Championship 2018. - 10 Min
Boris Spassky vs Bobby Fischer - 1972 World Championship - Game 3 - Benoni - 9 Min
Mikhail Tal's sharpest Modern Benoni games - vs Averbakh - 20 Min
Mikhail Tal's most emphatic and crushing Modern Benoni games: Black vs Gurgenidze : USSR 1957 - 15 Min
Ponomariov vs Donchenko | Benoni Masterclass by Alexander Donchenko - 17 Min
Analyzing Benoni Games with Eric Rosen - 60 Min
Modern Benoni many years ahead of its time! || Alekhine vs Capablanca - 13 Min
Sacrifice in the Benoni | Journey to GM #14 - 13 Min  GM Molton

Decoding Pawn Breaks in Chess: A Complete Guide

 

Strategic Chess Maneuvers
Harnessing the Power of Pawn Breaks

Elevate your chess game with a deep dive into the art of pawn breaks. Uncover the strategic significance of these pivotal maneuvers and learn how to wield them effectively to seize control of the board. With expert insights, instructive articles, and engaging video lessons at your fingertips. Bishops Bounty Pawn Structures Page (Organized Links to Info On over 20 Pawn Structures)

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Books (Free)

(Free Chessable Course)

Judit Polgar: Free Endgame Lesson #2 - 14 Variations on Pawn Breaks 

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Pawn Break Chess Articles

Theory of Pawn Breaks Explained! - Article with 20Min Video Embedded

Typical Pawn Breaks: Ruining the Opponent’s Pawn Structure - Short Article

Pawn Break Prophylaxis  - Article showing a few Games

Pawn Breaks, part 1 -Chess.com Article By GM Magesh and GM Arun

Pawn Breaks -  Nice Article by NM Dana Mackenze

The powerful e5 Pawn break against the Benoni: using it as White, neutralizing it as Black - Huge Article on this Specific Pawn Break

Pawn Breaks - Detailed Guide w/ Embedded Video  - IM Igor Smirnov

Chess Pawn Break: Guide To Using Pawn Breaks in Chess  - Very nice Guide at The Chess Journal

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Pawn Break LiChess Studies

• Demystifying Pawn Breaks - 12 Chapter Study - French , King's Indian and Benoni Structures Discussed
  
  
• Middle Game Pawn Breaks - IQP - 2 Chapter study  (2 Annotated Games)

Progressive Pawn-break Studies - In these progressive studies you are presented with a collection of positions where a forced pawn breakthrough is on the board.

First pawn to queen wins the game.
Pawn Breaks 1/4 - [Easy]: lichess.org/study/ddiidonk
Pawn Breaks 2/4 - [Medium]: lichess.org/study/i4sO9cTx
Pawn Breaks 3/4 - [Hard]: lichess.org/study/lT0Aao3u
Pawn Breaks 4/4 - [Extreme]: lichess.org/study/xKG6VGB8

New to Lichess studies? These interactive tools allow you to explore chess concepts and variations move-by-move, perfect for testing your understanding and deepening your knowledge.

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Pawn Break Video Lessons

NM Dan Heismith

• Learn Chess: NM Dan H on Break Moves = Pawn Breaks - 27 Min (Great Video) - discusses Break Moves, also known as pawn breaks, which are one of the most important strategic concepts in chess.
• Chess - When are Pawn Breaks Good? - 26 Min - shows a variety of pawn breaks (including one in the endgame) and discusses when they are good/bad/OK based on criteria such as the resulting pawn structure & how much they enhance the activity of the pieces.
• Pawn Breaks at the 2022 US Chess Championship - 26 Min - examines every game in the 5th round of the 2022 US Chess Championship with emphasis on "break moves" (pawn breaks).

Pawn Breakthroughs - GM Ben Finegold - 2014.12.23 - 41 Min - guides you through a jungle of tied-up pawns. How do we untangle this mess and break through with a powerful passed pawn? Sacrifices, king position, and more...

Chess Strategy: Pawn Breaks - 20 Min - IM Asaf Givon will help you better understand the theory of pawn breaks.

Everything You Need to Know About Pawn Breaks - 31 Min - Dr Can's Chess Clinic - An extensive strategic overview of pawn breaks. We discuss all major functions of pawn breaks by solving instructive examples.(New - 5/30/24)

Chess Fundamentals #4: Pawn Play - 1.5 hr - Im John Bartholomew - discuss key structural considerations (isolated pawns, doubled pawns, backward pawns, pawn breaks, "hooks")

Why Your Pawn Breaks Aren't Working - 4 Min - IM Max Illingworth - Discusses the importance of pawn structure and pawn breaks in chess, using a game from the Kasparov variation of the Queen’s Gambit Declined as an example.

Jims Chess Channel 

• Top Ten Middlegame Ideas #8: Pawn Breaks - Introduction - 40 Min - - Pawn breaks give you the power to change the structure of the position. 2 Game Examples
• Top Ten Middlegame Ideas #8: Pawn breaks - Conclusion - 35 Min - in-depth analysis of pawn breaks in the middlegame of chess, focusing on their strategic importance and psychological impact. It emphasizes the flexibility pawn breaks offer to the player who initiates them, allowing for maintaining tension, exchanging to open files, or pushing pawns forward. 2 Game Examples
  
  

Svitlana's Smart Moves - Middlegame pawn breaks - 52 Min - ChessBase Video Series - Figure out how to hold the tension in the middlegame, why to hold it, and how to break through with your pawns in the right moment.

Importance of Pawn breaks in Chess - 2.5 hr GM Ramesh - the importance of pawn breaks in chess, highlighting how they can open up positions and provide strategic advantages. It emphasizes the need for careful planning and understanding of the game’s dynamics to effectively utilize pawn breaks.


Pawn Breakthroughs | Principles of Chess Endgames | GM Naroditsky - 47 Min - the endgame master's arsenal: pawn breakthroughs. We examine the 10 most common type of breakthroughs in abstraction, and then put them into practice by analyzing several real-life examples.

Pawn Breaks - 34 Min  FM James Canty - Pawn Breaks and the importance of them! We look at a game, Loek Van Wely vs Thilo Kabisch

Specific Openings

Season 2 Pawn Break - Ruy Lopez - 53 Min FM James Canty - Jose Raul Capablanca vs Edward Lasker in 1913, with a Ruy Lopez.

Under 1400: Preventing Pawn Breaks in the Hedgehog, with NM Spencer Finegold - 58 Min - preventing your opponents’ pawn breaks when Black has a Hedgehog structure. 
Pawn breaks: The Stonewall pawn structures - 1.5 hr  Coach Robert  - We start with two of the totally-blocked pawn structures: the kingside and queenside Stonewalls.

Two Knights Defence - Fried Liver Attack (C57) - Chess Opening Theory

Fried Liver Attack Chess Resources

 A variation of the Two Knights Defense in which White sacrifices a Knight for a superficially impressive attack on the enemy king.

The Fried Liver Attack,
 also known as the Fegatello Attack ("dead as a piece of meat" in Italian!), is a legendary chess opening that injects pure adrenaline into the game.

 White sacrifices a knight early on, launching a ferocious assault on the black king. This gambit can lead to quick checkmates for White, but Black has defensive resources and counter-attacking chances too. Whether you crave an aggressive weapon with White or want to fortify your defenses against it, this comprehensive guide will equip you to master the Fried Liver Attack!

Fried Liver Attack Wikipedia Page
 General History and Knowledge
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 Nxd5 6.Nxf7 Kxf7

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Fried Liver Attack Chess Articles

The Fegatello Attack - By Paul Valle - Article in Unorthodox Openings Newsletter

Fried Liver Attack Guide at Simplify Chess - In-depth Guide to this Gambit (Each move explained)

Fried Liver Attack | Chess Opening - Chess.com Article w/ embedded Video - 3 Famous games

How to play the Fried Liver Attack - Very In-depth Article on Chessable Blog with Embedded GM Daniel King Video from one of their Courses.

How To Play the Fried Liver Attack - Chessable Blog Guide (For both Colors) Nice Guide (Pretty Indepth)

The Ultimate Guide in Fried Liver Attack (Fegatello) - Suffern Chess Club

GM Boris Altermans Blog
Fried Liver Lesson 1
Fried Liver Lesson 2
Fried Liver Lesson 3
Fried Liver Lesson 4
Fried Liver Lesson 5
Fried Liver Lesson 6

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Fried Liver Attack LiChess Studies

Explore interactive training tools to solidify your understanding of the opening's concepts.

• The Fried Liver Attack Guide - 8 Chapter Study - Tactics, Defenses  and Some Middlegame Ideas
  
  
• Defenses against Fried Liver - 3 Chapter Study - Three detailed Defenses from Casual to You Punish from the get go.
  
  
• The Fried Liver Attack Guide _ 6 Chapter Study (900+ hearts)

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Games Databases

Analyze real-life games featuring the Fried Liver and see how it's played in practice.

Chessgames.com

• Fried Liver Attack Games - 8 Example Games
• Fried Liver Attack Games - 49 Example Games

Games Viewable Online (at Queensac.com)
Fried Liver Attack Games - 65 Games

Annotated Games
Pratt vs Wolford 1976
Morphy vs NN 1858

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Fried Liver Attack Video Lessons

Ben Finegold

• The Fried Liver Attack with GM Ben Finegold- 50 Min - Goes through a variety of games in history involving the Fried Liver Attack.
• The Advanced Fried Liver Attack (Traxler Variation), with GM Ben Finegold - 52 Min - A variety of games in history involving the Fried Liver Attack (Traxler variation), using a different set of games for the over 1400 class
• GM Ben Finegold goes on a Fried Liver Rant - 17 Min -  Humorously critiques common misconceptions about chess openings, particularly the Fried Liver Attack, while reviewing a chess game.
  
  

WIN IN 8 MOVES | The Fried Liver Attack - 22 Min IM Rozman (Gotham) - Showing you the Fried Liver attack with the White and Black pieces. This is a great chess opening for beginners which incorporates a quick attack to fork the enemy pieces and win a rook or a queen. Lots of tactics here.

Fried Liver Attack -  11 Min Video - ChessWebSite(Explanation of the Opening) - 

Fried Liver Redux - Beginner Breakdown - 31 Min -  Shows 4 games that support his case of the Attack being an ultimate devastation.

Fried Liver Attack | Italian Game Theory - 13 Min - Hanging Pawns

10 Fried Liver Attack instructional Videos - from ChessKid.com
 -This in-depth series covers one of the most common opening weapons in scholastic chess

Fried Liver Attack Chess Traps

• Alekhine Fried Liver Trap - 7 min 
• The Fried Liver Attack - Explained -Tricks and Traps of Chess Openings - 8 Min
• How To Fry The Fried Liver Attack || Counter The Trap With A Trap - 9 min
• Fried Liver Attack | Attacking Gambit in the Italian | Chess Opening Tricks and Traps to Win Fast - 10 Min IM Astaneh

Playing Black

• How To Win As Black Against The Fried Liver Attack! - 26 min NM Lopez
• How to destroy the Fried Liver Attack!! - 8 Min
• Best Defense Against The Fried Liver Attack - 4 Min
• WIN IN 7 MOVES | Traxler Counter-Attack - 18 Min IM Rozman
• Never Let White Play the Fried Liver | Chess Openings Explained - 59 Min - St Louis CC Lesson

Fried liver Attack Game Videos (w/Analysis)

How Would The World Champion Defend Against The Fried Liver Attack | So vs Carlsen: Finals Thriller - 10 Min
I was forced to play against a Fried Liver Attack - 12 min IM Rosen
Crashing Counter Attack against the Fried Liver - Hollingsworth vs. Steensland
Shirov wins with Fried Liver Attack in 2014 Chess Olympiad! - 19 Min
Unbelievable! AlphaZero Goes For Fried Liver Attack - 8 Min
Fried Liver Attack | Analysis of a Super GM Game - 10 Min
John Bartholomew plays a Fried Liver Attack. - 7 Min
Morphy - Fried Liver Attack! - 9 Min

"The Fried Liver Attack: A delicious dish best served cold... to your opponent's king." - Anonymous