The Classical Variation, Main Line is a variation of the Benoni Defense, catalogued as ECO A73. The line runs 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6 4. Nc3 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. e4 g6 7. Nf3 Bg7 8. Be2 O-O 9. O-O, reaching the position shown below after 17 half-moves.
White holds the centre with pawns on d5 and e4. Development is level at three minor pieces each. It is Black to move after nine moves. Both kings have castled kingside, so play tends to shift to the centre and the opposite flank.
On the Benoni Defense generally: An aggressive defense where Black accepts a space disadvantage for dynamic counterplay.
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The Classical Variation, Main Line goes 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6 4. Nc3 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. e4 g6 7. Nf3 Bg7 8. Be2 O-O 9. O-O. It is a variation of the Benoni Defense and is catalogued as ECO A73.
The Classical Variation, Main Line is ECO A73. ECO codes group openings by their move order, so nearby codes cover closely related lines of the Benoni Defense.
Stockfish evaluates the position after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6 4. Nc3 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. e4 g6 7. Nf3 Bg7 8. Be2 O-O 9. O-O at +0.59 at depth 18, which is a slight pull for White, within normal opening margins. Engine evaluation is only a starting point — at club level the practical value of a line is mostly about whether you know its plans better than your opponent does.
White holds the centre with pawns on d5 and e4. Development is level at three minor pieces each. It is Black to move. Both kings have castled kingside, so play tends to shift to the centre and the opposite flank.