The Fianchetto Variation, Hastings Defense, Main Line is a variation of the Benoni Defense, catalogued as ECO A64. The line runs 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 c5 4. d5 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. Nc3 g6 7. Bg2 Bg7 8. Nf3 O-O 9. O-O a6 10. a4 Nbd7 11. Nd2 Re8, reaching the position shown below after 22 half-moves.
White holds the centre with pawns on d5. Development is level at three minor pieces each. It is White to move after 11 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.
You can play through this variation move by move in your browser — Learn mode walks the line with an explanation at each step, and Drill mode replays it from memory so you find out whether you actually know it. No account is required.
See all 36 Benoni Defense variations →
The Fianchetto Variation, Hastings Defense, Main Line goes 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 c5 4. d5 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. Nc3 g6 7. Bg2 Bg7 8. Nf3 O-O 9. O-O a6 10. a4 Nbd7 11. Nd2 Re8. It is a variation of the Benoni Defense and is catalogued as ECO A64.
The Fianchetto Variation, Hastings Defense, Main Line is ECO A64. 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 e6 3. g3 c5 4. d5 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. Nc3 g6 7. Bg2 Bg7 8. Nf3 O-O 9. O-O a6 10. a4 Nbd7 11. Nd2 Re8 at +0.23 at depth 18, which is balanced. 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. Development is level at three minor pieces each. It is White to move. Both kings have castled kingside, so play tends to shift to the centre and the opposite flank.