Theoria
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Benoni Defense

King's Pawn Line, with Be3

A65positionaloffbeat

  1. 1.d4Nf6
  2. 2.c4c5
  3. 3.d5e6
  4. 4.Nc3exd5
  5. 5.cxd5d6
  6. 6.e4g6
  7. 7.f3Bg7
  8. 8.Be3
229 games48%50%

A Sämisch-style Modern Benoni line in which White props up e4 with f3 and develops Be3, giving a roughly balanced and rarely played middlegame.

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About the with Be3

This Sämisch-style branch of the King's Pawn Line has White reinforce e4 with 7. f3 before developing the dark-squared bishop with 8. Be3. The setup blunts ...Nxe4 tactics and pressure along the e-file, but it takes the f3-square from the king's knight. Black almost always answers 8...O-O, and 8...a6, preparing ...b5, is the main alternative. Engines rate the position roughly balanced, practical results are close to even, and the line is rarely played.

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