Theoria
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Benoni Defense

Mikenas Variation

A66aggressivetacticaloffbeat

  1. 1.d4Nf6
  2. 2.c4c5
  3. 3.d5e6
  4. 4.Nc3exd5
  5. 5.cxd5d6
  6. 6.e4g6
  7. 7.f4Bg7
  8. 8.e5
280 games56%40%

Modern Benoni line in which White answers 7. f4 Bg7 with the immediate 8. e5, a direct central thrust that Black meets by regrouping the knight.

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About the Mikenas Variation

The Mikenas Variation, also called the Mikenas Attack, is White's immediate 8. e5 in the Pawn Storm line 7. f4 Bg7. It strikes at d6 before development is complete, instead of 8. Nf3 or the far more popular Taimanov Attack 8. Bb5+. Both 8...Nfd7 and 8...dxe5 9. fxe5 Nfd7 are considered sufficient for equality, and the capture is the more frequent choice online. Engines rate the position as roughly balanced, though White has scored well in Lichess games.

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