Advance Variation

By advancing 2...d4, Black neither defends nor captures the d5-pawn. Instead the pawn takes space and denies c3 and e3 to White's queen's knight and dark-squared bishop. The result is a Benoni structure with colors reversed, and White has an extra tempo. White's task is to undermine the advanced pawn, while Black props it up with ...c5 and ...Nc6. The engine rates the position as balanced, and White scores slightly better in practice.

The most common reply is 3. e3, which challenges the pawn at once. The critical continuation is the Reversed Blumenfeld Gambit, 3. e3 c5 4. b4 dxe3 5. fxe3 cxb4 6. d4, in which White trades a pawn for central control and development. 3. b4, nearly as popular and a top engine choice, works on the queenside in the manner of a reversed Benko. Black can meet it with the Michel Gambit, 3...c5, or the Navara Gambit, 3...g5. 3. d3 is a quieter option. With 3. g3 Nc6 4. Bg2 e5 5. O-O e4 6. Ne1, White lets Black build a broad center and then attacks it, for example with d3. The Penguin Variation, 3. Rg1, is an oddity.