Benoni Defense win rate

White scored 51.3% (margin 0.8 points) in 15,344 rated games of the Benoni Defense, ECO A43, played between players within 100 rating points on 1 September 2026. It ranked number 30 of 117 openings by popularity and made up 0.9% of all games.

49.3%

46.6%

White wins 49.3%
Draws 4.1%
Black wins 46.6%

15,344 games

How often does White win in the Benoni Defense?

White won 49.3% of the 15,344 games, 4.1% were drawn and Black won 46.6%. White's score of 51.3% is no clear difference from White's score across all openings (51.9%): the gap of 0.5 points is inside the margin of 0.8 points.

Results of 15,344 Benoni Defense games, 1 September 2026.
Result	Games	Share
White wins	7,559	49.3%
Draws	632	4.1%
Black wins	7,153	46.6%

Does the Benoni Defense score differently at different ratings?

White's score is highest at 2000 and above (51.9%) and lowest at 1600 to 1999 (50.8%). That spread of 1.1 points is inside the two margins added together, so the data show no clear difference between the bands.

Players rated 2000 and above choose the Benoni Defense most often relative to their other openings, in 1.9 percent of their games.

White's score in the Benoni Defense by the lower rating of the two players, 1 September 2026.
Rating band	Games	Share of the band	White score	Margin (points)
1200 to 1599	4,201	0.7%	51.8%	1.5
1600 to 1999	7,025	1.2%	50.8%	1.1
2000 and above	2,900	1.9%	51.9%	1.8

How does the Benoni Defense do in blitz, rapid and classical?

The time control changes who tends to win, because the clock matters more in faster games. Rows with fewer than 1,500 games are left out.

White's score in the Benoni Defense by time control, 1 September 2026.
Time control	Games	White score	Margin (points)
Blitz	12,671	51.0%	0.9
Rapid	2,600	53.3%	1.9

What are the most played lines of the Benoni Defense?

The most played named line is the Old Benoni, with 7,793 games and a White score of 50.8%. The table lists the ten most played lines that reached 300 games; a line below that is counted in the last row.

Named lines of the Benoni Defense, most played first, 1 September 2026.
Line	Games	White score	Margin (points)
Old Benoni	7,793	50.8%	1.1
Benoni Gambit Accepted	2,694	50.2%	1.9
French Benoni	1,413	52.5%	2.5
Hromádka System	540	52.6%	4.1
King's Pawn Line	442	52.0%	4.6
Modern Variation	399	54.4%	4.8
Benoni-Indian Defense	346	54.9%	5.1
Main line and less played lines	1,717	52.4%	2.3

How were these opening statistics measured?

Rated Blitz, Rapid and Classical games on 1 September 2026 between players within 100 rating points, banded by the lower rating. A score is wins plus half the draws, with a 95 percent margin. The hub page explains the method in full.

Frequently asked questions

What is the win rate of the Benoni Defense?

White won 49.3%, drew 4.1% and lost 46.6% of 15,344 games, a White score of 51.3% with a margin of 0.8 points. These are games on Lichess on 1 September 2026.

Is the Benoni Defense good for White?

At these ratings White's score was no clear difference from White's score across all openings (51.9%): the gap of 0.5 points is inside the margin of 0.8 points. A difference of a point or two is small, and the side that picks an opening also picks which games reach it, so the number describes what happened at these ratings and is not a ruling on the opening.

What is the most popular line of the Benoni Defense?

The Old Benoni was the most played named line, with 7,793 games, which is 50.8% of the Benoni Defense games.

Sources

Lichess open database, standard rated games (CC0), file for September 2026, read 2026-10-22

Related guides and tools

Last updated 2026-10-22.

Want to know which openings suit your games?

Start with a first lesson: George reviews your games and builds a written study plan around what he finds.

Book your first lesson

Cancel or reschedule a lesson up to 24 hours ahead by replying to the email that set it up, and it stays on your package.