Answering Anti-Benoni Move Orders with 3...b5
The Benoni against 2.Nf3 - 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 c5 for Black
In the Modern Benoni, Black spends much of the game preparing ...b5. The moment ...a6 appears, White answers with a2-a4.
GM Romain Edouard and IM Dragos Ceres start from a different question. What if ...b5 arrives on move three?
The Move Order Benoni Players Fear
White often chooses 2.Nf3 to avoid the Benoni. After 2...c5 3.d5 e6 4.Nc3, the authors’ verdict is clear: this version favours White.
Their answer is 3...b5, an approach that takes queenside space immediately. Against the main 4.Bg5 continuation, Black allows 5.Bxf6 exf6. The doubled pawns are justified by the pawn already standing on b5, and on the queenside Black already has counterplay.
What Makes the Course Unique
Black develops with ...g6 and ...Bg7, and the doubled f-pawn becomes an asset through the ...f5 break. In the main line, 12...Ra7! prepares ...f5 without conceding the light squares, and the bishop later returns from b7 to c8.
The Benko-style 4.c4 is reached through a move order that avoids the main theory of that opening, and 4...Bb7 puts immediate pressure on d5. The engine-inspired 4.e4 is the critical test, and Edouard spent considerable time on it: 5...Qa5+! and 7...c4! keep the extra pawn alive.
The same Benoni spirit carries over to White’s other second moves. Against 2.Bf4 c5 3.e3 Qb6 4.Nc3, the line 4...Qxb2 leads to a practical forced draw. If White plays on, the novelty 8...Nc3! leads to a sharp endgame.
After 2.Bf4 c5 3.d5 b5!?, the course improves on Carlsen–Cheparinov (2020) with 11...e5!!, preparing ...Bc5 to trap the queen. Against the Trompowsky, 2...Ne4 3.Bf4 c5 brings back Benoni-style play, including Sarana’s recent ...Ne5 and ...Nxd5 resource.
Variation Map
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 c5 3.d5 b5
- 4.Bg5 d6 5.Bxf6 exf6 6.e4 a6 7.a4 b4 → Chapter 1
- 8.Bd3 g6 9.Nbd2 Bg7 10.Nc4 O-O 11.O-O Bb7 12.a5 Ra7! → Chapter 1
- 4.a4 b4 5.Bg5 g6 → Chapter 2
- 4.c4 Bb7 → Chapter 3
- 5.Qc2 bxc4 6.e4 e6! 7.Bxc4 exd5 8.exd5 Bxd5! → Chapter 3
- 4.e4 Nxe4 5.Bd3 Qa5+! 6.Nbd2 Nf6 7.O-O c4! 8.Be4 d6! → Chapter 4
1.d4 Nf6 2.Bf4 c5
- 3.c3 Qb6 and 3.dxc5 e6 → Chapter 5
- 3.e3 Qb6 4.Nc3 Qxb2 5.Nb5 Nd5 6.Rb1 Qxa2 7.Ra1 Qb2 8.Nf3 Nc3! → Chapter 6
- 3.d5 b5!? → Chapter 7
- 4.e4 Nxe4 5.Qf3 Qa5+! 6.Nd2 Nf6 7.Ne2 Bb7! → Chapter 7
- 4.c4 b4! 5.a3 g6 6.axb4 cxb4 7.e4 Nxe4 8.Qd4 Nf6 9.Rxa7 Rxa7 10.Qxa7 Na6 11.Nf3 e5!! → Chapter 7
1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5 Ne4 3.Bf4 c5
- 4.f3 Qa5+! 5.c3 Nf6 6.d5 e6 7.e4 exd5 8.exd5 d6 → Chapter 8
The Authors and Their Reasoning
GM Romain Edouard, who reached a peak rating of 2702, and IM Dragos Ceres share one goal. They want to give Benoni players a real answer to the move orders designed to avoid their opening.
Every recommendation aims for active, unbalanced positions rather than safe equality. Two model games show the ideas in practice: Michael Adams handling the doubled-f-pawn structure at Hastings 1995, and Javokhir Sindarov converting a Benko-type position against Vincent Keymer at the Sinquefield Cup 2026.
Course Features
- 8 theory chapters with video instruction
- 2 annotated model games
- Memory File
- 5 Things to Know
- 20 test positions
- 5 training positions to practice against the engine
- Memory Booster
- To Go version of every chapter
- Multilingual PGN availability (English, German, French, Spanish)
Completing Your Benoni Repertoire
This course handles 2.Nf3, 2.Bf4 and 2.Bg5. For the main line 2.c4 c5 3.d5 e6, IM Dragos Ceres and GM Pier Luigi Basso offer The Modern Benoni - A Dynamic Repertoire for Black, including their equalizing 9...Na6! against 7.f4.
Together, the two courses cover White’s main replies to 1...Nf6 and 2...c5.
Explore The Benoni against 2.Nf3 - 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 c5 for Black by GM Romain Edouard and IM Dragos Ceres, and answer White’s anti-Benoni move orders with ...b5 on move three.