Understand the Modern Benoni
This product includes all the videos from the workshop as well as the PGN file related to the training sessions. Overall, the material consists of 7.5 hours of video and a PGN database which includes 90 files!
You will find the following lectures:
✅ Typical Modern Benoni Strategies
✅ Lines with a Pawn on e4
✅ Lines with a Pawn on e3
✅ Fianchetto Variation
✅ 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 c5 3.Nf3 cxd4 4.Nxd4 d5 & Concrete Theory
Now, we shall take a look at the different lectures.
Typical Modern Benoni Strategies
In this lecture, GM Papaioannou examines some fundamental ideas that every Benoni player must know. In the annotated model games, you will find explanations of the typical manoeuvres, pawn breaks and exchanges. Such kind of general knowledge will definitely boost your Benoni intuition. In this way, you will be able to handle even unknown positions.
The PGN version of this lecture consists of 17 model games. Below, you shall take a look at one of them.
Lines with a Pawn on e4
In this lecture, GM Papaioannou explains all the important ideas related to the setups with e2-e4. The understanding of these setups is very fundamental since even in the systems with e2-e3, White can often play e3-e4.
One of the important opening positions discussed in this lecture arises after 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 c5 4.d5 exd5 5.cxd5 d6 6.Nc3 g6 7.e4 a6 8.a4 Bg4
This precise move order allows Black to execute one of the important Benoni ideas discussed in the first lecture - getting rid of the light-squared bishop. Ideally, Black would like to exchange this useless bishop for the f3-knight. In this way, he will never be concerned about the typical manoeuvre Nf3-d2-c4. In this lecture, Papaioannou, explains how exactly we should create counterplay in such positions.
The PGN version of the lecture consists of 21 model games. Here is one of them.
Lines with a Pawn on e3
In this lecture, Papaioannou discusses the systems in which White puts his pawn on e3.
These setups are not so ambitious because White is far from executing his main plan in Benoni: the advance e4-e5. On the other hand, with a pawn on e3, Black has no object of attack on e4 and therefore both sides have some free time to manoeuvre the pieces.
In the lecture, Papaioannou analyzes four different options for White after the moves: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 c5 4.d5 exd5 5.cxd5 d6 6.Nc3 g6
7.Qa4 where Black should continue with the natural ...Nbd7 intending ...a7-a6, ...0-0, ...Rb8, and ...b7-b5
7.Bf4 with the idea e3 and then slowly put pressure on the queenside
7.Bg5 intending e2-e3, where Black should immediately challenge the bishop with ...h7-h6 followed by ...g6-g5
7.h3 A modest continuation, but it requires some knowledge.
In general, Black is doing fine in all these lines. After you study the material carefully, you should be able to face them without any problems.
The PGN version of this article consists of 19 model games. Below, you shall take a look at one of them.
Fianchetto Variation
This is one of the most important lectures in the entire camp. The reason is not that the g2-g3 systems are particularly challenging for Black. It's exactly the opposite. According to Papaioannou, Modern Benoni positions with a bishop on g2 offer Black very nice counterplay. This lecture is very practical because it enables Black to answer 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 with 3...c5. The move 3...c5 is usually bad news for the Catalan players.
Most of the positions arising from the Fianchetto System do not require in-depth theoretical knowledge. You can play them by mainly relying on your understanding.
The PGN version of the lecture consists of 16 model games. Below is one of them.
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 c5 3.Nf3 cxd4 4.Nxd4 d5 & Concrete Theory
This part will be mostly on Symmetrical English, which plays an important role in the complete Benoni repertoire.
The main tabiya of this lecture arises after 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 c5 4.Nf3 cxd4 5.Nxd4
Now the best move for Black is 5...d5! We shouldn't allow White to develop the pieces easily because if White does that, he will be better. Therefore, we should pose White problems as soon as possible. Black's main idea is to answer 6.Bg2 with ...e6-e5 followed by ...d5-d4. Therefore, White cannot easily achieve harmonious development.
The PGN version of this lecture includes 17 model games. Below, you shall take a look at one of them.