1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 e6 4.Nc3 exd5 5.cxd5 d6 6.e4 opens the Modern Benoni: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4... 6.e4, ECO A65. With 2,036,475 games on record, the patterns below come from the largest practical sample available.
History and Notable Players
It arises from the Modern Benoni Defense. Among the most prolific White practitioners are Ivan Farago (17 games), Glenn C Flear (17 games), Evarth Kahn (17 games). Black-side regulars include Pavel Simacek (54 games), Levan Pantsulaia (41 games), Slobodan Kovacevic (37 games).
Performance Across Rating Levels
The picture changes a lot as you climb the rating ladder. The 1200 bracket has 42,504 games (0.01% of all games at that level); White wins 51.1%, Black 45.9%, 3% are drawn. At 1800 the opening surfaces in 0.07% of games; White wins 49%, Black 47.1%, draws 4%. Among 2500-rated players the line appears in 0.19% of games and draws spike to 7.5%, indicating tight preparation.
Time Control Patterns
Look at the same opening across time controls and bullet stands out. In bullet, it appears in 0.06% of games (1,633,601); White wins 50.7%. Blitz shows 0.05% adoption across 1,800,343 games, White scoring 49.4%. In rapid, the share rises to 0.02% — 236,132 games, White 49.1%.
Move Diversity and Theory Depth
Move choice is far from uniform in the Modern Benoni: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4... 6.e4. At 1200 Elo, the top reply is Be7, played 29.6% of the time. There are 7 other moves seeing meaningful share, and 57.4% of games stick to established theory. Entropy: 2.98. By 2500, g6 dominates at 91.1% of replies; only 1 viable alternatives remain and 99.6% of moves are theory. Entropy drops to 0.55. That entropy collapse is the signature of a line where preparation pays off: at the top, players know the best move and play it.
Historical Trends
Tracking the Modern Benoni: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4... 6.e4 year over year shows a clear story. Adoption peaked in 2016 at 0.06% (36,860 games). By 2025 it sits at 0.04% — a 52% shift overall, leaving the line on the rise.
Main Lines and Variations
The main branches off 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 e6 4.Nc3 exd5 5.cxd5 d6 6.e4 include:
Each branch leads to a different middlegame character — the resulting pawn structure decides what kind of game you get.
Common Mistakes
- Drifting away from main theory — At 400 Elo, theory adherence sits at 51% — versus 95.2% at 2000. The most popular deviation is Qa5 (played 10.7% of the time at 400, much less so up top). It looks fine but quietly hands the better-prepared side an edge.
- Neglecting development — It can feel productive to make extra pawn moves early, but falling behind in piece development is what loses most amateur games — especially in open positions where active pieces find squares fast.
- Letting White own the centre — Hypermodern openings concede central space on purpose, but only if you strike back in time. Delay the counter-blow and you end up squeezed.
Practice on Chessiverse
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