i have some sympathy with sssthepro. i looked at 10.Bxb5 with Grivas' analysis-not so straightforward to me at that time (though i was some elo less), especially in rapid. Karpov failed twice to win against Polgar! You wonder why Fressinet, Dreev, Sokolov all try something else if 10. Bxb5 is so good.
I think if 10.0-0 is good for white, which may be the case, the benoni cannot be sound :p 

for the moment i prefer samisch,fianchetto,Bf4 and other non- taimanov/mml lines that set more interesting questions for black.

Glenn Snow wrote on 04/05/09 at 21:45:57:


I think you misunderstood me. I don't mean that Modern Benoni is bad now because it leads to forced draws. As Meat and Bibs pointed out, White can only win or draw, and thus this is considered to be very good for White. However, when I started this thread, I am asking what I should do if Black plays ...b5 and I am in a must-win situation, because I feel that Black has a easier time drawing than White winning. Of course, I can try out other lines like the Taimanov etc, but I am very comfortable with the Modern Benoni and have no problems in the other lines. Therefore, I would really want to find something after ...b5 that gives me more winning chances, and I feel that 0-0 does that. Of course, as you guys have mentioned, the chances of losing also increased, as Black is given the chance to advance on the queenside. However, I feel that I am willing to take the risks, and I feel quite confident of White's position despite Black's scary looking pawn advances on the queenside (Surely there must be a reason why the main move after 0-0 is ...a6 instead of b4 or c4). 

But thats, my opinion anyway. You do not have to agree with me . I may be more inclined towards an unclear position but with lots of winning chances for both sides than towards a position that is slightly better for me and I have a draw in hand, but I will need a lot of efforts to squeeze out the win in certain circumstances.

Still, the main defence of a 2700 guy (Gashimov) can't be that bad.

Also: http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1520003

flaviddude wrote on 04/05/09 at 13:26:16:


So with the Modern main line and the Taimanov variations giving Black adequate play are you telling me that White is struggling to find an advantage against the Modern Benoni?  Is the MB now thought to be a very respectable defence?  In case it's not obvious, I'm not being sarcastic, just a combination of surprised and skeptical.  Don't get me wrong, I like the opening but I would have thought that at least the Taimanov variation gave White some advantage.  And then the question is what does White do if he wants to employ the move order 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 and Black plays 3...c5.  Surely it's not any harder to find something for White here than after say 3...b6 or 3...Bb4+.

LeeRoth wrote on 04/05/09 at 05:42:09:


This thread really lifts my confidence. I now understand why strong players do not play the modern main line against me in correspondence. They are going to play for months for half a point. Over the board there is no way I would play 0-0. See Dangerous Weapons the Benoni. 

The Taimanov also known as the flick-knife attack has been dealt with on this site. In my opinion black can even play the piece blunder variation and draw although it is very hair raising. I am not releasing any of my secret analysis.

Agree with Meat and Bibs.  Careful study of the 10.Bxb5 endgame should improve your percentage.  Otherwise, play the Taimanov if you really have to win.

Latest evidence is that 10.Nxb5 gives Black sufficient play.  Critical is 10..Re8 11.Nd2 Nxe4 as in Vescovi-Jobava, Corus 2006.  22..Ne4 would have given Black good comp.

10. Nxb5 got an outing in Dresden by Fressinet in his game against Gashimov. Since I'm only acquainted with 10. Bxb5, I dare not comment whether the game was important enough from a theoretical perspective.  

Although I too subscribe to the views put forward by Bibs and Meat, it does make me wonder why Fressinet forewent the opportunity of a squeeze with little risk of losing. Perhaps his choice was team driven as this was played in the last round (I don't know whether France was still in with a theoretical chance of winning a medal).

Anyhow, for completeness' sake:

Fressinet - Gashimov, Dresden 2008

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. c4 c5 4. d5 d6 5. Nc3 exd5 6. cxd5 g6 7. h3 Bg7 8. e4 O-O 9. Bd3 b5 10. Nxb5 Re8 11. O-O Nxe4 12. Re1 a6 13. Rxe4 Rxe4 14. Nxd6 Rb4 15. a3 Qxd6 16. axb4 cxb4 17. Qe1 Nd7 18. Qe8+ Qf8 19. Qxf8+ Bxf8 20. Bb5 Nc5 21. Bc6 Bb7 22. Be3 Bxc6 23. dxc6 Nb3 24. Ra4 a5 25. Nd4 Nxd4 26. Bxd4 Rc8 27. Rxa5 Rxc6 28. Ra8 f6 29. Kf1 Kf7 30. Ke2 Bc5 31. Bxc5 1/2-1/2

What happens when I am playing against a Benoni expert who is playing for a draw, whose standard is about the same as me (which is around 2200 FIDE)? In situations I am talking about, drawing or losing does not really matter. Winning is the only option you have.

And I did study the two rook vs queen endgames. However, it is very hard to win those endgames. I know of a few thematic ideas on this variation, but still, the drawing odds of this variation are very high. And when drawing equates to losing, you don't want to play this variation.