The Model Game: Beating the Benoni
The most important part of opening preparation is understanding the middlegame that follows. In this new column, opening expert Christof Sielecki will explain the strategic ideas and characteristic pawn structures of a particular opening. He begins with a Benoni structure in a ‘grandmaster versus master’ game. by Christof Sielecki *** This column appeared in New In Chess magazine 2024#1. Please let us know what you think of this new column. *** Welcome to the new column ‘The Model Game’. It will feature instructive games that demonstrate key ideas in common pawn structures, often associated with a particular opening line. Knowing these structures and being able to assess the pros and cons is a key skill of stronger players. You’ll often hear statements like ‘Now I have an excellent Sicilian Dragon!’, when the game started completely differently, but still a Sicilian formation ensued. The first game I have a look at was played between grandmaster Ori Kobo and international master Rokas Klabis175