Old Benoni as the best anti-d4

I know a lot of people love playing Modern Benoni (1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5) against d4 but the problem with this opening is that this is very easy for white to avoid. Plus it leaves very unpleasant d6 weakness for the rest of the game. Meanwhile Old Benoni (1. d4 c5) avoids all of theory and takes white by surprise. The only good reaction after c5 is d5. Every other move equalizes or gives advantage to black. Then you postpone e6 break as long as it will fit you. Even if you like particularly Modern Benoni structure then you can easily transpose as the best continuation for white is 1. d4 c5 2. d5 Nf6 3. c4 and you can choose if you go for Benko gambit, Modern Benoni, Snake or Czech. The position is very pleasant because you can play it either positionally or tactically. Still it won't be this effective at master level or very good advanced. I greatly recommend it for e4 players because after you end your opening you'll have at least 10 minutes advantage in classical chess or 1 minute in rapid or 30 seconds in blitz with your opponent flabbergasted. If anybody wonders why Nc3 isn't better in the 3rd move - that's because you don't cement your center and make b5 break easier, giving even easier play for black that almost always has the same moves. It's almost a system! c5 Nf6 g6 Bg7 d6 Nbd7/Na6 and you go either for e6 or b5 break. What are your thoughts about Old Benoni defense? Is it annoying, bad or you jusy literally dont't care?

It is bad.

Great argument. I'll consider this wide message to analysis. You must have great sources

It is bad

It is bad.

Damn. No community is this laconic

Its not absolutely terrible and it is playable at most levels, but In general the old benoni (d4 c5 d5) takes more risks than the modern benoni (d4 Nf6 c4 c5 d5). The reason is mainly to do with the c-pawn, in the old benoni it has not moved to c4, which provides and additional menouvre for white (Nf3-d2-c4). With the knight on c4 is provides a lot of pressure on black's position as it limits queenside expansions and also pressures d6 and e5. This menouvre is quite strong and because of it the old benoni is simply not as strong as the modern benoni, which waits until white has already commited to 2.c4, where the pawn blocks the square for the knight. Also sidelines are not really that much of a worry, since they arent really that dangerous for black if you are well prepared.

Yes but in most cases you can go b5 and just kick out the knight from c4 + e6 break is way stronger because they have to recapture with the e pawn so they have no e5 which is the main threat. From OTB games I know that people usually don't defend properly against b5 break. Even people that are 2000 rapid on chess.com

not really if white plays correctly, the b5 break is not easy to achieve once white plays a4, since ...a6 is met by a5-xb6, or as seen in the game it is ignored and white goes for the c6 square instead (via Nc4-a5-c6). As for the e6 break it does not solve all of black's problem it is simply a step to reaching equality. White still maintain an advntage even if black manages to play e6, particularly because d6 is still a target.

Like I said before, it is playable but it unecessarily allows this idea, which can be easily avoided by playing Nf6 first.

Old benoni bad because white has the option to refrain from c4, and instead play Nf3-d2-c4 himself. By not playing c4 white also accelerates his development advantage. The knight maneuver is also much stronger than it appears at first glance. There is a reason why masters don't play the old benoni.

I still prefer playing against knight journey than almost closed down queenside where your chances are almost burried. You shouldn't be afraid of a4 because after a5 your pieces have ever lasting acces to b5 because pawn from c2 isn't moving soon. If it does we can most likely go with c pawn forward. I still think that Old Benoni is safer because there are no lines that are putting black in atrocious positions (Mikenas attack, Taimanov variation or Four pawns attack)

The Old Benoni is completely useless as it is both worse than the Modern Benoni and not entirely separate from the Modern Benoni.

1. d4 c5 2. d5 Nf6 3. c4 and you're right back in the Modern Benoni.

Alternatively, 1. d4 c5 2. d5 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6/d6 4. Nf3 d6/g6 5. Bb5+ Bd7 6. a4 and it's almost exactly like the Taimanov except you have no play on the queenside since you don't have a pawn majority there and you haven't broken in the center yet.

You have no weakness on d6 and Bb5+ supported by a4 isn't scary because this bishop can be easily pushed back by a6 or traded off where white has problems defending it. Queenside isn't locked at all and you can still break. It won't have the same character as with b5 breaks but you still fight for advantage and it's hard for white to find moves that keep it

It falls into the class of openings which are slightly inferior according to non-decisive evaluations, are very rarely seen, and which can reasonably be played. Anyone who plays it needs to be aware of the stats: https://www.chess.com/explorer?moveList=d4+c5+d5&ply=3

I can't really object to people playing this as a few years ago I used to play the Mujannah Formation (Clarenden Court defense), which is theoretically worse than mainline Old Benoni.

white can't play 5.Bb5+ because bishops can't teleport through pawns

In this line c4 was never played. I'm just listing similarities between the 5. Bb5+ Old Benoni (which I don't even think is close to the best line but it's still really solid) and the Taimanov Modern Benoni.

he was talking about how you never moved the e-pawn.

I think he just didn't write a move

Pawn on e2