A Quick Guide to the Benoni Defense

Thanks. Nice article

GAME in #32
8. h3 is one variation that worries me ...... not what black is used to, 8. a4. which allows black to get rid of white's dangerous f-knight, which is why the exchange is played immediately. Good win. I didn't think black coped with Bf4 properly. I think I prefer Qe7 right away.

Black is worried that white will play Nd2, and black can swap bishops but the N is heading for c4 from where it hits d6. White can get three pieces hitting d6 and black can be tied down, having to play things like Ne8. So in that variation it's normal to swap right away because white won't play h3. Obviously if you wait and white plays h3, black has gained a tempo and so black is better.

Normally in that variation, called the Knight's Tour, e4 isn't played. Nc4 is played first. I don't know the line you posted. It looks like h6 and g5 is slow. It can be defended by playing 9. ...Nbd7 instead of castling and then on Nc4, the Knight is chased off by Nb6.