Benko Gambit


Overview

The Benko Gambit is a chess opening. It appears on the board after the following moves:

  1. d4 Nf6
  2. c4 c5
  3. d5 b5



The idea behind the Benko Gambit is simple: Black sacrifices his b-pawn to have quick development and a strong attack on open files.



The Benko Gambit can be divided into three major variations.

White can choose to play in many different ways, according to the player style against this major opening.

The three major variations are:

  • Benko Gambit Accepted - King Walk Variation
  • Benko Gambit Accepted - Fianchetto Variation
  • Benko Gambit Accepted - Positional variation

The variations of the Benko Gambit

The King walk variation is the most popular option in the Benko Gambit.

Black tries to start an attack against White’s Queenside by having 2 open files, and naturally developing his pieces and using them to force White to give up the extra pawn.

While White tries to push e5 and punish Black for having one less pawn.


The Fianchetto variation is a very popular option in the Benko Gambit.

Black tries to start an attack against White’s Queenside by having 2 open files, and naturally developing his pieces and using them to force White to give up the extra pawn.

While White tries to push e5 and punish the big diagonal with the fianchetto. Usually White prefers this variation because d5 is always protected by the g2 bishop.


The Positional Variation is a very popular option in the Benko Gambit for those who want to avoid complications.

Black immediately gets the pawn back, and can just develop his pieces.

White will try to develop pieces normally and maneuver the knight to c4 to eventually start attacking Black center.

The best thing about this Variation is that it is playable against any plan of White.

Overall the mid game plan of both players in this variation is very standard and direct.


How To Reach The Benko Gambit?

  1. First, White must move the Queen’s pawn two squares (1.d4).
  2. Then, Black replies by moving his Knight two squares (1...Nf6).
  3. White responds by moving his c-pawn two squares (2. c4).
  4. Black moves his c-pawn two squares (2...c5).
  5. White replies by advancing the d-pawn one square (3. d5).
  6. Black responds by moving his b-pawn two squares (3...b5).

Take a look at the moves below:



Why Play The Benko Gambit?

The Benko Gambit is an off-center opening that is played by many world champions.

In the Benko Gambit, Black sacrifices a pawn to have quick development, without creating many weaknesses and tries to attack on the queenside.


Every move explained

King Walk Variation

The King walk Variation appears on the board after the following moves:

  1. d4 Nf6
  2. c4 c5
  3. d5 b5
  4. cxb5 a6
  5. cxa6 Bxa6
  6. Nc3 d6
  7. e4 Bxf1
  8. Kxf1

You can see the moves here.

Why play the King Walk Variation?

The King walk variation is the most popular option in the Benko Gambit.

Black tries to start an attack against White’s Queenside by having 2 open files, and naturally developing his pieces and using them to force White to give up the extra pawn.

While White tries to secure his king, increase his control of the centre and punish Black for having one less pawn.

White's Moves

Play g2-g3 and protect your King

White wants to move the King to g2, to be protected by his pawns.

Move the king to h2 and aim to push e5 in order to break Black’s center

White wants to move the King to h2, to have the protection of the pawns, and the difference is that h3 covers the g4 spot from a possible black’s knight maneuver.

Then the idea is to place the Rook on e1 and the Queen on d1 to support the d5 pawn and push e5 to break black center.

Black's moves

Fianchetto the Bishop

Black wants to fianchetto his bishop in order to control the a1-h8 diagonal.

Play h6 to prevent White from playing Bg5

With the h7-h6 break, Black wants to prevent White from playing Bg5.

Every move explained

Fianchetto Variation

How To Reach It

The Fianchetto Variation of the Benko Gambit appears on the board after the following moves:

  1. d4 Nf6
  2. c4 c5
  3. d5 b5
  4. cxb5 a6
  5. cxa6 Bxa6
  6. Nc3 g7
  7. g3

You can see the moves here.

Why play the Fianchetto Variation?

The Fianchetto variation is a very popular option in the Benko Gambit.

Black tries to start an attack against White’s Queenside by having 2 open files, and naturally developing his pieces and using them to force White to give up the extra pawn.

While White tries to push e5 and punish the diagonal (h1-a8) with the fianchetto.

Usually White prefers this variation because d5 is always protected by the g2 bishop.

White's Moves

Fianchetto the Bishop

White wants to fianchetto his bishop in order to control very important h1-a8 diagonal and prepare a discovered attack.

Push your d-pawn and castle Kingside

With the break d5-d6, White wants to release his discovered attack and take the rook.

If Black defends with a knight(the best option for Black), White will take the e7 pawn and castle Kingside to protect his.

Black's moves

Increase your control over the e5 square

Black wants to naturally develop his pieces and then maneuver the knight to g4 to control the e5 square.

The pawn for the g7 bishop

Black wants to naturally develop all the pieces and then maneuver the knight to c7 to attack d5 but having the g7 bishop open.

After that maneuver Black will sacrifice the g7 Bishop in order to get a pawn back.

Every move explained

Positional variation

How To Reach It

The Positional Variation of the Benko Gambit appears on the board after the following moves:

  1. d4 Nf6
  2. c4 c5
  3. d5 b5
  4. cxb5 a6
  5. b6

You can see the moves here:

Why play the Positional variation?

The Positional Variation is a very popular option in the Benko Gambit for those who want to avoid complications.

Black immediately gets the pawn back, and can just develop his pieces.

White will try to develop pieces normally and maneuver the knight to c4 to eventually start attacking Black center.

The best thing about this Variation is that it is playable against any plan of White.

Overall the mid game plan of both players in this variation is very standard and direct.

White's Moves

Push the e-pawn and protect it with your Bishop

With the e2-e4 break, White wants to increase your control in the centre and protect the his pawn.

This pawn (e4) seems to be not protected, so Black can try to take it with the knight.

If Black takes, White will bring the queen onto a4 (check) and take this knight for free.

The maneuver of the Knight

Then the idea is simple: White wants to place the Knight on c4 and then move pieces to support the e5 push in order to break Black’s centre (in the future).

Black's moves

Play d6 and take the pawn with your Knight

With the move d6, Black wants to create a pawn chain which is hard to crack.

It is a good option to create pawn chains in the chess openings.

He is in no hurry to retake the b6 pawn and therefore he develops his queen’s knight with the idea to retake the b6 pawn on his next move.

Take the pawn with the Queen and play e6

With these moves, Black simply takes a pawn from White.

Then he moves his king’s pawn one square in order to place the bishop on the e6 square to free up some space for castling (to protect the king)




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