Don Chess

Learn the Benko Gambit

One pawn for lasting pressure: after …b5 your rooks race down the open queenside files. Even in the endgame you’re still playing to win.

You play with Black. How you learn it with Don Chess: watch first, then play it with an arrow, then from memory – with spaced repetition until it sticks. Free, no sign-up.

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The main line

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 b5 4.cxb5 a6 5.bxa6 Bxa6 6.Nc3 d6 7.e4 Bxf1 8.Kxf1 g6

A59 · Benko Gambit Accepted: Yugoslav

The position after the main line

The moves explained

Why is each move played? The explanations come from the opening trainer – there you play the moves yourself afterwards.

  1. 1.d4 Occupies the centre with a pawn on d4.
  2. 1…Nf6 Develops the knight to f6 – pieces out first, then attack.
  3. 2.c4 Fights for the centre from the side with the pawn on c4.
  4. 2…c5 Gambit: the pawn on c5 is offered – for quick development and open lines.
  5. 3.d5 Occupies the centre with a pawn on d5.
  6. 3…b5 Gambit: the pawn on b5 is offered – for quick development and open lines.
  7. 4.cxb5 Accepts the pawn offered on b5.
  8. 4…a6 Attacks the pawn on b5 – the fight for the centre begins.
  9. 5.bxa6 Takes the pawn on a6.
  10. 5…Bxa6 Takes back on a6 – material is level again.
  11. 6.Nc3 Develops the knight to c3 – pieces out first, then attack.
  12. 6…d6 Supports the pawn on c5 – the centre stands firm.
  13. 7.e4 Occupies the centre with a pawn on e4.
  14. 7…Bxf1 Takes the bishop on f1.
  15. 8.Kxf1 Takes back on f1 – material is level again.
  16. 8…g6 Prepares the fianchetto: the bishop goes to the long diagonal.

Idea and plans

The idea

With …c5 Black provokes d5 and gets an asymmetrical structure with a queenside majority (Benoni) or open a- and b-files (Benko).

Plan for White

Use the centre with e4 and the e5 break, pressure on d6.

Plan for Black

Queenside counterplay with …b5 or on the open files, the g7 bishop on the long diagonal.

The 3 lines in the course

Grey: the moves shared with the main line. Bold: the move where the line leaves it.

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