Chess opening · ECO A57
Benko Gambit
A queenside pawn is offered in the Benko Gambit right after White plays d5. If White takes, Black offers the a-pawn too, and after the trades Black is a pawn down with two open lanes for the rooks. The plan is long term: steady pressure on a2 and b2, a bishop on a6 and another on g7, rather than a quick attack on the king.
- Rank by weighted share
- #126 of 159
Key moves
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 b5
- 3. d5White pushes past the c5 pawn to take space and cramp Black's pieces. The d5 pawn now leans on c4 for support, and c4 has no pawn guarding it, so that is the pawn Black hits next.
- 3... b5The b-pawn attacks c4. If White captures, ...a6 offers a second trade, and after bxa6 Bxa6 Black's a- and b-files are free of black pawns. If White does not take, Black may take on c4 or push ...b4 for queenside space.
What the pawn pays for
After cxb5 a6 bxa6 Bxa6, the bishop on a6 looks down the diagonal at e2 and f1. If White plays e4 while the bishop is still on f1, Black often answers ...Bxf1, and after Kxf1 White can no longer castle.
Black adds ...g6, ...Bg7, ...d6 and kingside castling. The g7 bishop looks down the long diagonal toward c3 and b2 once the f6 knight moves, and rooks on a8 and b8 aim at the two white queenside pawns.
Declining with b3, e3 or Nf3
White can decline. 4.b3 supports c4 so that ...bxc4 can be met by bxc4, and 4.e3 keeps development simple. 4.Nf3 and 4.Qc2 also hold off the capture for now. These lines avoid handing Black the open files, though Black keeps the option of ...bxc4 or ...b4 to change the queenside structure.
The accepted main line
4. cxb5 a6 5. bxa6 Bxa6 6. Nc3 d6
Black is a pawn down but the a- and b-files are open. Next come ...g6, ...Bg7, ...Nbd7 and the rooks to a8 and b8, lined up against White's a- and b-pawns.
Top replies by rating
From 1400 to 1599, b3 leads and cxb5 is second. From 1600 up, cxb5 takes the lead and pulls further ahead with each band, while Nf3 and Qc2 enter the top three at 2000 and up.
| Rating | Top | Second | Third |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1200–1399 | b3 89% | e3 11% | – |
| 1400–1599 | b3 41% | cxb5 27% | e3 26% |
| 1600–1799 | cxb5 41% | b3 33% | e3 15% |
| 1800–1999 | cxb5 65% | b3 13% | e3 10% |
| 2000 and up | cxb5 73% | Nf3 17% | Qc2 7% |
Questions
Does Black have to win the pawn back?
No. The idea is lasting pressure on the a- and b-files, which can carry into the endgame. Black keeps White's queenside pawns tied down instead of rushing to recover the material.
Related openings
Try it on the board. The first coached game and three analyses are free.