Benko Gambit

Recently I got interesed into the benko gambit.Could someone explain me the ideas behind it?An example game would be most welcome.

Pretty much the idea is to open up the a and b files and pressure the queenside.  Black can sometimes put enough pressure on the queenside to force White to surrender a pawn and still leave Black the initiative.  Even if Black can't win the pawn back, he has excellent drawing chances in a rook ending because his pawn structure is so solid.  Here's an example

Benko Gambit Eco A57/A58: 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 b5 4. cxb5 a6

Black offers the 2nd pawn knowing full well that he will regain the pawn with initiative. Black wants both the A and B files cleared for his pieces in order to invade the Queen side and come up underneath White's pawn front (if any). Whites "a" and "b" pawns are exposed to a powerful attack and it takes very careful defending to hold onto to one of them let alone both. For this reason you often see White decline the 2nd pawn as he doesn't want to spend the next 15/20 moves baby sitting his extra material. 

Black fianchettos his DS Bishop to g7 controlling the a1/h8 diagonal and together with his Rooks begins to menace White's queen side position. White has to be constantly alert for possible sacs as with just one mistake the queen side can collapse. 

The Benko prize is White's "b" pawn because then Black's "c" pawn becomes an absolute monster! There are also central options for Black should White be even just a little tardy in supporting his lonely "d" pawn with e4. The problem for White is that having played e4, squares like d3 are sometimes difficult to defend and become a major target for Black's pieces. The 3 major pawn pushes in the Benko (for Black) are c5>c4, e7>e6, and f7>f5.

You should be aware that White is under no obligation to try and hold onto the pawn or even enter the gambit. As always, a little research and study goes a longway.

I'll give the final word to GM McDonald:

From Neil McDonald's "The Benko Gambit Revealed":

"When you play the Benko Gambit you set White the astonishingly difficult task of exploiting the extra pawn: it is so difficult in fact as to be virtually impossible, and for this reason many players hand back the pawn as quickly as possible in return for a positional, rather than a material, plus.  You will need patience, endurance and fighting spirit no matter what form the game takes. It is a great consolation to know that Black is acting from a sound positional base - the endgame is normally good for him and the onus is therefore on White to "do something". This is too much pressure for most players, even Grandmasters, and the thing they "do" is often horrendous."

My emphasis.

Thanks for the game, Benkobaby

 Kasparov is so violent with EVERYTHING

... and to make it even more impressive; Bareev is considered a Benko expert. You often see him playing the black side of the gambit. I think it was IM Pinski who suggested that the Benko suited Kasparov's active style and that it was a pity he didn't play it more often.

However, you have to watch out for White's e5 move. If he can get that in at the appropriate time, it can cause havoc for Black.

Skip

Kasparov is filthy.  That was some Benko mastery right there.  My god, dude is ferocious.

This looks very good! One of these days I'll try it!

@ Conzipe - I'm always interested in any article or book that covers the Benko Gambit from White's perspective. When I'm asked for a book recommendation on the Benko I always suggest Neil McDonald's "The Benko Gambit Revealed" (2004). It provides an excellent strategic overview for Black but doesn't shy away from the difficulties that white can pose and covers the opening (at least in part) from both sides of the board. 

The line that Boris Avrukh is referring to is the Epishin Variation: 

1. d4 Nf6 2. c c5 3. d5 b5 4. cxb5 a6 5. bxa6 g6 6. Nc3 Bxa6 7. Nf3 d6 8. g3 Bg7 9. Bg2 Nbd7 10. Rb1! - (note that many of the moves between 7 and 9 are interchangeable).

After it gained popularity in the mid 90s it sort of put the Benko on ice at the top levels as it was scoring so well. According to recent articles I've read on chessbase et al its teeth have been drawn somewhat - which is why there is a slight resurgence of the Benko at master+ levels.

It's also one thing to play the Epishin as White but quite another to follow through as it requires playing almost perfect defense for 20+ moves and then slowly transfer into an attacking posture. Not so easy in practice. Here's what McDonald had to say:

"The fianchetto variation (Epishin) doesn't win by force for White, but at the highest echelons of chess it has been scoring well. This is because players of that level know how to play perfect defensive chess as White for 20 or so moves (the word grovel comes to mind) and then suddenly switch to scintillating attacking play. Very few players can copy this style of play without going wrong at some point - they will either get the balance of attacking and defensive moves wrong, or lose control by making tactical oversights or strategical errors. Therefore, unless you are playing Kramnik at Linares you don't have to be afraid of ... (the Epishin)"

The Benko Gambit Revealed" - Neil McDonald - 2004

My emphasis.

There is a good DVD on the Benko by IM Andrew Martin that goes into the ideas from both Black and Whit'es point of view.

Skip

I agree with a some of what you say Conzipe - the Epishin is certainly hard to break down for Black and has been for over a decade. As a Benko player I find the Epishin and the Pawn Return variation the most difficult to deal with. But given recent theory I think you're being a tad sanguine about White's chances and the ease with which White can play out his strategic ideas.

I'm not suggesting the Epishin has had its teeth removed - just blunted somewhat.

I have the delayed Benko Gambit in my opening repertoire, but I play the Benoni if White fianchettoes his king's bishop, avoiding the Epishin variation.

Here's a game that shows Black's ideas in the gambit quite clearly. http://www.cob.sjsu.edu/splane_m/chess/Levitan13.htm

And here's the way I handle the Benoni. http://www.cob.sjsu.edu/splane_m/chess/DeJong7.htm

Conzipe, I like your idea of playing ...c5 from a King's Indian setup, but what do you play against the English setup with 1. c4 Nf6  2. Nc3 g6  3. g3 Bg7  4. Bg2? I have had a of of trouble facing this.

For in-depth evaluation - http://nb.lichess.org/dDk4d5Q3#154