Episode 4 Benko Gambit
The Benko Gambit (or Volga Gambit) is a chess opening characterised by the move 3...b5 in the Benoni Defence arising after:
1.d4Nf6
2.c4c5
3.d5b5
The Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings has three codes for the Benko Gambit:
- A57 3...b5
- A58 3...b5 4.cxb5 a6 5.bxa6
- A59 3...b5 4.cxb5 a6 5.bxa6 Bxa6 6.Nc3 d6 7.e4
Pal Benko played it.
It is as followed
The main line continues with the moves 4. cxb5 a6 5. bxa6 Bxa6 followed by Black fianchettoing the f8-bishop. After 4. a4 by white, black has three sound replies. The most popular line is the Sosonko Accepted variation, where 4. ...bxc4 is played by black. This can, and frequently does, lead to very sharp and sacrificial variations for both sides. Such lines include the poisoned knight variation where after 4. a4 bxc4, 5. Nc3 e6, 6. e4 exd5 and 7. e5, black sacrifices a knight for a huge central pawn majority, an excellent spacial advantage with good attacking chances, and the River Styx Attack, where 5. Nc3 Ba6, 6. e4 d6, 7. f4 g6, 8. e5 is played.
The gambit's most notable practitioner was its eponym, Pal Benko. Many of the world's strongest players have used it at one time or another, including former world champions Viswanathan Anand, Garry Kasparov, Veselin Topalov, and Mikhail Tal; and grandmasters Vassily Ivanchuk, Michael Adams, Alexei Shirov, Boris Gelfand, and Evgeny Bareev. It is a popular opening at amateur level, where it is considered to offer Black good practical chances of playing for a win.
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