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1.g3 Benko Mainline

1.g3 at Wikipedia

The future belongs to 1. g3!

Video

Bamboozle your opponents with 1.g3  - GM Nigel Davies

Notable Games

Benko vs Fischer 1962 1-0

Benko vs Tal 1962 1-0

Hillarp Persson vs Smith 2008 1-0

New here trying to figure out the site.  I enjoy the couterattacking style game.  I tend to play 1... g6 and follow it with 2... d6  then the bishop.  do not know how to help in the vote chess.

First thing is to join the vote games. Join as many as you wish. Join them all (recommended)

Go to the group home page - click on vote chess - a new page opens with a list of games

click the name of a game - new page - upper right corner a beige patch - click on our group name

new page

Don't forget to click [x] Notify me of new comments near the bottom of the page.

when someone makes a comment you will see a "new comment" link on your homepage

when it is our turn to move you will recieve an alert

Then have a look at some vote chess guidelines.

If you see a good move tell the team in a comment - agree - disagree - ask questions - have fun

I have not found any good references or books specific to a system around 1. g3 but I am taking a look at Hypermodern Opening Repertoire for White by Eric Schiller.  It is based on 1. Nf3 but many of the games starting 1. g3 seem to transpose into the lines discussed in that book.

I may grab the Nigel Davies video.

@mattchessus - As far as I have been able to find; there are no books or mainline(s) for 1.g3. Transposition is the name of the game and 1.g3 is basically a "waiting" move to see what Black does and then decide which opening to play. Usually we play 2.Bg2 which gives White even more time to decide which way to go.

As you mentioned, it is good to know the 1.Nf3 openings, but also any other opening which incorporates an early kingside fianchetto.

The Davies video is excellent.  I have won many games using his method with 1. g3.

Could you give a brief description of his 'method'?

It depends on what defense black adopts, but the video falls into a few different categories:

1) Reversed classical Pirc

2) Reversed Modern

3) Reversed Alekhine

4) Reversed Leningrad

5) Closed Sicilian

6) King's Indian

And a few miscellaneous variations at the end.  Since I played with the King's Indian for awhile with white, and with the Pirc as black, a lot of the positions just make sense to me.  I do also play the f4 lines against an early c6 by black.  I confess to playing f4 against an early c5 also, although Nigel recommends d3 against those lines, and either playing c4 or transposing into a KIA.

Ok thanks. I guess I was wondering if he gives an agressive mainline for White to pursue. But from what you say it still appears 1.g3 is reactive, waiting to see what Black does and then picking and choosing.

I think Nigel is always cautious in his videos to give a line that is guaranteed to get the viewer out of the opening alive.  So no, there's no quick, aggressive play here.  High reward requires high risk, and that is never the focus of Nigel's videos.