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Benko Gambit

Black gives a pawn for long-lasting pressure on the a- and b-files. Even in the endgame Black's rooks keep pushing.

Intermediate · Indian defences · 18 steps. On Chess Castles, Chess Guru reads each step aloud in English, Hindi or Marathi while the moves play on the board, and you can practise any position against the engine.

Step 1

♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎
The position

Benko Gambit (A59). You play Black. Black gives a pawn for long-lasting pressure on the a- and b-files. Even in the endgame Black's rooks keep pushing.

Step 2

♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 1.d4

White plays pawn to d4. It takes a centre square (d4). It opens a line for the bishop on c1. It opens a line for the queen on d1. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 35% of 3.9 million games.

Step 3

♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 1...Nf6

Black plays knight to f6. It develops the knight into the game. It controls the centre (e4, d5). Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 60% of 1.4 million games.

Step 4

♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 2.c4

White plays pawn to c4. It controls the centre (d5). It opens a line for the queen on d1. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 67% of 805k games.

Step 5

♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 2...c5

Black plays pawn to c5. It controls the centre (d4). It opens a line for the queen on d8. It challenges the opponent's pawns. It offers a pawn (a gambit) to win time or the centre. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 11% of 537k games.

Step 6

♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 3.d5

White plays pawn to d5. It takes a centre square (d5). It gains space. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 88% of 59k games.

Step 7

♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 3...b5

Black plays pawn to b5. It challenges the opponent's pawns. It offers a pawn (a gambit) to win time or the centre. It attacks the pawn on c4. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 50% of 53k games.

Step 8

♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 4.cxb5

White plays pawn takes b5. It captures the pawn on b5. It gains space. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 76% of 27k games.

Step 9

♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 4...a6

Black plays pawn to a6. It challenges the opponent's pawns. It attacks the pawn on b5. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 99% of 20k games.

Step 10

♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 5.bxa6

White plays pawn takes a6. It captures the pawn on a6. It gains space. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 54% of 20k games.

Step 11

♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 5...Bxa6

Black plays bishop takes a6. It develops the bishop into the game. It captures the pawn on a6. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 32% of 11k games.

Step 12

♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♝︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 6.Nc3

White plays knight to c3. It develops the knight into the game. It controls the centre (e4, d5). Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 90% of 3631 games.

Step 13

♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♝︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 6...d6

Black plays pawn to d6. It controls the centre (e5). Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 56% of 3190 games.

Step 14

♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♝︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 7.e4

White plays pawn to e4. It takes a centre square (e4). It opens a line for the queen on d1. It opens a line for the bishop on f1. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 35% of 2028 games.

Step 15

♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♝︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 7...Bxf1

Black plays bishop takes f1. It captures the bishop on f1. It attacks the pawn on g2. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 97% of 696 games.

Step 16

♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 8.Kxf1

White plays king takes f1. It captures the bishop on f1. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 100% of 690 games.

Step 17

♜︎♞︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 8...g6

Black plays pawn to g6. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 87% of 675 games.

Step 18

♜︎♞︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♞︎♜︎
The position

This is the main position of the Benko Gambit. Now practise it against the engine: choose a strength and play on from here.

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More lessons in Indian defences

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