for Black · advanced

Benko (Volga) Gambit

6/6
1.d4Nf62.c4c53.d5b5

Black sacrifices a wing pawn to open the a- and b-files for long-lasting queenside pressure. The compensation is famously positional and durable. Black gets easy, risk-free play well into the endgame.

Key ideas
  • Sacrifice the b-pawn to open the a- and b-files
  • Fianchetto and pile rooks and bishop onto the queenside
  • Enjoy long-term pressure that persists into endgames
  • Trade queens and maintain an initiative against White's structure
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Benko Gambit3.2M games · White to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
53%1.7M47%
19%607k42%
9.1%291k43%
7.4%236k43%
3.1%100k51%
Benko Gambit Declined: Main Line2.9%92k50%
Benko Gambit Declined: Quiet Line1.2%37k51%
Benko Gambit Declined: Sosonko Variation1.1%36k52%
Benko Gambit Declined: Bishop Attack0.9%30k45%
Benko Gambit Declined: Pseudo-Sämisch0.7%23k48%
Famous games in this line17k master games
Gelfand, B. (2761) – Carlsen, M. (2872)20140–1Carlsen, Magnus (2837) – Bologan, Viktor (2732)20121–0Kramnik, Vladimir (2807) – Topalov, Veselin (2743)20031–0Gelfand, Boris (2733) – Carlsen, Magnus (2815)20110–1Radjabov, Teimour (2773) – Ivanchuk, Vassily (2766)2012½–½Carlsen, Magnus (2837) – Andreikin, Dmitry (2700)2012½–½Ponomariov, R. (2731) – Aronian, L. (2803)20130–1Kramnik, Vladimir (2790) – Ivanchuk, Vassily (2740)1998½–½
Heroes of this opening Carlsen, Magnus · Kramnik, Vladimir · Aronian, L.
Keep exploring
Go deeper — named lines from here
Benko Gambit Declined: Main Line4.Nf3Benko Gambit Declined: Quiet Line4.Nd2Benko Gambit: Mutkin Countergambit4.g4Benko Gambit Declined: Bishop Attack4.Bg5
Study this opening
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