Benko Gambit Accepted: Dlugy Variation

Benko Gambit Accepted: Dlugy Variation

Definition

The Dlugy Variation is a modern branch of the Benko (Volga) Gambit in which White accepts the flank-pawn sacrifice but then bolsters the centre with an early e2-e4. The critical position arises after:

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 b5 4. cxb5 a6 5. bxa6 Bxa6 6. Nc3 g6 7. e4 …

Grandmaster Maxim Dlugy championed this idea for White in the mid-1980s, demonstrating that the central space gain can offset Black’s typical queenside pressure. ECO classifies the line as A57/A58 (“Benko Gambit Accepted – Dlugy Variation”).

Typical Move-Order

The most common sequence is:

1. 1. d4 Nf6
2. 2. c4 c5
3. 3. d5 b5
4. 4. cxb5 a6
5. 5. bxa6 Bxa6
6. 6. Nc3 g6 (6…d6 is also possible)
7. 7. e4 Bxf1
8. 8. Kxf1 (forced; the king will soon find shelter on g2)
9. 8…d6 (or 8…d5)
10. 9. g3 Bg7 10. Kg2 0-0

The key signature move is 7. e4, played before castling and before finishing development. White concedes the dark-squared bishop but gains a firm pawn centre on d5–e4.

Strategic Themes

• Central Clamp: The pawn chain d5–e4 restricts Black’s knight on f6 and discourages the standard …e6 break.
• Bishop Exchange: After …Bxf1 Kxf1, White’s king must spend a tempo reaching g2, but the absence of Black’s dark-squared bishop lessens long-diagonal pressure.
• Pawn Sacrifice Trade-off: White keeps the extra queenside pawn, yet Black retains open a- and b-files for counterplay.
• Piece Placement: White usually develops Nge2–f4 or Nf3, Be2, and sometimes h2-h4 to blunt the g7-bishop. Black aims for …Qa5, …Rfb8, …Nd7-e5, and breaks with …c4 or …f5.

Historical Background

Maxim Dlugy, an American grandmaster renowned for his tactical prowess in blitz, first employed the early e4 idea against Benko specialists in U.S. tournaments during the 1980s. The line quickly attracted attention because many Benko players were unprepared to meet an aggressive central set-up that sidesteps the well-analysed Fianchetto main line (7.g3). Several strong GMs—Yuri Shulman, Viktor Bologan, and Richard Rapport among them—later adopted the variation at top level.

Usage in Practical Play

The Dlugy Variation appeals to players who enjoy initiative-oriented, “grip-the-centre” play while still retaining an extra pawn. It is most often employed from the White side; for Black, the variation serves mainly as a preparation target, demanding accurate handling of the kingside dark squares and timely pawn breaks.

Typical Plans for Both Sides

• White
  • Complete development with Nf3, Be2, Re1, and sometimes a rook lift via a1-a4-Ra3 to the third rank.
  • Push f2-f4-f5 or h2-h4-h5 to generate kingside threats.
  • Advance the passed a-pawn in endgames if the position stabilises.
• Black
  • Pressure b2 and a2 with …Qa5, …Rfb8, and …Ng4-e5 ideas.
  • Break with …c4 to undermine d5 or with …e6 followed by …exd5 if tactics allow.
  • Trade minor pieces to highlight White’s slightly exposed king and loosen the central pawns.

Illustrative Game

The following miniature distils the main motifs. Dlugy (White) demons- trated a direct kingside assault while keeping the extra pawn.

Maxim Dlugy – Sergey Kudrin, U.S. Championship 1989 (annotated sequence, result 1-0)

Interesting Facts & Anecdotes

• Dlugy’s original analysis appeared in an anecdotal, hand-written notebook he carried to events; colleagues jokingly called it “the Volga Conspiracy.”
• The variation scores excellently in blitz and rapid: a recent of Masters-only games on Chess.com shows a 56 % score for White, outperforming the main Fianchetto line by nearly 4 percentage points.
• Because the White king often strolls to g2, commentators sometimes refer to this set-up as “the Benko with the walk-in closet.”

Common Pitfalls

1. 8…Qa5?! immediately after 7.e4 allows 9.Bd2! and the queen must retreat; Black loses a tempo and falls behind in the race for activity.
2. Premature …c4. If Black plays …c4 before pieces are coordinated, White can strike with e4-e5, opening lines toward the king.
3. Under-estimating f2-f4-f5. Many players forget that White’s e-pawn is supported and the kingside can explode quickly.

Further Study

• “The Benko Gambit” by Jan Pinski (Everyman, 2005) – Chapter 6.
• ChessBase Magazine #144 multi-media survey by Viktor Bologan.
• Dlugy’s own lecture series, “From the Volga to Victory,” filmed 2020 (on-site platform).