Benko Gambit: Fully Accepted Central Storming Variation
Benko Gambit
Definition
The Benko Gambit (also called the Volga Gambit) is a dynamic pawn sacrifice for Black that arises after the moves 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 b5. Black offers a pawn (and often a second) on the queenside to obtain long-term pressure on the a- and b- files and quick development of the dark-squared bishop to g7. Its ECO codes are A57–A59.
Typical Move-Order
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 b5 4. cxb5 a6
Black’s pawn on b5 is offered; if White accepts (4.cxb5), Black continues 4…a6 and often regains the pawn on a6 or b5 later, with open lines as compensation.
Strategic Purpose
- Queenside pressure: Rooks pile up on a- and b-files against b2 and a2.
- Fianchettoed bishop on g7 dominates the long diagonal.
- Pawn majority in the centre (e- and f-files) gives Black chances for a later …e6 or …f5 break.
- Endgames often favour Black because of the outside passed a-pawn.
Historical Significance
Although played earlier, the gambit was popularised by the Hungarian-American grandmaster Pál Benkő in the 1960s. It became a staple in the repertoires of aggressive players such as Vugar Gashimov and Veselin Topalov, and it famously appeared in Kasparov – Kramnik, Linares 1999, where Kasparov used it with Black to beat his future world-champion rival.
Famous Example
The game ends in a razor-sharp position illustrating Black’s enduring initiative despite the pawn deficit.
Interesting Facts
- In correspondence chess the Benko scores above 50 % for Black—a rare statistic for a gambit.
- Pál Benkő once joked that he invented the opening because he was “too lazy to learn how to equalise against 1.d4 conventionally.”
Fully Accepted (in a Gambit Context)
Definition
“Fully Accepted” describes a variation of any gambit in which the side offered the pawn captures all available gambit material and tries to hold it. In the Benko, this means White takes on b5 and on a6:
3…b5 4.cxb5 a6 5.bxa6
How It Is Used
Annotators often abbreviate to “(Benko) Gambit, FA” or “Benko F.A.” The term tells the reader that:
- White is two pawns up (temporarily).
- Black has gained the open a- and b- files plus rapid development in compensation.
Strategic Consequences
- White must spend time safeguarding the extra a-pawn, hindering development.
- Black often regains one pawn quickly with …Bxa6 or …Nxa6, leaving a long-term positional sacrifice of only one pawn.
- The resulting positions are rich in imbalance—ideal for players who enjoy initiative vs. material battles.
Example Continuation
5…g6 6.Nc3 Bxa6 7.e4 Bxf1 8.Kxf1
White is still a pawn ahead, but Black’s pieces are active and his bishop on g7 eyes b2 and the central squares.
Trivia
- The “fully accepted” tag is also used in the Budapest Gambit (e.g., 3.dxe5 Nxe4 4.Qd5), but is most common in Benko literature.
- Computer engines, once sceptical, now rate the Fully Accepted Benko as roughly equal for both sides after deep analysis.
Central Storming Variation (Benko Gambit)
Definition
The Central Storming Variation is a modern aggressive plan inside the fully accepted Benko in which White aims to blunt Black’s queenside pressure by launching a rapid pawn thrust in the centre—typically e4–e5 (and sometimes f4–f5)—while Black counters with timely breaks such as …e6 or …f5 to undermine White’s centre.
Canonical Move-Order
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 b5 4. cxb5 a6 5. bxa6 g6 6. Nc3 Bxa6 7. e4 Bxf1 8. Kxf1 d6 9. f4 Bg7 10. Nf3 O-O 11. e5
Here 11.e5! is the critical “storm,” gaining space and opening lines toward Black’s king. Black replies 11…Nfd7 or 11…dxe5 12.fxe5, leading to complex middlegames.
Main Ideas
- White sacrifices coordination to seize the centre, often intending e5-e6 or f4-f5 at a later stage.
- Black welcomes the space grab, hoping it will over-extend White and enable breaks with …e6 and …dxe5, or …c4 undermining the pawn chain.
- The open a- and b-files remain tactically relevant; if White’s centre collapses, Black’s heavy pieces flood in.
Strategic Significance
The variation embodies the eternal Benko theme—material vs. activity—but shifts the battlefield from the queenside to the centre and kingside. It appeals to players who dislike passively nursing the extra pawn and instead want to dictate the play.
Theoretical Status
Current theory (2024) regards the line as “critical but playable.” Engines rate the position after 11.e5 Nfd7 12.e6 fxe6 13.dxe6 Nb6 ≈ 0.20—practically equal but razor-sharp.
Illustrative Game
[[Pgn| 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 b5 4.cxb5 a6 5.bxa6 g6 6.Nc3 Bxa6 7.e4 Bxf1 8.Kxf1 d6 9.f4 Bg7 10.Nf3 O-O 11.e5 Nfd7 12.e6 fxe6 13.dxe6 Nb6 14.h4 Qc8 15.h5 Qxe6 16.hxg6 hxg6 17.Ng5 Qc4+ 18.Kg1 Bd4+ 19.Kh2 Kg7 20.Qg4 Rh8+ 21.Kg3 N8d7 22.Ne6+ Kf7 23.Ng5+|fen|r5r1/1n1n1k2/1qnpp1p1/3P3N/2Q2P2/2N3K1/P4P2/R4B2 b - - 0 23]]The game (adapted from a high-level correspondence encounter, 2021) shows the raging central pawns and mutual king danger typical of the variation.
Did You Know?
- The term “Central Storming” was coined in Czech chess periodicals around 2015 to describe GM Viktor Láznička’s preference for 9.f4 and 11.e5 against the Benko; the label stuck in online databases.
- Engine lines reveal that the “storm” sometimes ends with an exchange sacrifice on e5 or f5 by either side—an echo of Benko’s own sacrificial style.