Benko Gambit: 4.cxb5 a6 5.e3 g6 6.Nc3 Bg7

Benko Gambit: 4.cxb5 a6 5.e3 g6 6.Nc3 Bg7

Definition

The sequence 4.cxb5 a6 5.e3 g6 6.Nc3 Bg7 is a branch of the Benko Gambit (also called the Volga Gambit) that arises after the moves 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 b5. In the main line, White accepts Black’s pawn sacrifice with 4.cxb5, Black counters with 4…a6, and after the stabilizing move 5.e3, Black fianchettoes the king’s bishop with 5…g6 and 6…Bg7. The position captures the quintessential Benko themes:

• Black has ceded a pawn but gains enduring pressure on the queenside files a- and b-.
• White tries to consolidate the extra pawn while neutralizing Black’s piece activity.

Usage in Chess

• Opening Repertoire: This line is favored by dynamic, counter-attacking players who are willing to sacrifice material for long-term initiative. • Practical Play: Because Black’s compensation is mostly positional, even a small inaccuracy by White can make the extra pawn irrelevant. • Move-Order Nuances: The immediate 5.e3 is a solid alternative to the sharper 5.bxa6 or 5.Nc3, intending to meet …axb5 with Bxb5+. By inserting e2–e3 early, White shores up the d4–pawn and leaves the c1–bishop flexible.

Strategic Themes

• File Pressure: Black’s rooks often land on a8 and b8, piling up on the open a- and b-files against b2 and a2.
• Queenside Majority vs. Extra Pawn: White’s extra pawn can be hard to exploit; meanwhile Black’s pawn minority (c- and a-pawns) is designed to create passed pawns in the late middlegame.
• King Safety & Piece Activity: The g7-bishop, Black queen on a5 or b6, and knight jumps to g4/e5 generate tactical motifs against White’s center.
• White’s Plans: Consolidate with Nf3, Be2, 0-0, and possibly e3-e4, or opt for queenside expansion with a2-a4, b2-b3.

Historical Context

The Benko Gambit gained prominence in the late 1960s thanks to Hungarian-American grandmaster Pál Benkő, who regularly employed it in top events. The 5.e3 line is considered a “quiet” attempt by White to decline further material complications, but it did not deter Benkő himself, who scored several key wins with Black even after 5.e3.

Illustrative Mini-Line

One typical continuation is:

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 b5 
4.cxb5 a6 5.e3 g6 6.Nc3 Bg7 
7.a4 d6 8.Nf3 O-O 9.Be2 axb5 10.Bxb5 Ba6
    

After 10…Ba6 Black has full compensation: open files, pressure on b2, and an imminent …Nbd7 followed by …Qa5 or …Qb6.

Famous Game Snippet

Benkő vs. Browne, U.S. Championship 1975, featured the 5.e3 system. Although Benkő was playing White, Browne adopted his opponent’s own gambit ideas and obtained a tenable endgame despite being a pawn down.

Example PGN Viewer (play through)

Interesting Facts

• The ECO code for this variation is A58.
• Even computers evaluate the position roughly equal despite Black being a pawn down, highlighting the gambit’s soundness.
• In correspondence and engine-assisted play, modern Benko specialists sometimes defer …g6 in favor of …d6 and …Nbd7, yet the fianchetto on g7 almost always appears sooner or later.
• Top grandmasters such as Veselin Topalov, Richard Rapport, and Peter Svidler have used the 5.e3 line as White—occasionally to simply steer the game into quieter waters before outplaying their opponents later.

Summary

The move order 4.cxb5 a6 5.e3 g6 6.Nc3 Bg7 represents a calm but fully viable Benko Gambit battleground. White enjoys an extra pawn but must solve the puzzle of consolidating it; Black seeks lasting initiative, banking on open-file pressure and a future queenside passer. Its rich strategic balance makes it a perennial feature of master practice and a fertile learning ground for pupils of dynamic chess.