Benko Gambit
Black offers a queenside pawn to open files and create lasting pressure. White should develop and limit that activity; Black needs coordinated rooks and bishops to justify the material investment.
Your plan as White
Decide whether the extra pawn is worth defending; complete development and limit pressure on the open files.
The opponent’s plan
Seek lasting queenside pressure for the pawn, coordinate rooks and keep the g7 diagonal useful.
Watch out: A pawn sacrifice needs active pieces. Playing slowly can leave only a material deficit.
Opening game…
Practice this line as White.
Play three moves from the line you watched. Hints draw an arrow on the board. Complete a fresh attempt without hints or retries to pass.
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Name, background and sources
Pal Benko popularized the gambit, but examples predate his work. Its lasting appeal is the queenside activity Black seeks in return for a pawn.
Read the opening background on Chess.com ↗Lichess opening names and reference lines (CC0)
ChessSum provides original explanatory notes. Related lines are labeled separately. Reference lines illustrate ideas; they are not a claim that every other legal move is wrong.
Watch how the center and piece development change. Each arrow previews the next move.