- ECO code
- A57
- Moves
- 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 b5
- Family
- Benko Gambit
- To move
- White
- Master games
- 305
- Average game length
- 41 moves
- Years covered
- 1971–2026
Benko Gambit is the opening filed under ECO code A57, reached after 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 b5. It belongs to the Benko Gambit family; in the resulting position it is White to move.
Katuranga's collection of 138,070 master games contains 305 games on this line — the 305th most played opening in the collection. The oldest game on this line is from 1971 and the most recent from 2026. The busiest decade in this collection is the 1990s, with 89 games. An average game here lasts 41 moves.
White wins 45% of those games, 28% end in a draw, and Black wins 27%. That is close to the collection average (White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28%). Draws are less common here than usual, by 7 points.
From this position the most popular move is 4.cxb5, played in 228 games, followed by 4.Nf3 (47) and 4.Qc2 (15). After 4.cxb5 White scores 44% and Black 26%.
The name that appears most often on the White side of this line is Kortschnoj, Viktor (20 games); on the Black side, Carlsen,M (23).
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Results in master games
- White 45% (137)
- Draws 28% (85)
- Black 27% (83)
Most played continuations
| Move | Games | White / draws / Black | Leads into |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.cxb5 | 228 | 44/30/26 | — |
| 4.Nf3 | 47 | 55/17/28 | — |
| 4.Qc2 | 15 | 60/20/20 | — |
| 4.Nd2 | 7 | 14/57/29 | — |
| 4.a4 | 3 | 33/0/67 | — |
| 4.f3 | 2 | 0/50/50 | — |
| 4.b3 | 1 | 0/0/100 | — |
| 4.Bg5 | 1 | 100/0/0 | — |
How the position is reached
- Queen's Pawn Game · 1.d4 · 45,810 games
- Indian Defense · 1.d4 Nf6 · 29,631 games
- Indian Defense: Normal Variation · 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 · 22,243 games
- Benoni Defense · 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 · 880 games
Played most often by
As White
- Kortschnoj, Viktor 20
- Mamedyarov,S 16
- Shirov, Alexei 14
As Black
- Carlsen,M 23
- Topalov, Veselin 22
- Polgar, Judit 15
Games per decade
- 1970s 9
- 1980s 29
- 1990s 89
- 2000s 68
- 2010s 49
- 2020s 61
Master games on this line
| White | Black | Result | Year | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caruana,F | Taher,Yoseph Theolifus | 1-0 | 2026 | 2nd 3-0 Thu 23rd Apr 2026 |
| Nakamura,Hi | Theodorou,Nikolas | 0-1 | 2026 | Titled Tue 28th Apr 2026 |
| Nepomniachtchi,I | Lisenkov,Svyatoslav | 1-0 | 2025 | Titled Tue 26th Aug Early |
| Manukyan,SaA | Carlsen,M | 0-1 | 2025 | Titled Tue 4th Feb Late |
| Giri,A | Nepomniachtchi,I | 1-0 | 2025 | chess.com SpeedChess 2025 |
| Nepomniachtchi,I | Gelman,A | 1-0 | 2025 | Titled Tue 30th Sep 2025 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the Benko Gambit?
It is the opening with ECO code A57, reached after 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 b5. It belongs to the Benko Gambit family.
Is the Benko Gambit good for White or for Black?
In 305 master games on this line White wins 45%, 28% are drawn and Black wins 27%. The collection average is White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28% — so this line is no worse than usual for White than the field as a whole.
What is the main continuation of the Benko Gambit?
4.cxb5 — played in 228 of the master games on this line.
Which grandmasters play the Benko Gambit?
On the White side Kortschnoj, Viktor (20), Mamedyarov,S (16), Shirov, Alexei (14); on the Black side Carlsen,M (23), Topalov, Veselin (22), Polgar, Judit (15).
Every number on this page is computed from Katuranga's master game collection; names and ECO codes follow the lichess opening book (CC0).
Try this line on the board
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