[chessmind] Dennis Monokroussos: This Week's ChessBase Show: The Benko Gambit, starring Pal Benko

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Posted by Dennis Monokroussos:
This Week's ChessBase Show: The Benko Gambit, starring Pal Benko
http://chessmind.powerblogs.com/posts/1216194056.shtml


   With the Hungarian/American grandmaster Pal Benko turning 80 earlier
   this week, it seems like a good time to celebrate his chess with a
   look at his best-known contribution to the chess world, the eponymous
   Benko Gambit. Benko, a two-time world championship Candidate, did not
   event the gambit (known as the "Volga Gambit" in some parts of the
   world), but he was the first strong grandmaster to use it on a regular
   basis. It's because of his efforts, starting in the late 60s, that the
   opening became a popular weapon among professionals and amateurs
   alike.
   The Gambit is a remarkable weapon. Black gives up a pawn on move 3,
   and in return gains neither time, attacking chances against White's
   king or even any initiative to speak of. Stranger still, Black is
   often delighted to exchange piece after piece - just the opposite of
   what we'd expect from a gambit. What he does enjoy is very long term
   pressure against White's queenside along the a- and b-files (at least
   in classic lines where White accepts the gambit), the kind of pressure
   that can pay off 15, 20, even 30 or more moves down the road. It's an
   excellent fighting weapon, especially against those players who use
   1.d4 in hopes of reaching a safe, quiet position where only two
   results (a White win or a draw) are possible, as there is no way for
   White to dry the game up, even if he's well-prepared.
   Now that I've whetted your appetite, I hope you'll join me tonight -
   Wednesday night - at 9 p.m. ET, as we see how the master and founding
   father of this system handled it in his own games. We'll see some of
   his ideas about the opening per se, but more importantly, we'll see
   how the Benko Gambit plays itself out in the middlegame and ending.
   This will give us a template, enabling us to see some of the thematic
   ideas we can use to win our own games. Pure practicality!
   (If your only reservation is cost, then fear not: it's free. Not sure
   how to watch? Again, it's no problem: click [1]here to read full
   directions. See you then!)

References

   1. http://chessmind.powerblogs.com/posts/1114234449.shtml