The Modernized Benko by Milos Perunovic (K-5354)

When I started playing the Benko 10 years ago, I felt it was a very good choice for open tournaments and weaker opponents, since it leads to an active game for Black. In time, I started using it against strong players
as well, and I came to realise that the opening was entirely applicable at even top levels. There is a secret danger for White: so long as White is up a pawn, the computer claims an advantage, but in practice it is very difficult for humans to make use of this theoretical advantage.

The book presents a repertoire for Black after 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 b5. My aim is to offer the essential variations and themes for Black, both in terms of concrete variations and conceptual ideas. In my opinion, the only way for White to test the Benko is to accept the gambit – the main line of this book. I this line I suggest
6...Bg7 instead of 6...Ba6, an idea which I came while analysing the opening with my friend and a lifelong Benko Gambit player, GM Danilo Milanović. After the ‘…Bg7’ move, entirely non-standard positions for the Benko may surface giving way to new motives for Black. Following White’s lengthy wandering, I believe the
best continuation with ‘7.a7‘ has been found, after which very complicated positions arise, and Black has to show very precise skills to stay in the game. The ‘…Bg7’ variation became popular, and I must admit I felt proud when the great Vladimir Kramnik used the ‘…Bg7’ variant earlier this year. Certainly, the ‘…Ba6’ variant is another possibility that is currently suffering because of the ‘e4 variation’, but I think that Black has still some resources available to fight back, after all we are talking about a ‘Fighters Repertoire’!

With this book, I wanted to revitalise the Benko and show that, although the computer isn’t that happy with Black’s positions in certain lines, his resources are impressive, especially in ‘THE PRACTICAL GAME’, because White will face many difficulties and Black’s counter attacks, no matter how well-prepared he is. Our Beloved
Benko is still very much ALIVE!

Milos Perunovic, December 2017.


004 Key to Symbols used

007 Preface

PART I – 4th Move Alternatives

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 b5

011 Chapter 1 – The 4.Nf3 Variation

025 Chapter 2 – The 4.Nd2 Variation

033 Chapter 3 – The 4.Qc2 & 4.a4 Variations

PART II – 5th Move Alternatives

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 b5 4.cxb5 a6

045 Chapter 4 – The 5.e3 Variation

065 Chapter 5 – The 5.f3 Variation

081 Chapter 6 – The 5.Nc3 Variation

093 Chapter 7 – The 5.b6 Variation

PART III – The Main Line

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 b5 4.cxb5 a6 5.bxa6 g6 6.Nc3 Bg7

107 Chapter 8 – The 7.e4 & 8.a7 Variation

121 Chapter 9 – The Fianchetto Variation (7.Nf3 & 8.g3)

131 Chapter 10 – The 8.e4 & 9.Nd2 Variation (with 7.Nf3)

147 Chapter 11 – The 8.e4 & 9.Bd2 Variation (with 7.Nf3)