Fully Accepted Variation

With 5. bxa6 White takes the second pawn. This is the most common way of handling the Benko Gambit Accepted. Black normally regains the a6-pawn, leaving White one extra pawn against open queenside files. The immediate 5...Bxa6 is the most frequent reply. The bishop bears down on f1, so that after 6. Nc3 d6 7. e4 Black trades with 7...Bxf1 8. Kxf1 and White can no longer castle. The a6-pawn cannot be held, so Black has no need to hurry. 5...g6, favored at master level, develops the kingside and the long diagonal first and keeps open how and when to recapture, depending on where White puts the pieces.

The rarer 5...e6 is a Benoni-style try that hits d5 before e4 can support it. After 6. Nc3 exd5 7. Nxd5 Be7 8. Nxe7 Qxe7 the position is open, the c6-square is free for Black's knight, and White keeps a slight edge. Engines assess the position as slightly better for White, yet Black scores better in practice, and 5...e6 is the reply after which White's results are best.