Benko Gambit Declined

The Benko Gambit Declined groups White's fourth-move alternatives to 4. cxb5 after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 b5. They avoid the long-term queenside pressure of the accepted lines, but at a cost: Black can answer with ...b4, gaining space and covering a3 and c3, the natural square for White's queen's knight. Black often leaves the b5-pawn hanging for several moves, inviting a capture that leads back into accepted positions.

The Main Line, 4. Nf3, simply defends c4; 4...g6 is the usual reply and often steers play toward structures familiar from the accepted gambit. The Sosonko Variation, 4. a4, prevents Black from holding the pawn on b5: 4...bxc4 leaves Black a weak, doubled extra pawn against White's free development with Nc3 and e4, while 4...b4 locks the queenside. The Quiet Line, 4. Nd2, allows 4...bxc4 and follows with 5. e4, recovering the pawn with the bishop. The Hjørring Countergambit, 4. e4, punishes an automatic 4...b4 or 4...bxc4 with 5. e5, and after 4...Nxe4 White has the trap 5. Qf3. The Bishop Attack (4. Bg5) and Pseudo-Sämisch (4. f3) are rarer. Declining with 4. b3 weakens the long diagonal and has done poorly in practice.