Benko Gambit: Move by Move Paperback – May 20, 2014

This is a very good introduction to the Benko Gambit. Even though it is strictly speaking a gambit, it is considered solid and very playable for Black. If you understand the themes of the Benko G., you will likely have the potential to put very heavy and and persistent pressure on your opponent, with good winning chances.Another good introduction to the Benko Gambit is " The Benko Gambit Revealed " by Neil McDonald.

The Benko Gambit Move by MoveThe Benko Gambit Move by Move (BGMV) is a repertoire book for black created by Junior Tay. The author of BGMV is a FIDE candidate master and a seasoned ICCF International Master from Singapore and, a Benko Gambit practitioner. The BGMV is tailored to club players that enjoy active pawn play against white’s pawn center (main premise). In my opinion the ideas suggested by Tay can be easily grasp by the target audience and provide enough room for the reader to grow. The book covers the Benko Gambit after the moves 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 b5. Early deviations from white such as 1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5 are not covered and the potential buyer needs to be aware of that. The BGMM is one of those chess books that on the surface looks like a regular repertoire book, but in reality the author put together an exceptional, chess book instead of a mass of unrelated computer generated variations. The BGMV is an especial book because in addition to deliver a coherent repertoire for black it is also a well research survey on the stay of the art on the Benko Gambit. What sets this book apart from the overnight cranked database dump? Tay is a long time practitioner of the Benko that actively follows and analyzes the ever growing theory of this opening. The BGMV combines the practical and theoretical knowledge of a strong correspondence player the result is a pleasant, solid, and expandable repertoire bookThe BGMM has nine theoretical chapters plus a practice chapter (“Benko Dojo”). The core of the book are forty eight complete games (mostly from GM praxis) and two partial games (from rapid play that the author was unable to reconstruct). The games illustrate and support Tay’s suggested repertoire for black in the Benko, and also point out critical junctions in current Benko theory. For example, every game contains the author’s suggested repertoire alternative and also the suggestions from other recent books on the Benko. Tay’s does a great job integrating the content of recent publications on the Benko (such as Attack with Black, the dynamic Benko, Play the Benko, Squeezing the gambits and A strategic repertoire among others books) into the suggested repertoire for black. I found this theoretical survey one of the key points in BGMM because Tay filters the current theory on the Benko and gives the reader the options that are appropriate for club players. For example, in chapter 6 (Knight out on a Limb) after the sequence 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 b5 4.cxb5 a6 5.Nc3 axb5 6.e4 b4 7.Nb5 d6 8. Bc4 White is ready to unleash the treacherous “Nescafe Frappe Attack” (Name by FM Graham Burgess) and Tay recommends 8…Bbd7 instead of the best score option 8…g6. Why? Because after 8...g6 9.e5!? Black faces a position that Black may be able to defended at professionals levels but not at club level.I recommend this book to club players looking for a time/money effective way to start playing (or update their theory) the Benko Gambit. First you do not have to buy all the books published on the Benko from the last 3 years because the author already summarized that content into the BGMM. Second, the author provides safe options in the BGMV but as the reader becomes stronger he/she can adopt the more complicate alternatives that the author also cover in the book (no need to invest more money). Third, the book explains the thematic/recurrent ideas that Black need to know to play the Benko successfully such a trading pieces to exacerbate White’s pawn weaknesses, play along the a6-f1 diagonal or securing the d3 outpost with the pawn move c4. Fourth, the author stops at the right positions during the games and ask the right questions taking full advantage of the move by move teaching format. Finally, Tay explains the nuances of move orders in the BGMM and also why some of the recommended lines work only as part of a specific move sequence.What are my minor observations after reading this book? I only have three observations. First, the author recommends lines that follow the premise “Undermine white center ASAP”, but other options are viable too. Let’s take a look at game 39 after the moves 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 b5 4. Qc2 Tay recommends 4…bxc4 “Whittling away the support for the d5 pawn, but as mentioned by Mosalenko (New in Chess year book 92 -2009 page 198) 4…Na6 increases the pace of the game and allow black dynamic play that may include a piece sacrifice. Second, the chapter on Benko Gambits motifs from different opening misses two classic examples (Breyer- Reti Budapest 1918, see Reti’s New Ideas in Chess and Reti- Rubinstein Carlsbad 1929) to quote Craig Pritchett about the second game after move 18 “ This fine game has distinct Benko Gambit overtones before that opening’s invention. All three of White’s major pieces generate severe pressure on the a- and – b files” (Great Chess Romantics page 156 Everyman 2013). Third, the heavy weight fight between Volkov and Iljusin Russian Champ Sochi 2005, (1-0 in 52) will add clarity to black resources in chapter 4 on the Dugly variation. Despite the final result, white was on the wrong end of a nasty attack. The game was extensively annotated by Stohl in megabase 2013. In summary I recommend the book BGMM because it teaches club players how to play the Benko Gambit and provides advance players with state of the art theory on the Benko (sort of “Chess Developments : The Benko Gambit).Disclaimer:1.This review was published in the Florida Chess Association Magazine (Spring 2015) and it is reproduced here with the Editor's permission.2. The publisher provide a sample copy of this book.3.My chess skill level is around 1900 USCF and I hold a FIDE National Instructor certification.

I didn't find tis book particularly helpful although there were one or two good points in it. For me there were just a few too many inconsistencies in the analysis.

The book is mainly split into eight sections, each focusing on a particular set up how to face the Benko variation. The last two sections 7,8 elaborate on less popular ways to encounter the gambit, namely rejecting the Benko Pawn b5 altogether. Along with these sections the book provides a complete picture of the Benko Gambit.Each section explains the particular opening-specific strategical and tactical ideas by means of examplary games. In this way the book is very nice to read even if one doesnt have a chess board at hand.Throughout the examplary games the author tries to involve the reader by means of questions (both regarding tactical and strategical ideas) in order to keep the reader focussed. Sometimes this is very helpful, although one shouldnt expect the most insightful answer here all the time (E.g. somtimes the question might be 'Is this idea different from first taking the Bishop h5 nd then exchanging the pawns?' with the answer: 'No, this leads to the same line').Overall the book is set up very nicely and is one of the nicest opening books I have ever read. However, if one is more interested in book that provides each and every variant and subvariant of the Benko gambit, there are probably more appropriate books out there.

Interesting insight into a reliable and well known gambit. The explanations are given by way of running commentary which is enjoyable. Although some of the lines are now not very good but it gives you enough ammunition to take the war to the other side.

C'est un livre agréable à lire, pour celui qui joue souvent aux échecs: les parties sont très bien commentées, elles sont récentes.Au delà de l'étude de l'ouverture elle-même, on est amené à s'imprégner d'une certaine façon de jouer, plus dynamique, avec une meilleure compréhension des passages début-milieu de jeu et milieu-finale.Enfin, la méthode de présentation "move by move" est extrêmement pédagogique pour un joueur moyen (ELO 1600-1900)

L'auteur est passé généralement à côté des bonnes variantes. Dommage.Heureusement, il y a quelques exercices instructifs en fin d'ouvrage.