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Final position — Black is winning

Benko Gambit

Benko Gambit: Wins a Pawn (Spassov–Adorjan) #2

Black wins in 11 moves with a decisive material gain. (Spassov - Adorjan, Sochi 1977)

The moves

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 b5 4.Nf3 g6 5.g3 Bg7 6.Bg2 d6 7.cxb5 a6 8.bxa6 Qa5+ 9.Nc3 Ne4 10.Qc2 Nxc3 11.Bd2 Qa4
1.d4Nf6
2.c4c5
3.d5b5
4.Nf3g6
5.g3Bg7
6.Bg2d6
7.cxb5a6
8.bxa6Qa5+
9.Nc3Ne4
10.Qc2Nxc3
11.Bd2Qa4

How the Benko Gambit: Wins a Pawn (Spassov–Adorjan) #2 works

The Benko Gambit: Wins a Pawn (Spassov–Adorjan) #2 is a classic chess opening trap arising from the Benko Gambit. In this line Black wins decisive material by move 11, punishing a natural-looking but losing idea from White.

The full sequence runs 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 b5 4.Nf3 g6 5.g3 Bg7 6.Bg2 d6 7.cxb5 a6 8.bxa6 Qa5+ 9.Nc3 Ne4 10.Qc2 Nxc3 11.Bd2 Qa4. Each move looks reasonable, which is exactly why the trap is so effective over the board — White walks into it while trying to play "normal" developing moves.

This pattern is well known from master and correspondence play (Spassov - Adorjan, Sochi 1977). Recognising it early lets you either spring it as Black or sidestep it as White.

Practice this trap move-by-move

Open the Benko Gambit: Wins a Pawn (Spassov–Adorjan) #2 in the Trapsterapp to play it out on a live board, drill it in practice mode, and learn how to avoid it when it's set for you — along with the full library of chess traps and gambits, fully offline.

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