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Final position — Black is winning

Benko Gambit

Benko Gambit: Wins a Pawn (Kirchenhoff–Foldi) #2

Black wins in 7 moves with a decisive material gain. (Kirchenhoff - Foldi, Dortmund 1986)

The moves

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 b5 4.cxb5 a6 5.Nc3 axb5 6.Nxb5 Ba6 7.e3 Bxb5
1.d4Nf6
2.c4c5
3.d5b5
4.cxb5a6
5.Nc3axb5
6.Nxb5Ba6
7.e3Bxb5

How the Benko Gambit: Wins a Pawn (Kirchenhoff–Foldi) #2 works

The Benko Gambit: Wins a Pawn (Kirchenhoff–Foldi) #2 is a classic chess opening trap arising from the Benko Gambit. In this line Black wins decisive material by move 7, punishing a natural-looking but losing idea from White.

The full sequence runs 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 b5 4.cxb5 a6 5.Nc3 axb5 6.Nxb5 Ba6 7.e3 Bxb5. 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 (Kirchenhoff - Foldi, Dortmund 1986). 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 (Kirchenhoff–Foldi) #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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