Benko Gambit: Zaitsev System is a chess opening with the ECO code A57, part of the Benko Gambit family. It goes 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 b5 4. cxb5 a6 5. Nc3. White opens with 1. d4 (the queen's pawn) and Black answers 1... Nf6. After 9 moves it is Black to move. After the last move White is a pawn ahead in material. The lesson on the board explains every move of the line and lets you play it yourself; it is free.
The moves
1. d4 – White plays the pawn to d4
1... Nf6 – Black plays the knight to f6
2. c4 – White plays the pawn to c4
2... c5 – Black plays the pawn to c5
3. d5 – White plays the pawn to d5
3... b5 – Black plays the pawn to b5
4. cxb5 – White captures on b5 with the c-pawn
4... a6 – Black plays the pawn to a6
5. Nc3 – White plays the knight to c3
About the Benko Gambit
After 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5, Black offers a pawn with 3...b5. Black gets open queenside files and long-term pressure.
After cxb5 a6, Black opens the a- and b-files for the rooks.
Black fianchettoes with ...g6 and ...Bg7 to hit the queenside.
Black's queen often goes to a5 or b6, and the knights to b6 or a4.
chessGM