Benoni Defense: Zilbermints-Benoni Gambit is a chess opening with the ECO code A43, part of the Benoni Defense family. It goes 1. d4 c5 2. Nf3 cxd4 3. b4. White opens with 1. d4 (the queen's pawn) and Black answers 1... c5. After 5 moves it is Black to move. After the last move Black 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... c5 – Black plays the pawn to c5
2. Nf3 – White plays the knight to f3
2... cxd4 – Black captures on d4 with the c-pawn
3. b4 – White plays the pawn to b4
About the Benoni Defense
Black plays ...c5 against 1.d4 and, after d5, builds an unbalanced pawn structure. Black gets activity and queenside play in return for less space.
Black fianchettoes with ...g6 and ...Bg7, aiming the bishop at the long diagonal.
Black's plan is the queenside pawn push ...a6 and ...b5.
White wants the e4-e5 break in the centre; Black must stop it.
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