This probably will lead to the old-fashioned form of the Benkö, as played by Bronstein and Lundin around 1950. The difference is 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 b5 4.cxb5 a6 5.bxa6 d6 6.Nc3 Bxa6 7.e4 Bxf1, which is not possible after 3...d6 4.Nc3 g6 5.e4 b5 etcetera.
Moreover Black has to find something after 3...d6 4.Nc3 g6 5.g3 Bg7 6.Bg2 0-0 7.Nf3, which does not immediately transpose to a Modern Benoni.

This old-fashioned form still might be an idea if the fianchetto is that strong against the Benkö.

LeeRoth wrote on 03/01/08 at 22:29:26:


What are people's views on Pinski's recommendation here?: 9... Nbd7 10.Rb1 Nb6 11.b3 Bc8!?  It always looked a bit artificial to me - can Black really get away with lines such as 12.Nd2('?!' - Pinski) 12...Bf5 13.e4 Bc8 ('with standard compensation' - Pinski)??

Seems like a lot of bishop moves to me just to force White into e2-e4 - but I'm not a Benkö devotee (I always found my b-pawn was pretty important when I played the Modern Benoni so I was reluctant to let my oppnent gobble it on move 4 ) so maybe it really is that important that White weakens d3/f3.

I'd love to hear from any strong Benkö players out there ...

Yes, it's considered more accurate to play ..Nbd7 before ..0-0.  Take, for example, this position: 



Black's idea behind ..Nbd7 is that if White now continues with 10.0-0, Black can drum up play with the immediate 10..Nb6.  In particular, note that after 10..Nb6, 11.b3? fails to 11..Nfxd5.  Lev Alburt used to claim that he came up with this nuance in the 1970s, and for a long while 10.0-0 Nb6! was considered to be fine for Black.

Then Epishin came up with 10.Rb1 and, with this little side-step, the tide turned.  The point is that with the Rook on b1, 10..Nb6 can be met by 11.b3, with a good position for White.  The ..Nfxd5 tactic is no longer on, and the Nb6 turns out to be in the way of the Black Queen, which would like to go to a5.  

So, after 10.Rb1, Black instead usually just plays 10..0-0 and after 11.0-0 Qa5 12.Bd2, we have made it to one of the main lines of the opening.  

Hope this helps.

Greetings,

It's been some time since I've seen/played the Benko.

Whilst perusing the Irish Chess Union's site, I came across the following edition of the on-line daily chess magazine, Chess Today.

CT-2668

In his annotations to his win against GM Gawain Jones in the sixth round of the recent Bunratty Masters, GM Alex Baburin gives the following move-sequence...

1. d4, Nf6; 2. c4, c5; 3. d5, b5; 4. cb, a6; 5. ba, g6; 6. Nc3, Bxa6; 7. g3, d6; 8. Bg2, Bg7; 9. Nf3, Nbd7

... at which point he comments...

Quote:


Do those here agree and, whether you do or not, what are the consequences for either side should they digress (move-order-wise) at each point in this sequence?

Kindest regards,

Dragan Glas