Benko Gambit Accepted: Fully Accepted Variation
The Fully Accepted Variation is 4.cxb5 a6 5.bxa6, where White takes the second pawn and dares Black to prove the compensation. Black wants to recapture on a6, trade the light bishops and use the open files; White wants to castle, often by hand, and hold the extra pawn.
- Moves
- 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 b5 4.cxb5 a6 5.bxa6
- ECO
- A58
- Engine
- +0.48 · a slight edge for White (Stockfish 17.1, depth 20)
- Played
- 464 games in our lichess sample
- White scores
- 49.1%
Key ideas for both sides
White
- Play Nc3 and e4, as in the engine lines, so after ...Bxa6 and the bishop trade White recaptures Kxf1.
- Castle by hand with g3 and Kg2, then put the rooks on b1 and e1 or c1.
- Against 5...e6, 6.Nc3 exd5 7.Nxd5 lets White trade on e7 and develop with Bf4.
Black
- 5...e6 hits d5 at once and gives Black open lines in the center as well as the queenside.
- The classical setup is ...g6, ...Bxa6, ...d6 and a fianchetto, then ...Bxf1 to leave White's king stuck in the center.
- Put rooks on a8 and b8 and the queen on a5 to pressure a2 and b2.
Plans and pawn structure
White keeps one extra pawn after ...Bxa6 but has to unravel. After Bxf1 Kxf1 the king cannot castle, so g3 and Kg2 take time. Black uses that time for ...d6, ...Nbd7, a fianchetto and rooks on the a- and b-files. White's assets are the extra pawn and the cramping d5 pawn; Black's targets are a2, b2 and the dark squares around c3.
What the engine plays from here
Stockfish 17.1 at depth 20 rates the position +0.48: a slight edge for White. Its three top choices for Black:
- +0.48 5...e6 6.Nc3 exd5 7.Nxd5 Be7 8.Nxe7
- +0.70 5...g6 6.Nc3 Bxa6 7.e4 Bxf1 8.Kxf1
- +0.74 5...Bxa6 6.Nc3 g6 7.e4 Bxf1 8.Kxf1
Pawns, from White's side.
How it scores on lichess
464 rated lichess games reached this position; White scored 49.1%.
Light: White wins. Grey: draws. Dark: Black wins. About the sample.
Where it goes next
- King Walk Variation5...g6 · rare
- Nd2 Variation5...Bxa6 · rare
How to play against it
Choose between the direct 5...e6 and the classical 5...g6 or 5...Bxa6. Either way, recapture on a6 at a good moment and keep developing. Do not hurry to win the pawn back; the pressure on the a- and b-files is the point.
Questions
What are the moves of the Benko Gambit Accepted: Fully Accepted Variation?
The Benko Gambit Accepted: Fully Accepted Variation starts 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 b5 4.cxb5 a6 5.bxa6. Its ECO code is A58.
Is the Benko Gambit Accepted: Fully Accepted Variation good for White?
Stockfish 17.1 rates the position +0.48 at depth 20, which is a slight edge for White. In 464 lichess games from our sample, White scored 49.1%. A direct way to accept that suits White players who like defending material, while Black needs patience and a feel for the standard setups.
What is the main idea of the Benko Gambit Accepted: Fully Accepted Variation?
White takes both queenside pawns, and Black recaptures on a6 with the bishop. Black then trades off White's light bishop, leaves the king stranded and uses the open a- and b-files, while White tries to consolidate an extra pawn.
What should Black play next?
The engine's first choice is e6, with g6 and Bxa6 close behind. 5...e6 strikes at d5 right away, so Black opens the center before White can finish e4 and Nf3.
Related lines
Updated October 2026. Sources and method.