Benko Gambit: Mutkin Countergambit
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 b5 4. g4
The Benko Gambit: Mutkin Countergambit is a chess opening classified as ECO A57, reached after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 b5 4. g4. It is a line of the Benko Gambit. Black is to move.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 4 times by this move order. White won 25%, 0% were drawn and Black won 75%. The most popular continuation is 4… Nxg4 (50% of games).
Engine evaluation: −0.46 (Stockfish, depth 38; best line 4… Nxg4 5. cxb5 g6 6. a4 a6 7. e4)
- ECO
- A57
- Moves
- 7 plies
- FEN
rnbqkb1r/p2ppppp/5n2/1ppP4/2P3P1/8/PP2PP1P/RNBQKBNR b KQkq - 0 4- PGN
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 b5 4. g4
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 2000+ | 4 | |
| All | 4 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 4… Nxg4 | 2 (50%) | |
| 4… h6 | 1 (25%) | |
| 4… d6 | 1 (25%) |
Master games
6 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 67%, draw 16%, Black 17%). The strongest:
- GM Aleksandr Shimanov (2578) – IM Patryk Chylewski (2283) 0-1 · Titled Tue 18th Nov 2025 · 2025-11-18
- FM Erick Zhao (2359) – FM Neven Hercegovac (2314) 1-0 · Titled Tue 25th Jun Early · 2024-06-25
- FM Denis Garrido (2230) – FM Daniil Manelyuk (2256) 1-0 · Titled Tue 2nd Jan Late · 2024-01-02
- FM Denis Garrido (2205) – CM Gerardo Fernandez Hernandez (2169) 1-0 · Titled Tue 16th Aug Early · 2022-08-16
- FM Denis Garrido (2230) – WGM Tatiana Bogumil (2090) 1/2-1/2 · Titled Tue 2nd Jan Early · 2024-01-02
Search all games of the Benko Gambit: Mutkin Countergambit and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- CJT21 (2184) – drabshah (2220) 0-1 · 2026-09-06 · 180 + 0s
- RASHID1968 (2243) – jdomi (2130) 1-0 · 2026-09-03 · 600 + 5s
- beautiful_mind8 (2171) – Florenciani (2127) 0-1 · 2026-09-07 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Benko Gambit (3. d5 b5) 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 b5
More Benko Gambit lines (all)
Opening names and moves from the Lichess openings dataset; statistics from the Lichess open database, 2026-09 (CC0), sample of 12.6 million games, bots excluded; evaluations from Lichess cloud analysis (all CC0). Master games from The Week in Chess #920–#1664 by Mark Crowther, used with permission.