Benko Gambit: Zaitsev System
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 b5 4. cxb5 a6 5. Nc3
The Benko Gambit: Zaitsev System is a chess opening classified as ECO A57, reached after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 b5 4. cxb5 a6 5. Nc3. It is a line of the Benko Gambit. Black is to move. 1 named line continues from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 875 times by this move order. White won 46%, 6% were drawn and Black won 48%. The most popular continuation is 5… axb5 (47% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.27 (Stockfish, depth 58; best line 5… axb5 6. Nxb5 Ne4 7. Qd3 Ra4 8. Nc3)
- ECO
- A57
- Moves
- 9 plies
- FEN
rnbqkb1r/3ppppp/p4n2/1PpP4/8/2N5/PP2PPPP/R1BQKBNR b KQkq - 1 5- PGN
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 b5 4. cxb5 a6 5. Nc3
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 9 | |
| 1500-1999 | 400 | |
| 2000+ | 466 | |
| All | 875 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 5… axb5 | 414 (47%) | |
| 5… g6 | 219 (25%) | |
| 5… d6 | 170 (19%) | |
| 5… e6 | 43 (5%) | |
| 5… Qa5 | 15 (2%) | |
| 5… Bb7 | 9 (1%) | |
| 5… Qb6 | 2 (0%) | |
| 5… e5 | 1 (0%) |
Master games
384 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 40%, draw 12%, Black 48%). The strongest:
- GM Daniil Dubov (2710) – GM Alireza Firouzja (2759) 1/2-1/2 · Levitov Dubov-Firouzja Bl · 2021-05-19
- GM Alexey Sarana (2717) – GM Sergey Kasparov (2436) 1-0 · Titled Tue 6th Aug Early · 2024-08-06
- GM Vitaly Kunin (2569) – IM Aljoscha Feuerstack (2449) 1-0 · 8th Pfalz Open 2017 · 2017-02-28
- IM Balazs Csonka (2497) – GM Ilja Zaragatski (2518) 1-0 · Titled Tue 6th Dec Early · 2022-12-06
- GM Dmitry Andreikin (2729) – FM Seit-Amet Karaev (2280) 1-0 · Titled Tue 30th Aug Early · 2022-08-30
Search all games of the Benko Gambit: Zaitsev System and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- elconceto (2837) – reallylovezerk (2729) 1-0 · 2026-09-02 · 180 + 0s
- arteeeeeeeem (2535) – oldandnotcold (2644) 0-1 · 2026-09-02 · 180 + 2s
- NOB1903 (2517) – FM ilprofessore87 (2566) 1-0 · 2026-09-03 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Benko Gambit Accepted 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 b5 4. cxb5 a6
Continuations
- Benko Gambit: Zaitsev Variation, Nescafe Frappe Attack A57 · 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 b5 4. cxb5 a6 5. Nc3 axb5 6. e4 b4 7. Nb5
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.