The King Walk Variation is a variation of the Benko Gambit Accepted, catalogued as ECO A59. The line runs 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 b5 4. cxb5 a6 5. bxa6 g6 6. Nc3 Bxa6 7. Nf3 d6 8. e4 Bxf1 9. Kxf1 Bg7 10. g3 O-O 11. Kg2, reaching the position shown below after 21 half-moves.
White holds the centre with pawns on d5 and e4. Development is level at three minor pieces each, and White is up a pawn of material. It is Black to move after 11 moves. Black has castled while White’s king is still uncommitted.
On the Benko Gambit Accepted generally: ECO A57. A chess opening with 10 known variations.
You can play through this variation move by move in your browser — Learn mode walks the line with an explanation at each step, and Drill mode replays it from memory so you find out whether you actually know it. No account is required.
See all 9 Benko Gambit Accepted variations →
The King Walk Variation goes 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 b5 4. cxb5 a6 5. bxa6 g6 6. Nc3 Bxa6 7. Nf3 d6 8. e4 Bxf1 9. Kxf1 Bg7 10. g3 O-O 11. Kg2. It is a variation of the Benko Gambit Accepted and is catalogued as ECO A59.
The King Walk Variation is ECO A59. ECO codes group openings by their move order, so nearby codes cover closely related lines of the Benko Gambit Accepted.
Stockfish evaluates the position after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 b5 4. cxb5 a6 5. bxa6 g6 6. Nc3 Bxa6 7. Nf3 d6 8. e4 Bxf1 9. Kxf1 Bg7 10. g3 O-O 11. Kg2 at +0.84 at depth 18, which is a small but real edge for White. Engine evaluation is only a starting point — at club level the practical value of a line is mostly about whether you know its plans better than your opponent does.
White holds the centre with pawns on d5 and e4. Development is level at three minor pieces each, and White is up a pawn of material. It is Black to move. Black has castled while White’s king is still uncommitted.