The Pawn Return Variation is a variation of the Benko Gambit Accepted, catalogued as ECO A57. The line runs 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 b5 4. cxb5 a6 5. b6, reaching the position shown below after 9 half-moves.
White holds the centre with pawns on d5. Development is level at zero minor pieces each, and White is up a pawn of material. It is Black to move after five moves. White has doubled pawns on the b-file; Black’s a-file pawn is isolated.
On the Benko Gambit Accepted generally: ECO A57. A chess opening with 10 known variations.
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The Pawn Return Variation goes 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 b5 4. cxb5 a6 5. b6. It is a variation of the Benko Gambit Accepted and is catalogued as ECO A57.
The Pawn Return Variation is ECO A57. 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. b6 at +0.32 at depth 18, which is a slight pull for White, within normal opening margins. 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. Development is level at zero minor pieces each, and White is up a pawn of material. It is Black to move. White has doubled pawns on the b-file; Black’s a-file pawn is isolated.