Volga Benko Gambit Powerbook 2020

The first question is always, what happens when both sides choose in every case the most frequently played moves? Things go like this: 4.cxb5 a6 5.bxa6 g6 6.Nc3 Bxa6 7.e4 Bxf1 8.Kxf1 d6 9.Nf3 Bg7 10.g3 0-0 11.Kg2 Nbd7

but now White should not choose the most often played move, but the one with the best statistics – 12.a4! – which creates great problems for Black. Nb5 and Ra3 are typical follow-up moves. So Black should deviate earlier, perhaps by delaying ...Bxa6, e.g. 6...Bg7 7.e4 0-0 8.Nf3 Qa5!

With best play White can perhaps obtain a slight edge here, but in any case Black has a good game and may of course hope for 9.Bd3? Nxd5!, a trap which has been known since Gelfand-Carlsen, Zürich 2014.