Historical riddle: Benko vs Kortschnoi

by Karsten Müller
9/16/2020 – Karsten Müller is the Sherlock Holmes of unsolved endgame riddles, and he passionately searches for the truth in complicated endgame positions. This time, he wants to know whether the famous endgame Benko vs Kortschnoi, Curacao 1962, was indeed won for White. And he needs your help to find the solution. | Photos: Dutch National Archive
Winning starts with what you know
The new version 18 offers completely new possibilities for chess training and analysis: playing style analysis, search for strategic themes, access to 6 billion Lichess games, player preparation by matching Lichess games, download Chess.com games with built-in API, built-in cloud engine and much more.

The old riddle Benko - Kortschnoi

Hte Hungarian-American Grandmaster Pal Benko (July 15, 1928 – August 26, 2019) was a theoretician, an author, and an outstanding composer of chess problems and endgame studies. Of course, he also was an excellent endgame player and the following masterpiece has been often praised and analysed. However, endgame specialist Dr. Karsten Müller thinks that this fascinating duel knight vs bishop deserves to be studied and investigated again, and he invites the readers to do so.

The five Soviet participants (Paul Keres, Efim Geller, Mikhail Tal, Tigran Petrosian and Viktor Kortschnoi, front row, from left to right) and the Soviet delegation arrive in Curacao.

The duel bishop vs knight can be very complicated. Usually, the quick and wide-ranging bishop wants dynamic positions while the flexible but slow knight prefers static positions in which it can maneuver.

In the diagram position below Benko's knight is in control, and the only question is whether White can win or not. However, this question is not that easy to answer. So, dig deep!

 
New ...
Open...
Share...
Layout...
Flip Board
Settings
MoveNResultEloPlayers
Replay and check the LiveBook here
The old riddle of Benko vs Kortschnoj Pal Benko was a very good endgame study componist, theoretician and author. But of course he also was an excellent endgame player. The following masterpiece has been praised and analysed in many sources. But nevertheless the fascinating knight vs bishop duel should be investigated again: 42.Kd4 h5 43.Nd6 h4 44.Nc8 Bg2 45.Ne7+ Kb5 46.Kc3 h3 47.Ng8 Kc6 48.Nf6 Bf3 49.Kd4 Kb5 50.Nd7 Bd5 51.Kc3 Ba2 52.Nf8 Kc6 53.Nh7 Kd5 54.Nf6+ Kc6 55.Kd4 Kb5 56.Kc3 Kc6 57.Nh7 Kd5 58.Ng5 b5 59.Kd3 Bc4+ 60.Ke3 Bf1 61.Kf2 Bg2 62.Kg3 Kc4 63.Nxe6 Kxb4 64.Nd4 Kc4 65.Nxf5 b4 66.Ne3+ Kd3 67.Nxg2 hxg2 68.Kxg2 b3 69.e6 b2 70.e7 b1Q 71.e8Q Qa2+ 72.Kg3 Qa7 73.Qb5+ Ke4 74.Qe5+ Kd3 75.f5 Qh7 76.h4 Qg8+ 77.Kf4 Qc4+ 78.Kg5 Qg8+ 79.Kh6 Qf8+ 80.Qg7 Qd8 81.f6 So your job is: was the ending always winning from the beginning and if not, where were the mistakes and what was Kortschnoj's last mistake? 1–0
  • Start an analysis engine:
  • Try maximizing the board:
  • Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
  • Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
  • Drag the split bars between window panes.
  • Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
  • Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
  • Create an account to access the games cloud.
WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Benko,P-Kortschnoj,V-1–01962D41Candidates Tournament-0525

The task is: was the endgame always won for White, and, if not, where did White and Black make mistakes? Use the comment section below to share your ideas, insights and analyses!

In over 4 hours in front of the camera, Karsten Müller presents to you sensations from the world of endgames - partly reaching far beyond standard techniques and rules of thumb - and rounds off with some cases of with own examples.

Links

Karsten Müller is considered to be one of the greatest endgame experts in the world. His books on the endgame - among them "Fundamentals of Chess Endings", co-authored with Frank Lamprecht, that helped to improve Magnus Carlsen's endgame knowledge - and his endgame columns for the ChessCafe website and the ChessBase Magazine helped to establish and to confirm this reputation. Karsten's Fritztrainer DVDs on the endgame are bestsellers. The mathematician with a PhD lives in Hamburg, and for more than 25 years he has been scoring points for the Hamburger Schachklub (HSK) in the Bundesliga.

Discuss

Rules for reader comments

 
 

Not registered yet? Register

We use cookies and comparable technologies to provide certain functions, to improve the user experience and to offer interest-oriented content. Depending on their intended use, analysis cookies and marketing cookies may be used in addition to technically required cookies. Here you can make detailed settings or revoke your consent (if necessary partially) with effect for the future. Further information can be found in our data protection declaration.