The following congratulation puzzles for our 25th anniversary, as you will no doubt see, spell out the letters CB 25 PB – for ChessBase, 25, Pal Benko. Each position is a clever little mate, some not so easy to find. When Pal Benko sends us this kind of material all work stops for an hour or so, while we get engrossed in his puzzles. We would recommend that you do likewise, before clicking on our solution links below. Why spoil the exquisite enjoyment you get from solving these problems yourself.
 Mate in three |
 Mate in three |
 Mate in two |
 Mate in three |
 Mate in three |
 Mate in four |
Note that in the replay window below you can click on the list of positions on the left, and on the notation to follow the solutions. The solutions and variations were automatically generated by Fritz 12. You can also download all six positions in PGN here.
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Grandmaster Pal Benko is a chess legend: A challenger for the World Championship, an innovator of many modern opening systems, a problem composer par excellence, and a father figure to his close friend Bobby Fischer, Benko has played and defeated most of the top players of the last fifty years. This biography is a celebration of a great man's creative legacy. Its amazing collection of 138 deeply annotated games which have been carefully prepared to be entertaining, enlightening, and instructive is brought to life by Benko's memoirs of his early years in war-torn Hungary, a world of poverty, chaos, pain, and ultimately, personal triumph. His insights into famous grandmasters transform legends into real people with substance and personality, and his reminiscences of famous tournaments take us on a journey through chess history unlike anything that's been published before. Interviews with note players offer insights into Benko's nature. A massive survey of Benko's openings shows us the scope of his theoretical contributions to the game. Photos abound, and 300 of Benko's chess compositions allow lovers of the game to become intimately acquainted with a strikingly beautiful aspect of chess that most have overlooked. This highly entertaining and instructive book gives competitors who wish to improve their playing strength a dynamic, fun way to deepen their knowledge and understanding. Available at the London Chess Center |
