Pal Benko: Secrets of Study Composition (2)

Study Composing Secrets (2)

By GM Pal Benko

Breaking the pin

It is a sharp study with unexpected reposts, quiet moves in spite of having strong material, which is unusual. It was interesting that the judges at this tourney were the competitors themselves, giving points evaluating each entry. The well-known IM V. Afek wrote that mine was "one of the best studies of all times!"

Chess players liked the rook sacrifice at the end therefore I followed the ice-cream theory (little Steven is asked what he liked most; he answered that it was ice-cream. But there may be something you like better? Yes, two ice creams…).

The more you eat the more you want

GM I. Bilek published my study in his column. Its title was “The most beautiful endgame of the century.” The FIDE album is issued every three years with selected compositions judged by four International Arbiters. My study came first, topping more than 600 others.

Always room for improvement

It has pleasure for me to correct old works as well as supporting newcomers. The author Henk Nieland mentioned that he had found the idea from a game Anatoly Karpov played in Tilburg. Indeed it looks like a game, but for a study it is quite short and should not start with taking a piece. He liked the new composition and gave me tickets to a comic opera with music by him. Each composition (like each book, according to a Latin saying) has its own story.

Using this idea by Henk Nieland, who got it from a Karpov game, Pal Benko composed the following study, which we leave you to solve yourself. You have all the information required to do so, and will be deeply satisfied when you succeed.

Henk Nieland/Pal Benko

White to play and win

Solution

Some earlier ChessBase articles on Pal Benko

12/17/2013 – Pal Benko: Secrets of Study Composition (1)
There is more to chess than tournament games. The area of chess studies and problems is equally creative and breathtakingly imaginative. One of its greatest composers is grandmaster (and world championship candidate 1959 + 1962) Pal Benko. The 85-year-old author of some of the most famous studies of all time has sent us an essay on the remarkable process of chess composition.

7/15/2013 – The Life Gambit à la Benko
Pal Benko (Hungarian: Benkö Pál) is, as 99% of our readers probably know, a legendary chess grandmaster, author, and composer of endgame studies and problems. He was born on July 15 1928, which made him 85 today. Diana Mihajlova met the fit and active octogenarian, who has been a "pal" of our company for a decade, in his home town of Budapest. Here is part one of her birthday report.

7/18/2013 – The Life Gambit à la Benko – Part two
On Monday Pal Benko, legendary grandmaster, author, and problem composer, turned 85. Diana Mihajlova, who recently met with the fit and active octogenarian in his home town of Budapest, sent us a birthday report in two parts. Today we learn of Benkos escape from Communist Hungary to the US, and his relationship with Bobby Fischer. And we get to solve two highly entertaining problems.

5/20/2011 – Greetings from Pál Benkö for 25 years of ChessBase
"Congratulations to ChessBase on your 25th anniversary! Your news page is the the first thing I look at every day when I go on the Internet. You do such wonderful work. Keep up your great service for the whole chess world." Heartening words from legendary great chess player, theorist, author and problem composer – who in addition sent six anniversary puzzles for our readers.

4/24/2011 – Easter puzzles by Benko – a World Champion challenge
Pál Benkö, 82 and still going strong, is a world class grandmaster, author and problem composer. He is also a faithful friend who periodically sends us puzzles for our newspage. This time, for Easter, he has selected four problems which stumped a World Champion. It is a challenge for you to do better, and win a special prize in the process. Enjoy.

12/30/2009 – Pal Benko improves on Troitzky
In 1856 the great Sam Loyd composed a chess problem, which 75 years later inspired Alexey Troitsky, one of the greatest composers of endgame studies, to create a puzzle with a similar theme. It proved to be flawed. 75 years after Troitzky another great composer, Pal Benko, took up his problem, improved on it and submitted it for our Christmas Puzzle page.