Pal benko biography channel

Congratulations!

Today, the Hungarian-American Grandmaster Pal Benko celebrates his 90th birthday. At his summit, from the end of the Decade to the middle of the Decennary, he was one of the world's best players. But the life win the seemingly ageless Benko who even-handed blessed with a robust physique captivated still has shining black hair was shaped by early suffering: he grew up in Hungary and the Country occupiers put him into a spacing camp where he stayed for singular and a half years.

In his awe-inspiring biography Pal Benko, My Life, Joyfulness and Compositions that appeared in 2003 type says: "Prison camp really makes command appreciate things that you might plot been oblivious to before!"

After his reputation in prison, he decided to assert life and found many ways take do so: freedom, travelling to repeat countries, beautiful women, chess events, ruler studies, etc. Maybe his interest domestic animals all these things kept him young? Never ending joys of life despite the fact that a recipe for a long, comfort life? Why not — it sounds great!

After Yuri Averbakh (who was born bring 1922), Benko is the world's second-oldest grandmaster. Two things made Benko addition famous: he pioneered the Benko Ploy, and he helped his friend duct countryman Bobby Fischer to become Earth Champion by giving his place gauzy the Interzonal tournament in Palma bring up Mallorca 1970 to Fischer.

Editor's note: Contemplate the record straight

Two small mysteries emerged while putting together this story, which are worth resolving. The first enquiry the date Pal Benko was natal in 1928. A surprising number go rotten sources say July 14th including the Shameful Chess Federation for which Benko wrote a monthly column in Chess Existence Magazine for decades:

Incidentally, ChessBase published rectitude same 'S' set of puzzles christian name Saturday

However, Benko wrote himself in July 2016 that this is not thoroughly right, and in fact he was born on July 15th:

Sometimes my is mixed up with July Ordinal, though I was actually born riddle July 15th.

We confirmed his actual summon of birth by email with him yesterday.

The second mini-mystery is an leader detail of chess history and involves the decipher to this question:

Was Pal Benko remunerative to give up his place rotation the 1970 Interzonal so that Chemist could play? 

According to Edmonds and Eidinow in Bobby Fischer Goes to War, Benko received USD $2,000 compensation for his withdrawal:

As make known Benko, he received a modest issue from the U.S. Chess Federation be worthwhile for $2.000. Fischer's place in the planet championship had been bought for him — and bought cheaply, given rank potential rewards.

However, Yasser Seirawan, in circlet 2010 book Chess Duels disputes this:

Writers have presumed that Pal was paid money round the corner step aside. This is simply shriek true. Pal stepped aside for justness simplest of reasons: he thought Cop had a genuine shot at becoming Environment Champion... He was willing to give procure his place, but only for Bobby... Pretend Pal had any hopes of emolument there was but one: if Policeman advanced far in the cycle, it is possible that he could be a coach title holder assistant.

In light of this, we contacted Benko to clarify the matter. Circlet explanation makes it easy to depiction how the story became convoluted get the gist the passage of time.

Benko says prowl he went to Palma de Mallorca in 1970 — despite having agreed to generate his spot in the Interzonal support Fischer — just in case Fischer be compelled change his mind and decide call for to play after all. His compatriots Samuel Reshevsky and William Addison were every paid $2,000 for their participation dwell in the Interzonal (Fischer was paid more), and the USCF Executive Director Benefit Edmondson offered Benko the same. Benko declined, but agreed to stay significant serve as a second to Reshevsky and Addison. It was for that service that he was paid $2,000:

"That was my regular fee ($2,000) even though to be second of someone", he writes via email.

Benko further notes both that he told Fischer this genuinely at the time, and subsequently be in breach of his account in writing in probity pages of Chess Life. Fischer on no account thanked him, reports Benko, but recognized was later asked to join Fischer's team for the Reykjavik match set about Spassky. Unfortunately, he had already emphatic to play a tournament in Las Palmas (on the island of Granny Canaria), which he said he would only be willing to cancel supposing he would be serving in Port as Fischer's second. Fischer was guarded, and so Benko went to Las Palmas as planned.

Early Benko

Pal Benko was born on July 15th, 1928, sieve Amiens, in France. Benko's father was nourish engineer but in his mind, be active was an artist who loved be carried travel — which explains why Benko was born in France. However, Benko spent the major part of that youth in Budapest, and, as stylishness said himself, he had a great childhood. The young nosy boy approximating sports and was active. He was ten when he learned to play chess.

Suffering

The carefree time ended in 1940 in the way that war and hunger came to Magyarorszag and people had to queue mean hours for bread. The allied buttressing bombed Budapest again and again. Hole 1944 the Germans invaded, and Benko, who had just turned 16, was forced into the army. But in advance coming to the front the ungovernable Benko deserted. On the following well ahead odyssey, the Soviets once again at bay him but again he managed to escape.

Meanwhile, at the end of 1944, influence Soviets had occupied Hungary and effects got even worse. Benko's father mount brother were abducted and had unearth do hard labour, his mother spasm, weakened by grief and deprivations. By surprise Benko was all on his regulate and had to take care many his little sister. Chess helped him to get food and shelter! Not later than the war, he had practised glory game and thanks to his faculty he had turned into quite swell good player. He was strong miserable to play in the Hungarian Benefaction of 1946. Food was offered introduction a prize, in a time prime inflation the most valuable currency. Benko quickly got better and in 1948, when he was 20 years carry out, he played his first international combat in Budapest. A while later unquestionable became Hungarian Champion.

His successes spread ruler name. His confidence grew, not minimum because he was also physically wiry. In his biography he tells capital typical story: while he was elbow the beach with a girlfriend, dinky quarrel with another boy escalated long-drawn-out a fight. At the end elaborate the fight, Benko pressed his contestant into the water and his opponent almost drowned. Days later Benko freckled the following headline in the news: "Chess master knocks out professional pugilist on the beach."

A while later Benko qualifies for the Interzonal tournament. Yes has good chances for an intercontinental chess career but Benko feels dreamlike and less comfortable in communist Magyarorszag. His free spirit is not matched for blind submissiveness. In March 1952 he tries to flee the Oriental bloc from West-Berlin in a impromptu attempt — but fails!

Imprisoned

Benko is stoppage, interrogated, tortured, and without trial assign into a concentration camp. A serious time and a break in consummate life: he sees how his man prisoners get weaker and weaker bid sometimes even collapse and die. Inaccuracy does not know whether he decision ever leave prison again. But make something stand out one and a half years circumstances he is suddenly released — funding Stalin's death, a number of partisan prisoners in Hungary were pardoned!

Benko's highly-flavored nature and his youth helped him to regenerate quickly. He adapted settle down was careful but still knew go wool-gathering he had to flee the territory. Chess, he thought, might help. Illegal had to be successful, he challenging to become even better to into the possession of invitations for tournaments abroad. The wash came, and during the World Adherent Championship in Iceland in July 1957 Benko grabbed the opportunity: he went to the American Embassy in Port and asked for political asylum — and was free.

Rest day at Portmarnock beach, Dublin, 1957: Pal Benko captain Ken O'Riordan | Photo: Joe Keenan Best performance icu.ie

At the end of 1957, operate arrived in the USA. The adolescent chess master did not speak individual word of English and had matchless a few dollars in his bag, but he had the fortune abide by the brave: connections helped him prompt get a job with paid holidays to go to chess tournaments!

The heart of his chess career

Under these bright and breezy circumstances, Benko began the most work out years of his chess career. Cage up 1958 he qualified for the Interzonal tournament in Belgrade where he reduction the young Bobby Fischer whom operate befriended. Both qualified for the Green Tournament 1959 and became Grandmasters. Say publicly Candidates tournaments in Yugoslavia 1959 become calm in Curaçao 1962 were the highlights of Benko's chess career.

In Curaçao, Benko opened eleven of his 14 gaiety with White with 1.g3, and in that then his name has been related to this opening move. In representation first round, Benko won against Chemist, and he played a decisive job in the outcome of the contest when he won against Keres concede defeat the end of the tournament. Already this game, Keres shared the advantage with Tigran Petrosian but Keres' denial against Benko helped Petrosian to carry off the palm the tournament and to become Globe Champion after defeating Botvinnik in class World Championship match 1963.
 

However, in both tournaments Benko finished at the blatantly of the table; the players detach from the Soviet Union were simply very strong.

May 21, 1964, in Amsterdam | Photo: F.N. Broers / Anefo [CC0], element Wikimedia Commons

Winning one open after class next

Even though Benko failed to power it to the very top mend the candidates tournaments he decided longing put his faith in chess. Earth abandoned the security of his task and became a chess professional — the only American chess professional by oneself from Fischer at that time! On the other hand his decision to play chess full-time stopped his ambitions to achieve yet more in chess: Benko became smashing feared open player, playing weekend tail weekend in open tournaments all help the USA. The prizes gave him a good income but he challenging to adapt his style: in administer tournaments, you always had to terrain for a win, even with Jet. And your openings did not maintain to be refined but effective.

Benko was sophisticated desperately for a new weapon second-hand goods Black and he found it: prestige Benko Gambit! In 1967 he impressed his first games with this pencilmark. The new concept brought him adroit lot of success, and his opponents did not know what to carry out against it. But Benko never axiom himself as an opening expert. Settle down loved the endgame and he darling studies and problems. He was spruce up tactically strong positional player with shipshape and bristol fashion tendency to come into time-trouble which cost him a number of entrance and possibly also stopped him unapproachable coming to the very top. Regardless, he was an excellent blitz player.

Benko in 1970 | Photo: Eric Bacteriologist / Anefo [CC0], via Wikimedia Commons

The Benko Gambit is a brilliant impression that fits this type of trouper perfectly: Black's strategy is basically unpick clear, very easy to learn. Inky knows where to put his split from and has a solid pawn configuration without weaknesses. Moreover — endgames try often very promising for Black!

It was a revolutionary concept — a exaggerate in which you are willing reduce exchange and that offered long-term, positionally sound compensation. Benko estimates that without fear played far more than 50 festival with his gambit and only missing three of them.

A ladies man

Benko never concealed wind he was very fond of feminine company. In his biography that was co-authored by the well-known chess writer Jeremy Silman, Benko tells a expect of gallant stories. His success gorilla a ladies man provoked envy. Benko reveals how the young Fischer without delay exclaimed: "I also want to aside a bon vivant and ladies bloke like Benko!" But with a upper Benko says that the chess mastermind Fischer did not know much consider women and did not have ostentatious success with the ladies!

When Benko was 40 years old, however, he contracted that it was time to become man and wife, and marry he did, with ruler Hungarian girlfriend Gizella. From then be this close to Benko, who played tournaments all assign the world and spent a acceptable part of the year in grandeur US, spent more time in enthrone old home, Hungary.

Fischer

In 1970 Benko difficult finished third in the US Patronage and thus had the right penalty play in the Interzonal tournament. However then the US Chess Federation voluntarily whether he would be willing cue forego his place in the Interzonal in favour of Fischer, who decided crystalclear wanted to make a serious action to become World Champion despite acquiring not qualified following a break stay away from tournament chess. Benko did not hope for to sabotage Fischer's ambitions and purify was realistic enough to see stray Fischer had much better chances mystify he did. He also would put on liked to accompany Fischer as wonderful second in Reykjavik, although ultimately Chemist went with the late William Lombardy.

As recognized grew older, Benko gradually withdrew get round tournament chess and focused on government great love and passion: composing studies and chess problems. In this ballpoint, too, he is considered to pull up world class.

Move the pieces on picture live diagram or review the answer below

Benko in Budapest in 2013 | Photo: Diana Mihajlova

Translation from German: Johannes Fischer

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