Pal Benko 1928 - 2019.
Sadly another great player and personality has passed away. Pal Benko.
Mention the name and three things come to mind, the opening that bears
his name, his role in Fischer getting to the 1972 World final v Spassky
and his problem page that ran for many years in Chess Life and Review.
I have a Benko Opening anecdote. When the book came out I bought a copy.
(I have put my 2005 Nokia next to it for another reason discussed later)
A month or so after buying it and memorising all kinds of variations I never saw
OTB a talking book in cassette form by Tarjan appeared called ‘Bashing the Benko’.
The ‘Bashing’ came from a line Pal Benko mentions in passing.
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 b5 4. cxb5 a6 5. Nc3 axb5 {Benko mentions this move and says here White must take the b5 pawn.} 6. e4 {This the Tarjan trick and given a ? by Pal Benko.} 6... b4 {Here Benko only mentions one game with White playing 7.e5.} 7. Nb5 {This is the idea....Black can take the e-pawn...} 7... Nxe4 8. Qe2 {....and White is winning. If the Knight moves 8.Nd6 checkmate.} 8... f5 {Players that have not resigned or been checkmated play this.} 9. f3 {And if the Knight moves Nd6 is still checkmate.} *
That was a smashing lesson learned. Look in the small print this is where the errors hide.
Cannot blame Benko, 90% of the book is taken up with the gambit being accepted.
5.bxa6. This 5.Nc3 is a sideline masking a neat trap should White nick the e-pawn
and for once more OTB players have fallen for this than Red Hot Pawn players the
RHP player rsand2 has trapped the most players. (that is another RHP trap exposed.)
Dealt mainly with set mate in x moves though it had a fair share of studies
as well. I was reading a few obituaries and these were fondly remembered.
I picked up this from Benko’s column. White to play and win.
Of course I never fully solved it. I tried and was on the right track but was
doubting myself the longer it went on . Just play it out and enjoy the fun.
[FEN "8/8/8/8/5N2/6kN/r7/3K3R w - - 0 1"]
1. Rg1+ Kh4 {This is best as it sets up the stalemate tries.} 2. Rg7 {Why Rg7 will become clear in a few moves.} 2... Ra1+ {We now see a King chase with Black trying desperately to draw by perpetual or stalemate.} 3. Ke2 Ra2+ 4. Ke3 Ra3+ 5. Ke4 Ra4+ 6. Kf5 Ra5+ 7. Kg6 Ra6+ 8. Kh7 {This is why 2.Rg7 the King shelters from the Black Rook checks.} 8... Rh6+ {9.Kxh6 is stalemate which is what White has to avoid for the next few moves.} 9. Kg8 Rh8+ 10. Kf7 Rf8+ 11. Ke6 {Now 11...Rxf4 12.Rh7+ then Nxf4.} 11... Re8+ 12. Kd5 {If here 13....Re5+ 14.Kd6 and the e6 and d5 checks meet Nf4xR lifting the stalemate,} 12... Rd8+ 13. Ke4 {Here 13....Rd4+ 14.Kf3 and again the stalemate has gone.} 13... Re8+ 14. Kd3 {14...Re3+ Kd2 wins.} 14... Rd8+ 15. Ke2 Rd2+ 16. Ke3 {Finally Black has run out of check. Rd3+ or Re2+ and NxR, no stalemate.} 16... Ra2 {What else?} 17. Nf2 {With the threat of Rg4 mate.} 17... Ra3+ {Or 17...Rxf2 18.Rh7+ then Kxf2.} 18. Ke4 Re3+ 19. Kd5 Re5+ 20. Kd6 {No checks at d5 or e6.} 20... Rg5 {Only move to stop Rg4 mate.} 21. Rh7+ Kg3 22. Ne4+ {The Rook is lost the King and Rook ending is a book win.} 22... Kxf4 23. Nxg5 Kxg5
The Bobby Fischer connection with Benko giving up his spot in the Palma
Interzonal in 1970 to Fischer so he could have a stab at getting to a world final.
There was and there still is a lot of ill informed speculation about the background
to this story. All we need is Benko’s version given in Chess Life & Review, July 1975
“I must point out here that a misconception exists as to how Fischer came to play in
the Palma Interzonal in 1970 even though he had not qualified in the previous zonal.
It has been widely and erroneously reported in the foreign press that I was
paid a certain sum to give up my place in his favor (I had qualified in the 1969
U.S. Championship, which was the zonal and in which Fischer did not play).
The idea for me to step down and give Fischer my place was my own; it was made
voluntarily and without pressure from anyone. I felt that as one of the world's
strongest players he should have the right to participate in that critical Interzonal.
The U.S. Chess Federation had always treated me well; by my action I hoped to show
my gratitude. (The USCF had given me the opportunity to qualify for the Interzonal
in Amsterdam in 1964 by arranging a match between Bisguier, who had qualified, and me,
who had not. And there have been many other things for which I am grateful to the USCF.)
The figure $2,000 is sometimes mentioned as the price I was paid for stepping down.
Actually, that fee was paid, but it was for my services as second to Reshevsky
and Addison at that tournament - and it is the same amount I would have received
as an appearance fee had I actually played. The only condition I asked for stepping
down was for Fischer to agree not to withdraw from the Interzonal or the ensuing
matches should he qualify for them. - and he fulfilled this condition." Pal Benko.
and speaking of Bobby Fischer, Moonbus recently sent me a picture.
A Fischer Bus (apparently it often fails to turn up!)
A Benko game with the Benko. I. Zaitsev - P. Benko, Szolnok, 1975
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 b5 4. cxb5 a6 5. Nc3 {The Benko book was published in 1974 and now Benko is aware of the trap.} 5... axb5 6. e4 b4 7. Nb5 {Black is not going to take the pawn.} 7... d6 8. Nf3 Nbd7 9. Bf4 Nh5 10. Bg5 Nhf6 {Do not know the game situation but maybe 11Bf4 Nh5 would have been an agreed draw.} 11. Qe2 Ra5 12. e5 {This is good fun. Both think they are coming out of this with the better position.} 12... Ba6 13. exf6 {Usually in these tactical exchanges the first player to capture comes out ahead.} 13... Bxb5 14. fxe7 Bxe7 15. Bxe7 Qxe7 16. Qxe7+ Kxe7 17. Bxb5 Rxb5 {Black is better. The weak d-pawn, a target on a2 and a potential passed c-pawn.} 18. O-O Nb6 19. Rfe1+ Kd7 20. a4 {The d-pawn is doomed. 20. Rd1 c4 White to tries for some activity.} 20... bxa3 21. Rxa3 Ra8 {Not allowing Ra7+ the d-pawn cannot run away.} 22. Rae3 {White decides to fight with the two Rooks on the board. Possibly the best chance.} 22... Nxd5 23. Rd3 c4 24. Rd4 Rc8 25. Red1 Rcc5 {It looks like Black has tied himself up. The d5 Knight cannot move.} 26. h4 {Some luft before a back rank trick appears.} 26... Rxb2 {Benko has worked it all out perfectly.} 27. Rxd5 Rxd5 28. Rxd5 c3 {The two White pieces cannot stop the c-pawn. Will have to give up the Knight for it.} 29. Nd4 Rd2 {And Benko won't even allow that. White resigned.}
In the first round of the 2019 World Cup Ding Liren’s opponent set him a trap.
Ding Liren - Shaun Press, World Cup Khanty-Mansiysk Russia 2019
Here Black played 17...0-0 hoping for 18.Qxd7 Rd8 winning the Queen.
But Ding saw that one and after 17...0-0 played 18.b5 which wins a piece. Black resigned.
There are dozens of RHP examples with the same idea. (A Queen takes on d7 and Rd8)
We even have one from a Benko! vipiu - redhawk RHP 2006
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 b5 4. cxb5 a6 5. e3 {This is another way of declining the Benko pawn.} 5... g6 6. Nc3 Bg7 7. bxa6 O-O 8. Bc4 {Black was waiting for this move to tell White he had lost a tempo.} 8... Bxa6 9. Bxa6 Nxa6 10. Nge2 {Prefer Nf3 with a later Nd2-c4 opening plan.} 10... e6 11. O-O Nxd5 12. Nxd5 exd5 13. Qxd5 {White is doing OK. Just make sure Black does not get too much play on the Queenside.} 13... Qe7 {Now 14.Nc3 and I'll let you off with that 10.Nge2 move.} 14. Rd1 {Careful. That d7 pawn is tainted.} 14... Nb4 15. Qxd7 {Black played 15...Rfd8 and White resigned. Even 15....Rad8 works.} 15... Rad8 16. Qa4 {Only move. White has to stay on the d1 Rook.} 16... Qa7 17. Qb3 c4 {That will do it.}
Also from the World Cup. Nikita Vitiugov - Sergey Karjakin, Chess World Cup 2019
Karjakin after 5 minutes thought played 52...Qd5. (OOPS!)
Vitiugov replied 53 Bc5+ and it is mate next move 54.Qe7.
A couple of Queen and Bishop v Queen and Bishop RHP 2019 blunders.
mig21 - Bassman57 RHP 2019
[FEN "4q3/5k2/2p2ppp/1bBp3Q/1P3P2/6P1/2P3KP/8 w - - 0 36"]
36. Qxh6 Qe2+ 37. Kh3 Qf1+ 38. Kh4 Qg2 39. Qh7+ Ke6 {Now White can play 5. Qe7+ Kf5 6.Qd7+ Ke4 7.Qe7+ Kf3 8.Qe3 mate.} 40. Qxg6 {White missed it. Now it's Black's turn.} 40... Qxh2+ 41. Kg4 Be2 {Checkmate.}
Another game with the same motif. White misses a mate and gets checkmated.
Milco - TFY741 RHP.2019
[FEN "4q2k/7p/1p6/3QPp2/P5b1/B1rB2P1/8/6K1 w - - 0 45"]
45. Bb2 Rc5 46. e6+ Kg8 {White should now play Qd4 with an unavoidable checkmate on g7 or h8 coming soon.} 47. Qb3 {White missed it. The discovered e6-e7check looked to tempting.} 47... Qe7 {Black cannot allow the discovered check.} 48. Ba3 h5 49. Bxc5 Qxc5+ {White plays Kg2 and the game goes on.} 50. Kh2 {Now the game stops.} 50... Qf2+ 51. Kh1 Bf3 {Checkmate.}
My Nokia in the first picture is there because that is the mobile I use.
It does not have the RHP APP and there may be a wee glitch in it .
Probably not the software but the way some options are displayed.
It is to do with an under promotion and automatically taking a Queen.
Archer0212 - joeboy69, RHP September 2019
[FEN "1k2r3/1pp1r3/pn2Pp2/3P3p/5Bp1/1P6/P4PPP/3RR1K1 w - - 0 28"]
28. d6 Rxe6 29. dxc7+ Ka7 30. Rxe6 Rxe6 31. Be3 Rc6 32. Rd6 {You can see what White is up too. It's all good play.} 32... Rxd6 {Now c8=N+ and White is a piece up.} 33. c8=Q {The White says he was sure he chose a Knight. I believe him.} 33... Rd1 {Checkmate. Be careful using the APP.}
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Thread 182542 
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