Benko’s Problem Challenge to Bobby Fischer

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  • Benko’s Problem Challenge to Bobby Fischer

    Benko’s Problem Challenge to Bobby Fischer

    July 8, 2019

    From chessbase.com by Frederic Friedel

    Pal Benkö and the Fischer challenge

    This is one of the most elegant chess problems we have ever seen. It was composed by the master, Pal Benko when he was just fifteen. Five pieces, four on their original squares, and the task is to force mate in three moves. That is quite difficult: Bobby Fischer failed to find the solution in half an hour. Can you do better – and can you find a correction for the minor dual that was found in the problem?

    Pal Benko, Chess Life 1986



    




    Mate in three

    Try to solve in less than half an hour!

    Solution tomorrow

  • #2
    Hint: it looks like Scholar's Mate. And 1.Qh5? is refuted by 1...Kd4 stopping 2.Bc4.

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    • #3
      Benko’s Problem Challenge to Bobby Fischer

      July 9, 2019

      Solution


      1.Bc4 Ke5 2.Qd5+ Kf6 3.Qg5#

      There is a dual:

      1.Bc4 Kf5 2.Qf3+ Ke5 3.Qf4#

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      • #4
        Thanks Wayne, that was fun (no, I did NOT figure it out lol)

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        • #5
          On a visit to the St Louis club in 2015 GM Ramirez had laid this problem out on one of the club boards for members pleasure. I remember hovering over the board with Sunil Weeramantry and discussing and it took me about ten minutes to find the key. Obviously Im lacking some chess culture because at the time I didnt know that this was Benko's famous problem. Anyways another one of GM Benko's legacy - another story and famous problem.

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