The Hungarian/American grandmaster Pal Benko has died at the age of 91. Among his numerous distinguished achievements was his double qualification for the World Championship Candidates tournaments of 1959 and 1962, eight victories in the US Open, his invention of the Benko Gambit (1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 c5 3 d5 b5) and his prowess as a subtle composer of endgame studies. Over the board, he defeated such eminent opponents as Tal, Fischer, Petrosian, Smyslov, Korchnoi, Keres and — as seen in this week’s game — Najdorf.
Benko-Najdorf: Piatigorsky Cup, Los Angeles 1963; King’s Indian Defence
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 c5 3 d5 d6 4 Nc3 g6 5 e4 Bg7 6 Be2 0-0 7 Nf3 e5 8 Bg5 h6 9 Bh4 g5 10 Bg3 Nh5 11 h4 An experiment that worked out well in this game, but the usual, and best, line is 11 Nd2 Nf412 0-0 Nxe2+ (else White will play Bg4) 13 Qxe2, with a very nice game.
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