Pal Benko

by Bill Wall

Pal Charles Benko was born on July 14 (some sources say July 15), 1928 in Amiens, France to Hungarian parents.

Benko grew up in Budapest, Hungary.

In 1938, at the age of 10, he learned chess from his father, an engineer and artist. Benko’s father owned a machine parts factory.

Benko’s first chess book was a book on Capablanca’s 350 best chess games.

In 1940, he took a job as a messenger.

In 1941, Benko spotted the first chess problems in his life in a student magazine. He got interested in chess problems and was soon composing them. He composed his first chess problem in 1942.

In 1943, he played in his first chess tournament, a club tournament in Budapest. Benko was leading, but the tournament had to be canceled because most of the players were being drafted.

In December 1943, Benko’s father was arrested by the Hungarian government for refusing to join the army.

In March, 1944, the Nazis released Benko’s father from prison, thinking he was pro-Nazi because he was in prison.

In July, 1944, he was drafted in the Hungarian Army. He escaped from his regiment and was caught by the Russians. He later escaped from the Russians and made it back to Budapest. However, his apartment had been bombed out by the Allies and his father and brother were gone.

In January 1945, Benko’s father and older brother were shipped to Russia as slave labor.

In July 1945, he won his first real chess tournament, played in Budapest. There were 10 masters, 7 candidate masters, and Benko. He was then awarded the master title after his first tournament at the age of 16

In July 1945, Benko’s mother died at the age of 41.

In late 1945, Benko moved to Szeged.

In 1945, Benko won a small Masters’ tournament in Szeged. 1st place was flour and bacon.

In 1946, Benko played in his first Hungarian championship at the age of 18.

In 1947, Benko majored in economics at the University of Economic (later named Karl Marx University, now called Corvinus University in Budapest).

From 1945 to 1947, Benko played several correspondence chess games around the world, representing Hungary in the World Correspondence Team Championship.

In 1947, Benko played in his first international chess tournament, the Vienna-Budapest team match, held in Vienna.

In 1948, Benko was working in a textile factory.

In the spring of 1948, he played in an international tournament in Budapest. It was a 16-player event. Benko took 9th place. The winner was Laszlo Szabo.

In 1948, he played at a chess tournament in Bad Gastein, Austria. Lundin won the event, followed by Benko and Rossolimo for 2nd-3rd place.

In 1948, he played in an international tournament in Bucharest, Romania.

In 1948, at the age of 20, he won the Hungarian championship. Prizes were food rather than money.

In 1949, he left school to concentrate on chess.

In 1949, he played for Budapest against Moscow in an 8-player team competition. Benko had the best result for the Budapest team.

In 1949, he played for Hungary against the Netherlands in a team match.

In 1950, he became a bookkeeper.

In 1950, he took 3rd place in the Hungarian championship.

In 1950, he was awarded the International Master title on the first FIDE list of grandmasters and international masters.

In 1951, he took 6th place in the Hungarian championship.

In March-April, 1952, he was invited to play in the Geza Maroczy Memorial (who died on May 29, 1951) in Budapest. Benko took 10th place. The winner was Paul Keres.

In early 1952, Benko qualified to play in the Interzonal, and a team member for Hungary in the chess Olympiad.

In March 1952, he played in a team match in Goerlitz, East Germany. He then went to East Berlin, and then took the subway to West Berlin. At the time, he was thinking of defecting to the West. Benko started running back to West Berlin but was caught, arrested and taken to prison. He was accused of being an American spy. The police thought that his correspondence game chess notation found in his letters and postcards was secret code. He was put in prison for a year and a half (until October, 1953). His friend, Geza Fuster, did defect during this time.

In 1954, Benko became a draftsman.

In 1954, he took 2nd place in the Hungarian championship.

In 1955, he took 3rd place in the Hungarian championship.

In 1956, he played for the national Hungarian team at the chess Olympiad in Moscow. He played board three and scored 10/15. Hungary won the bronze medal for 3rd place.

In 1957, he played in the Zonal in Dublin, Ireland. He tied for 2nd place. The event was won by Ludek Pachman.

In 1957, he represented Hungary in the Student Olympiad in Reykjavik, Iceland. He played board 1 (Portisch played board 2) and scored 7.5/12. Hungary took 4th place as a team. The Soviet Union won the event, followed by Bulgaria and Czechoslovakia.

In July 1957, he defected from Hungary following the 4th World Student Team Championship in Reykjavik, Iceland. On July 26, 1957, he walked into the American embassy and asked for asylum.

In 1957, he won a tournament in Iceland and $350, which he used to fly to New York.

On October 17, 1957, he immigrated to the United States and landed in New York. He could not speak any English.

In late 1957, he moved to Cleveland, Ohio.

In December 1957, he defeated Ken Smith, champion of Texas, in a match. Benko’s prize was $500.

In 1958, Benko got a job at a brokerage firm.

In July 1958, Benko won the 2nd Western Open championship on tie breaks over Milton Otteson, held in Milwaukee.

In August-September, 1958, he played in the Portoroz Interzonal, in Yugoslavia, representing Hungary. He took 3rd-4th place and qualified for the Candidates Tournament. The event was won by Tal. Gligoric took 2nd. Benko and Petrosian tied for 3rd-4th. Olafsson and Fischer tied for 5th-6th.

In 1958, he was awarded the Grandmaster title by qualifying for the Bled Candidates Tournament.

In 1958/1959, he took 4th place in the U.S. Championship, won by Bobby Fischer.

In July 1959, Benko won the New York Open.

In July-August, 1959, Benko tied for 2nd-3rd with Raymond Weinstein in the 60th US Open, held in Omaha, Nebraska. Arthur Bisguier won the event. Weinstein defeated Benko in the final round.

In August 1959, he won the 3rd Western Open, held in Milwaukee.

In September-October, 1959, he played in the Candidates Tournament in Bled, Zagreb, and Belgrade, Yugoslavia. He took 8th place.

In 1960, Benko was selling mutual funds.

In 1960, he took 8th place in the U.S. Championship. He took 1st place in the speed championship, ahead of Bisguier and Fischer.

In June 1960, he won the Manhattan Chess Club Championship.

In June-July, 1960, he played in an international tournament in Buenos Aires. He tied for 11th place. The event was won by Viktor Korchnoi and Sammy Reshevsky.

In September-October 1960, Benko lost a match with Sammy Reshevsky in a 10-game match in New York, with 2 wins, 3 losses, and 5 draws.

In 1961, he won the Manhattan Chess Club Championship.

In 1961, he won the U.S. Open in San Francisco and appeared on the cover of Chess Life magazine.

In 1961, he took 4th place in the U.S. Championship.

In January-March, 1962, he played in the Interzonal in Stockholm (won by Fischer). Benko tied for 6th place.

In 1962, Benko tied for 1st in he Southwest Open championship, held in Dallas.

In 1962, Benko played Stein and Gligoric in a three-way Interzonal Playoff. He scored 2 draws with Stein and a win and a draw against Gligoric.

In May-June, 1962, Benko played in the Candidates Tournament in Curacao.

In 1962, at Curacao, Benko hit (slapped) Fischer over who would assist in adjourned games. Benko tried to get help from Arthur Bisguier in one of Benko’s adjourned games, but Fischer said that Bisguier was to help Fischer instead. Fische later wrote a letter to the tournament arbiters to fine Benko or kick him out of the tournament.

In 1962, during the Candidates Tournament, Benko played 1.g3, defeating Fischer and Tal with it. 1.g3 was later called Benko’s Opening.

In 1962, he played on the American chess Olympiad team, held in Varna, Bulgaria. He played board two, scoring 8/12 for the silver medal on his board. The USA took 4th place.

In 1962, he took 9th place in the U.S. Championship.

At the end of 1962, Benko was the 2nd highest rated player in the U.S at 2608. Fischer was rated 2687 and Reshevsky was rated 2597.

In 1963, Benko was selling real estate as an independent agent. He later quit his job to become a professional chess player.

In 1963, Benko played in the first Piatigorsky Cup. He tied for 7th place. Keres and Petrosian tied for 1st place.

In 1963, he took 3rd place in the U.S. Championship.

On April 26, 1964, Benko began a match with Arthur Bisguier to see who qualified for the Amsterdam Interzonal. Benko won, 4.5-1.5.

In 1964, Benko returned to Hungary for the first time since 1957.

In 1964, he won the 65th U.S. Open in Boston. There were 229 players.

In 1964, at the chess Olympiad in Tel Aviv, he played board two for the USA. He scored 9.5/14. The USA took 6th place.

In 1964, he won the Canadian Open.

In 1965, Benko won the Manhattan Chess Club Championship.

In 1965, he tied for 1st place at the U.S. Open with Bill Lombardy, held in Puerto Rico.

In 1965, he took 7th place in the U.S. Championship.

In November, 1965, he won the 1st American Open, held in Santa Monica. There were 124 players.

In 1966, Benko was called the king of the Opens.

In 1966, he won the National Open in Las Vegas.

In 1966, he won the Manhattan Chess Club Championship.

In August 1966, he tied for 1st place with Robert Byrne in the U.S. Open, held in Seattle.

In 1966/67, he took 3rd place in the U.S. Championship.

In 1966, at the chess Olympiad in Havana, Benko was board three for the USA. He scored 8/12. The USA won the silver medal for 2nd place.

In 1967, Benko won the first New York City championship.

In 1967, Benko introduced his Benko’s Bafflers to Chess Life magazine.

In 1967, Benko won the Manhattan Chess Club Championship.

In 1967, Benko introduced the Benko Gambit into international competition, 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 b5. He first played it against Milan Vukic in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia.

In 1967, he won the U.S. Open, held in Atlanta.

In 1967, he won the Atlantic Open in New York. There were 240 players.

At the end of 1967, Benko was the second highest rated player in the U.S. He was rated 2592. Bobby Fiacher was rated 2762.

In March 1968, he won the National Open, held at Lake Tahoe.

In 1968, Benko, age 40, married Gizella.

In 1968, he tied for 1st in the Southwest Open championship in San Antonio, Texas.

In 1968, at the chess Olympiad in Lugano, he played board three for the USA. He scored 6/12. The USA took 4th place.

In 1968, he took 4th place in the U.S. Championship.

In 1969, Benko’s daughter Palma was born.

In 1969, he won the Atlantic Open in New York. There were 376 players.

In August 1969, he tied for 1st place with Arthur Bisguier and Milan Vukcevich at the U.S. Open, held in Lincoln, Nebraska.

In 1969, he took 3rd place in the U.S. Championship.

In 1969, he won the Atlantic Open in New York. There were 376 players.

In 1970, Benko lost his first Benko Gambit playing Black against Franciscus Kuijpers in Wijk aan Zee.

In 1970, he qualified for the Interzonal. He later gave up the spot to Bobby Fischer.

In 1970, at the chess Olympiad in Siegen, he played board four for the USA. He scored 8.5/12. The USA took 4th place.

In 1971, Benko’s son David was born.

In 1971, his peak FIDE rating was 2520.

In 1972, at the chess Olympiad in Skopje, he played board three. He scored 9.5/16. The USA took 9th place.

In 1972, he took 5th place in the U.S. Championship.

In 1973, he took 5th place in the U.S. Championship.

In 1974, Pal Benko’s father died.

In 1974, he tied for 1st place with Vastimil Hort at the U.S. Open, held in New York. There were 549 players.

In 1974, he took 2nd place in the U.S. Championship, behind Walter Browne. Benko never won the U.S. Championship, and this was his best result (winning 3 games, drawing 10 games, losing no games).

In March 1975, he won the National Open in Las Vegas.

In July 1975, he tied for 1st place with Alan Trefler at the World Open in New York. There were 815 players.

In August 1975, he tied for 1st place with Bill Lombardy at the U.S. Open, held in Lincoln, Nebraska. He had placed first or tied for first place a record 8 times.

In 1975, he took 14th place in the U.S. Championship.

In 1978, at the age of 50, he took 9th place in the U.S. Championship.

In 1991, he co-wrote with Burt Hochberg Winning with Chess Psychology.

In 1992, he played in the World Senior Championship in Bad Worishofen, Germany at the age of 64. It was his last international tournament. Geller took 1st place. Benko and Lein took 2nd-3rd.

In 1993, he was inducted into the U.S. Chess Hall of Fame.

In 1994, he was team captain of the Hungarian Woman’s Olympiad team, which won the silver medal.

In 1995, he was awarded the Problem Composing International Master title.

In 1995, Hungary created a postage stamp with Benko on the cover.

In 1996, he was team captain of the Hungarian Woman’s Olympiad team.

In 1998, Benko played in his last chess tournament. He was 70.

In January 2003, he co-wrote, with Jeremy Silman, Pal Benko: My Life, Games and Compositions. The book won the British Chess Federation “Book of the Year” Award in 2003.

In 2003, he revised Reuben Fine’s book, Basic Chess Endings.

Benko also enjoys mathematics and arm wrestling.

Benko has composed over 300 chess problems.

Benko beat Bobby Fischer three times in his career.

Benko’s wife and children are all mathematicians.

Benko played for the USA in five chess Olympiads.

Benko was quoted as saying, “Being a professional chess player is something akin to being a prostitute. First, I played because other people did it. Then I played because I liked to play. And finally, I played just for the money.”