Pal Benko is a chess legend that has crossed swords with Fischer, Botvinnik, Tal, Smyslov, Spassky, Petrosian, Keres, Korchnoi, Geller, and many others. In his upcoming book, BENKO'S LIFE, GAMES, AND COMPOSITIONS (by Benko and Silman, with a large opening survey by John Watson), he shares tales of his youth in war torn Hungary, he tells of his imprisonment, torture, and eventual escape to the United States, he gives insight into his close friend Fischer and other chess personalities, and he shares over 100 deeply annotated games against many of the greatest players of all time.

Throughout his rich and often turbulent life, one of his most satisfying artistic pastimes has been the creation of chess problems and endgame compositions. Though 300 of these will be presented in his book (How did Fischer, Petrosian, Geller, and others fare when faced with these mind-bending problems? The book discusses this in detail!), he's given me permission to share some of these classics with you in this column.

Our previous (tenth) problem is known as a CHRISTMAS TREE, and the reason for that will be obvious if you look at the diagram. Since some of the previous compositions were so difficult, here we gave you a chance to rebuild your ego with a simple mate in two.

WHITE MATES IN TWO

CHRISTMAS TREE
Chess Life, 1975.
1.Qc5!, 1–0.

Our new, eleventh, problem is a Benko endgame – an artistic form that he became justly famous for. Here White wins by force.

WHITE TO MOVE AND WIN