Nine "S"pectacular Decades: Happy 90th to Pal Benko!

US Chess wishes a hearty Happy Birthday to Grandmaster Pal Benko, also a renowned composer and popular author. At 90 years young (as of July 15, 2018 as clarified by ChessBase), Pal sent his best back to the US Chess community, and challenged visitors to solve a series of nine mate-in-three problems, all in the form of an S. "This is a record in letter problems- for all to be in same shape and with the same stipulation." Each problem represents one decade of Benko's life. Solve them all for the secret to eternal youth!

1. White to Move and Mate in Three

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1.Be3 b1=Q 2.Ra3+ ( 1….b1N 2. Kc5 )

2. White to Move and Mate in Three

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1.Rc2+ Kxb4 2.Bc5+

3. White to Move and Mate in Three

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1.Nc4 Kxc4 2.Bc5

4. White to Move and Mate in Three

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1.Rc2+ Kxb4 2.Bb3

5. White to Move and Mate in Three

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1.Kd5 Kxd2 2.Nd3

6. White to Move and Mate in Three

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1. Rg2 Kf4 2.Ne2+

7. White to Move and Mate in Three

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1.Nd6-c4+ Kf2 2.Rg4+

8. White to Move and Mate in Three

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1.Nc-e4 Ke2 2.Rd3

9. White to Move and Mate in Three

Show Solution

1.Bg3 Ke2 2.Nf4+

For more on Benko, see his US Chess author page, where you can find dozens of his pieces and problems, including a congratulatory article for our 2016 Olympic team, which will return with the same squad to Batumi 2018. Also find his auto-biography, co-authored with IM Jeremy Silman on US Chess Sales. Also see World Chess Hall of Fame video featuring US Chess editor Jen Shahade on a Benko problem.