| |
Main
Date: 26 Nov 2004 17:41:05
From: Sam Sloan
Subject: Benko book, Best Chess Book Ever Written
|
Benko book, Best Chess Book Ever Written
I just finished going through the new Benko book. Not only is it the
best chess book ever written, but I do not believe that there is even
a close second.
"Pan Benko, My Life, Games and Compositions" not only goes through his
career as a chess player but also discusses the early period of his
life where he went from being a national hero to a political prisoner
in one of Stalin's Gulags, from which many men never emerged. I knew
about this but it has not often been discussed in print.
Benko spent two years in political prison, in a windowless cell with
20 other prisoners. There was little food and many died of starvation.
When a man died, the problem was what to do with his dead body.
Benko was saved when Stalin died and shortly thereafter in October
1953 the political prisoners were let out on orders of Imre Nagy, the
President of Hungary. Nagy was later executed.
Prior to his arrest, Benko had already been three times chess champion
of Hungary. Prior to being released from prison, Benko and the other
political prisoners were given a stern warning not to say anything.
This may explain why Benko has said little about this period of his
life prior to this book.
Benko believes that had it not been for the fact that he was a
prisoner during the prime years of his youth, that he would have gone
much further as a chess player. However, the only way that Benko could
have gone any further in chess was to become the World Chess Champion,
because Benko accomplished everything else that could be accomplished
in chess.
Upon release from prison, Benko quickly resumed his position of
Hungary's leading player. Later, he contrived to finish only second in
the Hungarian championship, because first prize would have been
rewarded with a trip to Moscow, whereas the second place finisher
would be sent to Ireland, where he could defect.
Benko actually defected after the World Student Team Championship in
Iceland and arrived in New York in October 1957. He quickly found that
it was impossible to earn a living playing chess in America. He
survived by working at low level jobs while playing chess when he
could.
When he first came to America, Benko's results were not spectacular.
He usually got into terrible time trouble, with 15 seconds left to
play his last ten moves. He usually did not win. However, some time
around 1960, Benko finally got his system going. For the next dozen
years or so, Benko swept through an entire generation of Swiss System
tournaments. Whenever Benko entered a chess tournament, the only
question was: Who would finish second, because Benko always won.
Surprisingly, Benko makes little mention of this period. Apparently,
few of his Swiss System games have been preserved, although Benko must
have won more than one hundred Swiss System tournaments, including
eight times that he won the US Open. Most of the games in his book are
against grandmasters.
The Benko book contains 138 deeply annotated games. This takes up the
first 409 pages of the book. After that, there is an analysis of 129
pages of Benko's openings by International Master John Watson. This
section will be of great interest to tournament chess players, because
everyone wants to know how Benko was able to win more than one hundred
chess tournaments. What magic did he have?
Turns out something that I had never guessed: Benko has tried
everything. Benko has played every known chess opening. He has even
played the Orang-Utan. Benko has not been a great opening
theoretician, but has avoided his opponent's opening preparation by
constantly shifting lines, inventing several new openings named after
him in the process, most famously the Benko Gambit.
Finally, Benko includes a selection from his life-long hobby, which is
inventing end-game problems and compositions. Benko provides 300
problems and their solutions.
The result is a fantastic work of 668 pages in hard cover. In an era
of skimpy overpriced paperbacks, the Benko book is an amazing
contribution of history, of chess and of brilliant analysis. It is
easily the greatest chess book ever written.
Sam Sloan
Details:
Hardcover: 668 pages
Publisher: Siles Press (May 1, 2004)
ISBN: 1890085081
Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 7.3 x 1.8 inches
Shipping Weight: 3.5 pounds.
|
|
| |
Date: 29 Nov 2004 13:35:23
From: Paul Rubin
Subject: Re: Benko book, Best Chess Book Ever Written
|
[email protected] (Sam Sloan) writes:
> When he first came to America, Benko's results were not spectacular.
> He usually got into terrible time trouble, with 15 seconds left to
> play his last ten moves. He usually did not win. However, some time
> around 1960, Benko finally got his system going. For the next dozen
> years or so, Benko swept through an entire generation of Swiss System
> tournaments. Whenever Benko entered a chess tournament, the only
> question was: Who would finish second, because Benko always won.
I think there was a guy from Brooklyn in that era named Bobby
something, who also played pretty well. It does sound like a good
book though. Thanks for the review.
|
| |
Date: 27 Nov 2004 23:26:33
From: buh bye
Subject: Re: Benko book, Best Chess Book Ever Written
|
I read the entire book shortly after it came out. I think it will
become one of chess literature's classics. Silman is a gifted writer,
undoubtedly Benko provided basic facts and relied upon Silman's
writing skills. The annotations are very good, the games selected are
wonderful and exhibit all sorts of interesting tactics and strategic
points, the life stories are amazing, the bind quality is very high,
the pictures are good, it is an extremely good book, I recommend it
heartily.
See, Sam gets things right all the time.
|
| | |
Date: 28 Nov 2004 16:52:40
From: Wlodzimierz Holsztynski
Subject: Re: Benko book, Best Chess Book Ever Written
|
[email protected] (buh bye) wrote in message news:<[email protected] >...
> Silman is a gifted writer,
I have never cared for Silman's books.
I was sorry to buy one (I was blinded
by other people opinions). He is boring
and not any good at clearly seeing the
issues. His texts are like a fifth mirror
in a light reflecting sequence--he is not
any original source of ideas.
> undoubtedly Benko provided basic facts and
> relied upon Silman's writing skills.
Undoubtedly Benko, who is a world class
chess player and more, has proven over years
that he has a good pen, that he doesn't
need inferior penmanship of a coauthor
like Silman.
Is Silman really a coauthor of this
book about Benko's life? I know that
he has couathored at least one book
with Seiravan (and it was Silman, who
should feel lucky to participate in
such a partnership with his superiors).
Regards,
Wlod
|
| |
Date: 28 Nov 2004 02:17:39
From: Phaeton
Subject: Re: Benko book, Best Chess Book Ever Written
|
In soc.culture.magyar Sam Sloan <[email protected] > wrote:
> Benko book, Best Chess Book Ever Written
> I just finished going through the new Benko book. Not only is it the
> best chess book ever written, but I do not believe that there is even
> a close second.
> "Pan Benko, My Life, Games and Compositions" not only goes through his
[...snip...]
All very nice, however if I am not mistaken, his first name is
Pal ( Pa'l in Hungarian ) and not Pan. Just in case anyone is
looking for him on the net...
Cheers, Csaba
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
CSABA I. HARANGOZO
|
| |
Date: 26 Nov 2004 15:35:13
From:
Subject: Re: Benko book, Best Chess Book Ever Written
|
[email protected] (Sam Sloan) writes:
> Benko book, Best Chess Book Ever Written
>
> I just finished going through the new Benko book. Not only is it the
> best chess book ever written, but I do not believe that there is even
> a close second.
Thanks for the review, Sam.
> When he first came to America, Benko's results were not spectacular.
> He usually got into terrible time trouble, with 15 seconds left to
> play his last ten moves. He usually did not win. However, some time
> around 1960, Benko finally got his system going. For the next dozen
> years or so, Benko swept through an entire generation of Swiss System
> tournaments. Whenever Benko entered a chess tournament, the only
> question was: Who would finish second, because Benko always won.
I did play in one Swiss which Benko didn't win outright.
But that was no failing of his - too many players showed up
for six rounds to produce a decision (don't we wish we had
problems like that nowadays? Toronto, 1971, Benko 6-0 R.
Byrne 6-0, Spassky 5.5-0.5).
A great player and writer.
William Hyde
EOS Department
Duke University
|
| | |
Date: 26 Nov 2004 21:03:18
From: Geof
Subject: Re: Benko book, Best Chess Book Ever Written
|
> [email protected] (Sam Sloan) writes:
>
> > Benko book, Best Chess Book Ever Written
> >
> > I just finished going through the new Benko book. Not only is it the
> > best chess book ever written, but I do not believe that there is even
> > a close second.
I agree with Mr. Sloan that this is a wonderful book. Benko is an
interesting man who has lead an interesting life, and this is perhaps
the most personal/intimate of the chess biographies I have read.
There are also a ton of great games with excellent annotations.
- Geof Strayer
|
| |
Date: 26 Nov 2004 18:49:53
From: Jon Levitt
Subject: Re: Benko book, Best Chess Book Ever Written
|
Sam,
Thank you for that glowing review. I have not read the book but would love
to get a review copy myself. I used to play for Augsburg alongside Benko and
know firsthand that he is truly one of the great chess artists, not as a
player (at least not by the time I knew him) but as an endgame study
composer.
cheers,
Jonathan
--
Jonathan Levitt
Homepage:
http://www.jlevitt.dircon.co.uk/index.htm
Webmaster:
http://www.chesschamps.com/
"Sam Sloan" <[email protected] > wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Benko book, Best Chess Book Ever Written
>
> I just finished going through the new Benko book. Not only is it the
> best chess book ever written, but I do not believe that there is even
> a close second.
>
> "Pan Benko, My Life, Games and Compositions" not only goes through his
> career as a chess player but also discusses the early period of his
> life where he went from being a national hero to a political prisoner
> in one of Stalin's Gulags, from which many men never emerged. I knew
> about this but it has not often been discussed in print.
>
> Benko spent two years in political prison, in a windowless cell with
> 20 other prisoners. There was little food and many died of starvation.
> When a man died, the problem was what to do with his dead body.
>
> Benko was saved when Stalin died and shortly thereafter in October
> 1953 the political prisoners were let out on orders of Imre Nagy, the
> President of Hungary. Nagy was later executed.
>
> Prior to his arrest, Benko had already been three times chess champion
> of Hungary. Prior to being released from prison, Benko and the other
> political prisoners were given a stern warning not to say anything.
> This may explain why Benko has said little about this period of his
> life prior to this book.
>
> Benko believes that had it not been for the fact that he was a
> prisoner during the prime years of his youth, that he would have gone
> much further as a chess player. However, the only way that Benko could
> have gone any further in chess was to become the World Chess Champion,
> because Benko accomplished everything else that could be accomplished
> in chess.
>
> Upon release from prison, Benko quickly resumed his position of
> Hungary's leading player. Later, he contrived to finish only second in
> the Hungarian championship, because first prize would have been
> rewarded with a trip to Moscow, whereas the second place finisher
> would be sent to Ireland, where he could defect.
>
> Benko actually defected after the World Student Team Championship in
> Iceland and arrived in New York in October 1957. He quickly found that
> it was impossible to earn a living playing chess in America. He
> survived by working at low level jobs while playing chess when he
> could.
>
> When he first came to America, Benko's results were not spectacular.
> He usually got into terrible time trouble, with 15 seconds left to
> play his last ten moves. He usually did not win. However, some time
> around 1960, Benko finally got his system going. For the next dozen
> years or so, Benko swept through an entire generation of Swiss System
> tournaments. Whenever Benko entered a chess tournament, the only
> question was: Who would finish second, because Benko always won.
>
> Surprisingly, Benko makes little mention of this period. Apparently,
> few of his Swiss System games have been preserved, although Benko must
> have won more than one hundred Swiss System tournaments, including
> eight times that he won the US Open. Most of the games in his book are
> against grandmasters.
>
> The Benko book contains 138 deeply annotated games. This takes up the
> first 409 pages of the book. After that, there is an analysis of 129
> pages of Benko's openings by International Master John Watson. This
> section will be of great interest to tournament chess players, because
> everyone wants to know how Benko was able to win more than one hundred
> chess tournaments. What magic did he have?
>
> Turns out something that I had never guessed: Benko has tried
> everything. Benko has played every known chess opening. He has even
> played the Orang-Utan. Benko has not been a great opening
> theoretician, but has avoided his opponent's opening preparation by
> constantly shifting lines, inventing several new openings named after
> him in the process, most famously the Benko Gambit.
>
> Finally, Benko includes a selection from his life-long hobby, which is
> inventing end-game problems and compositions. Benko provides 300
> problems and their solutions.
>
> The result is a fantastic work of 668 pages in hard cover. In an era
> of skimpy overpriced paperbacks, the Benko book is an amazing
> contribution of history, of chess and of brilliant analysis. It is
> easily the greatest chess book ever written.
>
> Sam Sloan
>
> Details:
> Hardcover: 668 pages
> Publisher: Siles Press (May 1, 2004)
> ISBN: 1890085081
> Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 7.3 x 1.8 inches
> Shipping Weight: 3.5 pounds.
>
|
|
