Mikhail Tal vs. Pal Benko
Mikhail Tal vs. Pal Benko, Bled, 1959
White moves and wins in 2.
Roll over to see the solution: 1.Rh8+ Bxh8 2.Nh7#
FEN: 1r3k2/2n1p1b1/3p2QR/p1pq1pN1/bp6/7P/2P2PP1/4RBK1 w - - 0 1
About the players
Mikhail Tal (1936-1992) was a Soviet chess Grandmaster and World Chess Champion. He was very creative and one of the best attacking players. His style was daring and unpredictable. His peak rating was 2705.
Pal Benko (1928-) is a Hungarian-American chess Grandmaster and author of chess problems with a peak rating of 2530.
. Ng5-h7 Kf8-g8
2. Re1xe7 Qd5-d4
3. Qg6-f7 Kg8-h8
4. Nh7-g5 Bg7xh6
5. Qf7-h7
Not bad, but try to do it in just TWO moves!
1. Rh6-h8 Bg7xh8
2. Ng5-h7
This is a great matting pattern.
1. Ng5-h7 Kf8-g8
2. Re1xe7 Qd5-d4
3. Re7xc7 Ba4xc2
4. Nh7-f6 Qd4xf6
5. Qg6-h7 Kg8-f8
6. Rh6xf6 Kf8-e8
7. Qh7xg7 Rb8-d8
8. Rc7-e7
Checkmate
COOL!!!!!!!!
1. Ng5-h7 Kf8-g8
2. Re1xe7 Qd5-d4
3. Qg6-f7 Kg8-h8
4. Nh7-g5 Bg7xh6
5. Qf7-h7
1. Rh6-h8 Bg7xh8
2. Ng5-h7
Took me 100 tries.
anyone can defeat it! I did it like several times! So eeaaaassssy!
1. Ng5-h7 Kf8-g8
2. Nh7-g5 Ba4-e8
3. Rh6-h8 Kg8xh8
4. Qg6-h7
1. Rh6-h8 Bg7xh8
2. Ng5-h7
My analysis is:
1. Rh8+!! There is no sufficient response to that, because:
A) 1…. Bxg8 2. Nh7#
B1) 1…. Qg8 2. Qf7# (the Black Q is pinned!) or
B2) 1… Qg8 2. Nh7#
The first line is more obvious, the second one is a bit cunning (and more flashy following the B1 variant, due to the pin), but I am pretty sure that the great Tal had foreseen them both.
Another enchanting checkmate by M. Tal!