International Grandmaster. World Championship Candidate. Endgame Composer. Although born in France he grew up in Hungary and won the national championship at the age of 20. In 1956 he left Hungary and settled in the USA where he was very successful as a player, winning many Open Tournaments. In 1959 he became a World Championship Candidate and again in 1962 at Curacao. His selfless sacrifice of his place in the Interzonal (Palma de Mallorca 1970) made way for Bobby Fischer's successful 1972 challenge for the World Title. He made an important contribution to opening theory with his book: The Benko Gambit (1973) and revised Reuben Fine's classic endgame text: Basic Chess Endings (2003). He is an expert endgame composer and has won many prizes in this field.

White has powerful passed pawns but they cannot safely advance. He is a piece down and he has to be careful about Queen mating threats. A feature of this study is the underpromotion of a White pawn to a Knight. The Knight ending is very fine because the White win depends on accurate calculation and finesse.

1.b7 Qxc7 (if 1...Qxb7 2.Qxf5+ Kxf5 3.c8Q+ Qxc8=) 2.b8Q Qxb8 3.Qxf5+ Ke7 4.Qxf6+ Kxf6=; 1.Qf3 Qxf3 2.c8Q+ Ke7! 3.b7 Qg3 4.Qf8+ Kxf8 5.b8Q+ Qxb8=;

(a) Basic Endings. These are theoretical positions in which we know the correct result with optimum play by both sides. They may consist of three pawns or less and also include all the non-pawn and five piece endings which have now been extensively analysed by computer and of which we have tablebases. In the days when we had adjournments some of these endings could be looked up in text books to give us some idea how to play the position. As we no longer can do this, knowledge and memory of these endings has become important in practical play. Fundamental Chess Endings (2001) by Muller and Lamprecht and Basic Endings (1992) by Balashov and Prandstetter and the earlier A Pocket Guide to Chess Endgames (1970) by David Hooper are good introductions to these endings.

(b) Practical Endings. These occur in over-the-board play where usually more pawns are present. The above ending is an example of this type. Some of these endings are in the process of being transformed to basic endings but often they finish before this stage is reached. Endgame strategy is very different from the middlegame and has its own set of rules and exceptions. Fine's book Basic Chess Endings (1941,2003) recently revised by Pal Benko and Batsford Chess Endings (1993) by Speelman, Tisdall and Wade are about basic and practical endings and both can be recommended.

(c) Endgame Studies. These are positions which have been composed and will contain elements of one or both of the above types of endings. But there are important differences between these types and the study, such as artistic form and economy of construction. An endgame study has to follow strict rules of composition, especially if it is entered into a composing competition. One of these rules states there should only be one solution. If there is an unintended second solution then the study is unsound and said to be "cooked".