I bet you can't solve this puzzle

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Avatar of Lc0_1

This puzzle was made by Pal Benko, who told Bobby Fischer that he couldn't solve it in 30 minutes. He lost the bet, and asked if he could study it overnight to find a second solution. He lost that bet also. Can you solve it?

Here is the link to the full story, it's very interesting so check it out happy.png

https://www.chesshistory.com/winter/winter126.html?fbclid=IwAR1DxNvsFznhxtBPFEUccMoaLtonzibat3C85pi1Cy6ZgoBuwcyJBPm3Fn0#CN_9043

 

Benko also published the problem on other occasions, e.g. on page 233 of the April 1977 Chess Life & Review. In an article dated 22 August 2005 on pages 38-39 of his dire book This Crazy World of Chess (New York, 2007) Larry Evans put the black king on e5 (a change which, curiously, does not affect the key move) and wrote: "Bobby Fischer once bet he could solve it in a half hour and lost. ... Bobby then bet Benko he could find a second solution (called a cook) if he could study it overnight. He lost again. There is one and only one key move." No source or other information was given, the word ‘once’ being deemed sufficient. The same diagram and text appeared on pages 41-42 of the ‘new edition’ (Las Vegas, 2009). On pages 581-582 of Pal Benko My Life, Games and Compositions by P. Benko and J. Silman (Los Angeles, 2003) Benko wrote that it was "the last problem I composed as a teenager. It was published many times because its original setup appealed to problem-solvers and tournament players alike. During the Lugano Olympiad, which Bobby Fischer attended as a spectator, I made a bet with him that he couldn’t solve it in 30 minutes. As time ran out, he became irritated and demanded to see the answer. When I showed it to him, he insisted that other solutions had to exist. Naturally, this led to another bet. After more time passed, he was forced to settle both wagers. The teenage Pal Benko never would have guessed how much mileage he was going to get out of that little problem."

Avatar of llama44

I think it's worth giving the information it's a mate in 3. I thought it was some weird non-standard puzzle, but the article you link tells the reader it's a mate in 3.

Avatar of sapphireglacier

this is way too easy, i finished it in 10 seconds

Avatar of IncredibleFlower

its really  easy just bc4!