Den största insatsen Benkö gjorde för Bobby Fischer – och hela schackvärlden visade det sig – var att han överlät sin plats i interzonturneringen 1969 till Bobby Fischer som inte var kvalificerad. Det blev starten på Bobby Fischers marsch ända fram till VM-titeln i 1972. Utan Pal Benkös gentila gest till Bobby Fischer hade vi aldrig upplevt den legendariska VM-matchen mot Boris Spasskij i Reykjavik.
En annan världsmästare Garri Kasparov skriver så här om Pal Benkö på twitter:
RIP Pal Benko, an original chess mind who always strove to create original things on the chessboard, especially his countless brilliant compositions. https://t.co/Vl89ej2OoQ
— Garry Kasparov (@Kasparov63) August 26, 2019
Här är två partier där Pal Benkö mött svenska stormästare. Mot Ulf Andersson och mot Juan Bellón som då spelade under spansk flagg. Båda partierna spelades 1971 under samma turnering i Palma de Mallorca.
Avslutningsvis: Fler hyllningar från schackcelebriteter och många andra:
Very sad news!? Just heard that my dear friend GM Pal Benko died at 91. After missing each other for weeks due to our schedules, I finally was able to visit him and his wife last week. He still sent me email after I came home. RIP! Very sad day for chess! ?@USChess @FIDE_chess pic.twitter.com/6vFNZnURk8
— Susan Polgar (@SusanPolgar) August 26, 2019
One of my favorite artists, Grandmaster & composer Pal Benko died at age 91. What a run.
Feel like solving his compositions and listening to Elliott Smith all day but the @GrandChessTour show must go on. Can’t wait for some Yaz tales of the legend ♥️https://t.co/eyfrUFt6R4 pic.twitter.com/6OAsQvQVRc
— Jennifer Shahade (@JenShahade) August 26, 2019
The Hungarian-American grandmaster Pál Benkő has died at the age of 91. A two-time candidate for the world title, he was also an author and composer of endgame studies and chess problems. The Benko Gambit is named after him. Rest in peace, GM Pál Benkő!https://t.co/uslO6VOpl9
— Hungarian Embassy DC (@HungaryinUSA) August 26, 2019
Levon remembers Pal Benko #SinquefieldCup pic.twitter.com/n1GZxZeE9y
— Grand Chess Tour (@GrandChessTour) August 26, 2019
