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Robert Byrne vs Pal Benko
United States Championship (1969), New York, NY USA, rd 11, Dec-17
Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer. Modern Variation (B61)  ·  0-1

ANALYSIS [x]

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Kibitzer's Corner
Aug-22-16
Premium Chessgames Member
  Sally Simpson: Hello,

See K Burger vs Benko, 1969 (kibitz #48)

It was this last round win against R.Byrne that enabled Benko to finish 3rd in the 1969 Us Championship and qualify for the Interzonal.

Benko, as we know, gave up his place to Fischer and that started the whole ball rolling culminating in Fischer winning the 1972 World Championship.

Well it was not quite the start of the ball rolling. That happened in of all places Moscow!

Benko writes in the March 1970 Chess Life and Review (page 130) that he prepared for this tournament by going through the games of the USSR Championship (1969) and in particular the game Gufeld vs Savon, 1969 which he mentions in his article.

If the Russians had withheld the games scores from the 1969 USSR Championship for a period of say 6 months, then Benko would have not got the inspiration to play this line and he may not have won.

The chances are then 1972 would have been Spassky v Petrosian III.

Oct-15-22  Petrosianic: <Sally Simpson> <If the Russians had withheld the games scores from the 1969 USSR Championship for a period of say 6 months, then Benko would have not got the inspiration to play this line and he may not have won.>

I doubt it would have made much difference. Had Benko drawn the game, he would still have finished clear 3rd. Had he lost it, he'd have finished in a tie for 3rd with Lombardy. I'm not sure how the tiebreaks worked, but Lombary would surely have lost a Sonnenborn tiebreak, as he had lost to the top two finishers.

Even if Lombardy had finished 3rd on tiebreaks, the result would likely have been the same. People talk as though just Benko gave up his spot. No, the 9 players who finished behind him also had to step aside. If Lombardy had been willing to step aside as the 4th place finished, he'd probably have done it as the 3rd place finisher also, once the idea were before him. Assuming he wanted the Interzonal spot at all. He qualified for an Interzonal spot once before, and didn't take it.

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