kids encyclopedia robot

Joel Benjamin facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
For the Broadway singer and dancer, see Joel Benjamin (singer).
Quick facts for kids
Joel Benjamin
Benjamin Joel.jpg
Full name Joel Lawrence Benjamin
Country United States
Born (1964-03-11) March 11, 1964 (age 61)
Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
Title Grandmaster (1986)
FIDE rating 2506 (July 2025)
Peak rating 2620 (July 1993)
Peak ranking No. 29 (July 1987)

Joel Lawrence Benjamin, born on March 11, 1964, is a famous American chess player. He has the special title of Grandmaster (GM) from FIDE. This is the highest title a chess player can get! In 1998, the U.S. Chess Federation even named him "Grandmaster of the Year."

Joel Benjamin's Early Life and Chess Journey

Joel Benjamin grew up in Brooklyn, New York City. He lived in the Marine Park neighborhood. He went to PS 222, where he was part of a special class for very smart children.

After high school, Joel went to Yale University. He studied history there and graduated in 1985. Today, he lives in New Jersey with his wife, Deborah, and their two children, Aidan and Amy.

Becoming a Young Chess Master

Joel Benjamin started playing chess at a young age. He became the youngest U.S. chess master when he was just 13 years old. This was a big achievement! Before him, the famous player Bobby Fischer held that record.

Later, other young players like Stuart Rachels and Samuel Sevian broke Joel's record. But Joel's early success showed how talented he was.

Winning Junior Championships

As a young player, Joel won many important tournaments. He won the National Elementary championship in 1976. Then, he won the National Junior High championship in 1978. He also won the National High School championship twice, in 1980 and 1981.

These wins helped him become a stronger player. They prepared him for even bigger challenges in the chess world.

Joel Benjamin's Grandmaster Achievements

Joel Benjamin continued to achieve great things in chess. In 1980, he won the U.S. Junior Championship. That same year, he earned the International Master title. He won the U.S. Junior Championship again in 1982.

In 1985, he won the U.S. Open Chess Championship. A year later, in 1986, he earned the highest title in chess: Grandmaster.

U.S. Chess Champion Titles

Joel Benjamin became the U.S. Chess Champion three times. He shared the title in 1987 with Nick de Firmian. He won it again by himself in 1997 and in 2000.

He also won the Saint John Open I in 1988. In 2000, he won the Canadian Open Chess Championship. In 1999, he came in first place at the QVB Chess Festival in Sydney, Australia.

Joining the World Chess Hall of Fame

On May 2, 2008, Joel Benjamin was honored. He was inducted into the World Chess Hall of Fame in Miami. He was the youngest person ever to be added to this special hall.

Joel Benjamin's Chess Style and Contributions

Joel Benjamin is known for his unique way of playing chess. He often uses unusual opening moves, like the Black Knights' Tango. He is also very good at turning small advantages into big wins during a game.

He tied for first place in the 1986 and 1987 U.S. Masters Chess Championships.

Writing and Commentating

Joel Benjamin has shared his chess knowledge in many ways. He wrote a book called Unorthodox Openings with Eric Schiller. He often writes articles for Chess Life magazine and other chess publications.

He is also a regular commentator on the Internet Chess Club. He often presents their "Game of the Week" webcast. He even started and edited his own chess magazine, Chess Chow, from 1991 to 1994.

His book American Grandmaster: Four Decades of Chess Adventures tells the story of his chess career. His latest book is Chessboard Combat: The Give and Take of Chess Tactics. He also writes articles for the USCF website.

Working with Deep Blue

One of Joel Benjamin's most famous roles was working with IBM. He was hired as the official grandmaster consultant for the Deep Blue chess computer. This computer became famous for defeating World Champion Garry Kasparov in 1997. Joel helped Deep Blue learn how to play chess better.

Appearances and Coaching

Joel Benjamin has also appeared in movies. He was in Searching for Bobby Fischer and Game Over: Kasparov and the Machine. Today, he coaches the chess team at the Columbia Grammar & Preparatory School. He helps young players improve their chess skills.

A Notable Chess Game

This section uses algebraic notation to describe chess moves.
Benjamin vs. Gufeld, Hawaii 1998
Solid white.svg a b c d e f g h Solid white.svg
8 {{{square}}} black king {{{square}}} black king {{{square}}} black king {{{square}}} black king {{{square}}} black rook {{{square}}} black rook {{{square}}} black king {{{square}}} black king 8
7 {{{square}}} black king {{{square}}} black king {{{square}}} black king {{{square}}} black king {{{square}}} black king {{{square}}} black king {{{square}}} black pawn {{{square}}} black pawn 7
6 {{{square}}} black king {{{square}}} black king {{{square}}} black king {{{square}}} black king {{{square}}} black king {{{square}}} black king {{{square}}} white knight {{{square}}} white queen 6
5 {{{square}}} black king {{{square}}} black queen {{{square}}} black king {{{square}}} white rook {{{square}}} black king {{{square}}} black knight {{{square}}} black king {{{square}}} black king 5
4 {{{square}}} black pawn {{{square}}} white pawn {{{square}}} black king {{{square}}} black king {{{square}}} black pawn {{{square}}} black king {{{square}}} black king {{{square}}} black king 4
3 {{{square}}} white pawn {{{square}}} black king {{{square}}} black king {{{square}}} black king {{{square}}} black king {{{square}}} black king {{{square}}} white pawn {{{square}}} black king 3
2 {{{square}}} white bishop {{{square}}} white bishop {{{square}}} black king {{{square}}} black king {{{square}}} black king {{{square}}} white pawn {{{square}}} black king {{{square}}} white pawn 2
1 {{{square}}} black king {{{square}}} black king {{{square}}} black king {{{square}}} black king {{{square}}} black king {{{square}}} black king {{{square}}} white king {{{square}}} black king 1
Solid white.svg a b c d e f g h Solid white.svg
Final position

Here is an example of a game where Joel Benjamin beat another grandmaster, Eduard Gufeld. This game was played in the U.S. Open in Hawaii in 1998.

Benjamin vs. Gufeld
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Qxd4 a6 5.c4 Nf6 6.Nc3 Nc6 7.Qd2 e6 8.Be2 Be7 9.0-0 0-0 10.b3 Qa5 11.Bb2 Rd8 12.Rfd1 b5 13.cxb5 axb5 14.a3 Bb7 15.b4 Qb6 16.Qe1 Ba6 17.Qf1 Rab8 18.Rac1 d5 19.exd5 exd5 20.Na4 bxa4 21.Bxa6 Ne4 22.Bd3 Bd6 23.Rc2 Bf4 24.g3 Bh6 25.Re2 f5 26.Qh3 Rf8 27.Bb1 Rbe8 28.Ba2 Ne7 29.Ne5 Qb5 30.Rxe4 fxe4 31.Qe6+ Kh8 32.Qxh6 Nf5 33.Ng6+ Kg8 34.Rxd5 1–0

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Joel Benjamin para niños

  • List of Jewish chess players
kids search engine
All content from Kiddle encyclopedia articles (including the article images and facts) can be freely used under Attribution-ShareAlike license, unless stated otherwise. Cite this article:
Joel Benjamin Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.