ANew York Times, New York, New York, Friday, January 01, 1960 - Page 23
Fischer Captures 10th-Round Game
Brooklyn Player Sets Back Benko in 68 Moves and Keeps Lead in Chess
Bobby Fischer, United States chess champion, yesterday defeated Pal Benko, a Hungarian refugee, in sixty-eight moves in their adjourned game from the tenth round of the national championship at the Manhattan Chess Club.
The 16-year-old schoolboy's victory was accomplished mainly through a passed pawn on the QR file, supported by his king. The point thus gained left Fischer in first place with a score of 8½—1½. He has drawn three games and lost none. It was the only game scheduled yesterday.
Upon resumption, after forty-one moves, each of them had a rook and three pawns. Benko had sealed his last move, with little enough time to spare. In the opinion of experts, it was not quite the best at is disposal. However, he expected the loss of one of his pawns.
Fischer, with two connected passed pawns on the queen's side of the board, lost no time in advancing the rook and QR file step by step. Moreover, the black king was placed on black's second row. Benko continued to fight back, but the skill of his young adversary carried the game.
New York Times, New York, New York, Saturday, January 02, 1960 - Page 9
Denker and Reshevsky Adjourn After 41 Moves in Title Chess
1944 Victor Declines Offer to Draw—Weinstein Beats Mednis and Seidman
Samuel Reshevsky, seeking to reduce Bobby Fischer's lead in the national championship chess tournament for the Lessing J. Rosenwald Trophy at the Manhattan Chess Club, encountered Arnold S. Denker, the 1944 titleholder, yesterday in their postponed game from the eighth round.
They failed to reach a decision and play was adjourned after five hours. At that stage Denker, having played at the height of his form, had such an excellent position that he declined the draw offered by Reshevsky. The offer stands until they meet again to play off tonight.
In any event, Reshevsky, an international grandmaster, will be a full point behind Fischer, who leads with a score of 8½—1½. Reshevsky's remaining hope to tie for first place hinges upon the outcome of his encounter with Fischer in the eleventh and final round to be played at the West Side Y.M.C.A. tomorrow.
Denker, with the white pieces, started off with a close opening, against which Reshevsky set up a King's Indian defense. White's familiar four-pawn line-up was broken up by the advance of the former champion's KB pawn. Thereby the latter gained freedom of action.
Denker built a king's side attack, based on P-KKt4. He obtained command of the king's knight's file but had to submit to an exchange of rooks.
Presently, the queens also disappeared from the board. Near the end of the session, Reshevsky's position was still cramped, chiefly because of a white passed pawn posted on Q6. When play was adjourned each had two bishops and six pawns. Forty-one moves had been recorded.
Raymond Weinstein of Brooklyn, last year's national junior champion, won both his adjourned games. Weinstein defeated Edmar Mednis in their fifth-round game in fifty-two moves. Then he scored against Herbert Seidman after forty-eight moves in the tenth round.
While Arthur B. Bisguier and Pal Benko played a game adjourned from the fourth round, James T. Sherwin drew with Seidman in the fifth round in forty-eight moves.
Benko, having obtained the better of the game, reached a curious ending with a rook and knight opposed to Bisguier's lone rook. He declined the offer of a draw. Under the rules, play had to continue.
New York Times, New York, New York, Sunday, January 03, 1960 - Page 163, 170
Fischer, 16, Keeps U.S. Chess Crown
Bobby Fischer, 16-year-old Brooklyn schoolboy, won the United States chess championship for the third time in succession at the Manhattan Chess Club last night.
The victory came to him automatically with the tenth-round defeat of Samuel Reshevsky. Reshevsky, who had an outside chance of overtaking the youthful leader, bowed to Arnold S. Denker, the 1944 champion, in their adjourned game in 55 moves.
Fischer, with a score of 8½—1½, comprising seven games won and three drawn, had a lead of 1½ points. This sufficed to clinch the title, regardless of today's eleventh and final round in which Fischer and Reshevsky will meet at the West Side Y.M.C.A. at 2 P.M.
The champion, who was present at the finish, modestly disappeared to avoid the possibility of a demonstration.
In addition to the first cash prize of $1,000 and the Lessing J. Rosenwald Challenge Trophy, Fischer will receive custody of the Frank J. Marshall Cup, which was donated years ago by the Marshall Chess Club as a memorial to the last champion of the United States.
The score of the Denker-Reshevsky game:
Sunday Gazette-Mail, Charleston, West Virginia, Sunday, January 03, 1960 - Page 30
After completion of seven of the scheduled eleven rounds of play in the United States championship tournament, defending title-holder Bobby Fischer led Samuel Reshevsky by one-half point (5½-1½ to 5-2).
As it was the two previous times, the tourney is again a two-man fight for first place, with Fischer again having a slight edge. But if nobody in American chess seems able to top young Grandmaster Fischer, it is also true that nobody else, except Fischer, can top Grandmaster Reshevsky.
★ ★ ★
FISCHER remains undefeated, with three draws against him; while Reshevsky drew twice but lost once (to Seidman who later bowed to Bobby in only 17 moves). Apparently it was a mistake to include U.S. junior champion Robin Ault, as he lost his first six games.
The meeting between Fischer and Reshevsky this year should be something to see. Can the old master defeat his young nemesis?
Tuesday Is Date For Chess Meets 03 Jan 1960, Sun Sunday Gazette-Mail (Charleston, West Virginia) Newspapers.com
Detroit Free Press, Detroit, Michigan, Sunday, January 03, 1960 - Page 42
Check, Mate.. Onions, Smoke and Legs They Win in Chess 03 Jan 1960, Sun Detroit Free Press (Detroit, Michigan) Newspapers.com
Check, Mate.. Onions, Smoke and Legs They Win in Chess 03 Jan 1960, Sun Detroit Free Press (Detroit, Michigan) Newspapers.com
Winning Chess Requires More Than Brainpower 03 Jan 1960, Sun Detroit Free Press (Detroit, Michigan) Newspapers.com
CONCENTRATION . . . CONCENTRATION . . . as players ponder next move at the Detroit Chess, Checker and Bridge Club. Studying (lower left) is Martin Ivan, last of 10 charter members who founded the organization in 1915. Above, club manager John Tolzdorf watches Jack Greenberg make his move.
Check, Mate
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Onions, Smoke and Legs —They Win in Chess
By Bob Pille
The magic number of chess, if anybody cares to toss knowing remarks into unrelated conversation, is 169,518,829,100,544,000,000,000,000,000.
That's the count of possible combinations in the first 10 moves of a match.
And at tournament level there is taining involved, which belies the misguided conviction that the game leads through crackling brain waves only to secretary's spread.
Mikhail Botvinnik, the world champion from Russia, prepares for serious competition by boning up on his rivals' past games and plotting strategy, of course.
★ ★ ★
BUT HE DOES this in “game-condition scrimmage” with a radio blaring at his elbow and with seconds blowing clouds of cigar smoke in his face.
Newell Banks, the oft-times national checkers champion from Detroit and bashful claimant of countless records, used to go even beyond that.
Now seventyish, Banks used to proclaim that in checkers “legs are of absolute importance.”
“You sit and think,” Banks explained, “And if your legs aren't physically fit you develop cramps.
“That means pain and weariness and takes your mind off the game a little. Zingo! You're perhaps a loser.”
Banks in his golden days also issued proclamations on diet: “Little meat…lots of milk and fresh vegetables…a generous quantity of nuts daily…and several big Spanish onions.”
The onions, he said were “for energy.” Not for something so unsporting as breathing on opponents.
Less concerned with such intense problems are the home and club strategists who play for sedentary and concentrated relaxation.
Mostly they just look for even competition, meaning clubs.
★ ★ ★
OLDEST IS THE Detroit Chess, Checker and Bridge Club. The bridge addition came in depression days. “We needed the money,” manager John Tolzdorf explains.
On the club's sixth site (2450 Park) one
Leslie Conklin concentrates on chess move . . . so does kibitzer.
Winning Chess Requires More Than Brainpower
Continued from First Sports
charter member remains of the 10 who founded the group in 1915.
“Membership tripled in the first year,” says Martin Ivan, Austrian-born retired draftsman admitting to “a little past 70.”
The total has been over a hundred, now is somewhat below half that. “Some move in town and out again.” sighs Ivan. ‘And some have a bad habit of dying.”
But if Detroit Chess and Checker is declining, not all clubs are. A group that meets weekly at the University of Detroit is flourishing.
So are clubs in the Jewish community centers, and the likes of the Kings Men, Detroit Edison, and the Oak Park Community Center groups.
The YMCA, with boys taught for years by Lawrence Sveen, has youngsters waiting for instruction.
“Credit Bobby Fischer for that,” says Dr. William Henkin, president of the U-D group.
★ ★ ★
FISCHER IS the latest chess prodigy. At 16 the Brooklyn high school boy is national champion. “He has shown that it's a game for young energetic minds with the drive to win … not just graybeards,” says Dr. Henkin.
Graybeards like Martin Ivan have found that their students sometimes catch them. He used to give a rook handicap to a young man, then reduced that to knight, finally played him even.
“And I showed him a few of my tricks … too many, I guess,” says Ivan. “Now he beats me nine out of 10.”
The student was Morris Weidenbaum, now rated with Royal Oak physician Paul Poschel and Michigan champion and ex-French titlist Stephen Popel among Detroit's best.
But even teaching like that of Ivan and professional Newell Banks doesn't solve the “Russian problem” which also plagues chess.
“They could take their 20 best and hold their own against the 20 best in the rest of the world,” says Ivan. “The government supports them.”
“This country should do the same,” he says. “Intellectual talent like Bobby Fischer's should be subsidized. We shouldn't have any more situations like the genius of a General Grant turning to storekeeping because he couldn't make a living in the Army.”
★ ★ ★
THERE ARE chess players subsidized by the state of Michigan.
Among the many who play the game by mail — sending coded moves back and forth — are inmates of Marquette Prison. Discriminating against nobody, they have battled professors from MIT and Federal judges from Texas.
These mail games are not for the impatient. Tournaments take three or four years if you quickly polish off a rival every six months or so.
Banks recalls that his father once played the champion of New Zealand in a contest that lasted eight years . . . considerable contrast to the night Newell claimed a world record for simultaneous play.
In an exhibition at the Tuller Hotel in the 1930s he stood off 75 checker opponents with his eyes open, six more blindfolded and 25 chess opponents.
★ ★ ★
The Journal Times, Racine, Wisconsin, Sunday, January 03, 1960 - Page 22
Holiday Tournaments
The usual rash of Christmas Holiday chess tournaments are taking place. In the Rosenwald event in New York, Bobby Fischer leads with 4-1, followed by Jim Sherwin with 3-1. No report has yet been received from England on the annual Hastings Christmas tourney, but Mikhail Tal and Boris Spassky are competing in the Riga tournament in Europe, with Spassky topping the challenger in their individual game. In the game below, from the Rosenwald, Robert Byrne scores over Pal Benko.
Holiday Tournaments 03 Jan 1960, Sun The Journal Times (Racine, Wisconsin) Newspapers.com
New York Times, New York, New York, Monday, January 04, 1960 - Page 41
Fischer In Draw With Reshevsky
Deadlock After 40 Moves Allows Byrne To Take 2d Behind Brooklyn Youth
Although the United States chess championship was clinched by Bobby Fischer of Brooklyn Saturday night, his last game with Samuel Reshevsky commanded a full house yesterday at the West Side Y.M.C.A.
The resulted was a draw in forty moves, the offer being made by the youthful champion. At the game's ending, each player had a rook and four pawns.
Had he won, Reshevsky, the former titleholder, would have had a share in the second prize. As it was, the runner-up position went to Robert Byrne of the University of Indianapolis, who had a score of 8—3, one full point below Fischer's 9—2.
Byrne, matches against Robin Ault of Cranford, won in thirty moves, to overtake Reshevsky, whose score was 7½—3½. Fischer and Byrne both emerged undefeated. Fischer won seven games and drew four. Byrne won five and drew six. Reshevsky won six games and drew three; he lost to Herbert Seidman and Arnold S. Denker.
Fourth place, now held by Pal Benko, the Hungarian refugee, remained in the balance when Benko adjourned his game with Sidney Bernstein of Brooklyn. This and two other adjourned games will be played off at the Manhattan Chess Club at 6:30 o'clock this evening. Arthur B. Bisguier, who has a chance to displace Benko, adjourned on even terms with James T. Sherwin after forty moves.
Herbert Seidman, whose defeat of Reshevsky had been one of the brilliancies of the tournament won last night from Edmar Mednis after forty moves of a center counter gambit adopted by Seidman. The latter wound up with a rook and a bishop pitted against a rook in a forced ending.
Raymond Weinstein of Brooklyn game a good account of himself against Denker, whose defeat of Reshevsky assured Fischer of his third consecutive title. At adjournment time, Weinstein was a piece ahead as the result of fine play against a Nimzo-Indian defense.
The Indianapolis News, Indianapolis, Indiana, Monday, January 04, 1960 - Page 15
CHESS
Bobby Fischer, 16-year-old Brooklyn schoolboy, won the U.S. championship for the third straight year in New York.
Chess 04 Jan 1960, Mon The Indianapolis News (Indianapolis, Indiana) Newspapers.com
New York Times, New York, New York, Tuesday, January 05, 1960 - Page 36
Benko Gains Fourth Place
Decisions in the three adjourned games from the final round of the national tournament, co-sponsored by the United States Chess Foundation, were reached last night at the Manhattan Chess Club.
Already determined had been the three leaders: Bobby Fischer of Brooklyn, who won for the third straight year; Robert Byrne of the University of Indianapolis, and Samuel Reshevsky, a world-famous grandmaster and five-time winner of the United States title.
Pal Benko, the Hungarian refugee who holds the Western open title and the Greater New York championship, succeeded last night in winning a very close and delicate ending from Sidney Bernstein of Brooklyn in their adjourned game. He forced his opponent to resign after sixty-two moves. The resulting 7-4 score left Benko alone in fourth place, half a point ahead of Arthur B. Bisguier, who won his game from James T. Sherwin in forty-one moves without resuming play.
Similarly, Raymond Weinstein of Brooklyn took the resignation of Arnold S. Denker, the 1944 champion, in forty-one moves.
Arizona Republic, Phoenix, Arizona, Wednesday, January 06, 1960 - Page 19
Bobby Fischer Wins Chess Tournament
NEW YORK (UPI) — Young Bobby Fischer, of Brooklyn, has won the national chess tournament for the third year in a row.
The tournament, co-sponsored by the U.S. Chess Federation and the American Chess Foundation, was held over the weekend at the Manhattan Chess Club.
Robert Byrne, of the University of Indianapolis, was second.
Bobby Fischer Wins Chess Tournament 06 Jan 1960, Wed Arizona Republic (Phoenix, Arizona) Newspapers.com
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, St. Louis, Missouri, Wednesday, January 06, 1960 - Page 10
Fischer, 16, Again Wins National Chess Meet
New York, Jan. 6 (UPI) — Bobby Fischer, 16 years old, of Brooklyn, is still young enough so that he looks out of place at the national chess tournament. But his skill apparently hasn't declined since he first won the tournament at 14.
He won the national tournament again last weekend, for the third in a row.
Robert Byrne, of the University of Indianapolis, was second and Samuel Reshevsky, five-time winner of the United States title, finished third in the tournament co-sponsored by the United States Chess Foundation and the American Chess Foundation.
Fischer, 16, Again Wins National Chess Meet 06 Jan 1960, Wed St. Louis Post-Dispatch (St. Louis, Missouri) Newspapers.com
Sunday Gazette-Mail, Charleston, West Virginia, Sunday, January 10, 1960 - Page 34
The Final Roundmeeting of Bobby Fischer and Samuel Reshevsky in the U.S. chess championship tournament was something of an anti-climax as young Fischer had already clinched his third straight national chess title. For the record, their game was a draw but it dropped Reshevsky to third position when Byrne won his final round contest. Also for the third straight year, Bobby was undefeated. He won 7 and drew 4. Reshevsky won 6, drew 3 but lost 2 (Seidman and Denker). U.S. junior champion Ault was sadly out of his depth losing all eleven games.
The tournament committee should be very careful in the future about including “talented youngsters” in this important event. After all, teen-age players in Bobby Fischer's class are few and very far between.
The 12 contestants in the U.S. championship event finished in the following order: (surprisingly enough, no two had the same score) Fischer, 9 to 2; Byrne, 8 to 3; Reshevsky, 7½ to 3½; Benko, 7 to 4; Bisguier 6½ to 4½; Weinstein, 6 to 5; Seidman, 5½ to 5½; Sherwin 5 to 6; Mednis, 4½ to ½ Bernstein 4 to 7; Denker, 3 to 8; Ault, 0 to 11.
Chess 10 Jan 1960, Sun Sunday Gazette-Mail (Charleston, West Virginia) Newspapers.com
The Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles, California, Sunday, January 10, 1960 - Page 32
Fischer Wins Again In U.S. Title Chess
For the third year in succession Brooklyn schoolboy Bobby Fischer walked off with the Lessing J. Rosenwald challenge trophy, emblematic of the United States Chess Championship, according to a report from the New York Times.
Winning seven games and allowing four draws, Fischer registered a score of 9-2, a full point ahead of his nearest competitor. Not once has he tasted defeat in any of the three annual events. Considering that he started the streak at the age of 14, this is perhaps the most sensational result in the long history of chess.
Fischer improved his position steadily throughout the tournament and seemed to be playing most forcefully in the later rounds. He made certain of the title in the semifinal round when he defeated Paul Benko, former Hungarian refugee now residing in New York.
When Fischer faced former U.S. champion Samuel Reshevsky on the final day, he was already 1½ points ahead and the anticipated drama of the big game was gone. Reshevsky, with the white pieces, made an earnest effort to win, but the champion defended easily to draw in 40 moves.
Reshevsky's downfall was due largely to a loss in an adjourned eighth-round game to Arnold S. Denker, U.S. champion in 1944 who had been in poor form in this event. Denker built up a king side attack and though the heavy pieces were exchanged he retained an end-game advantage to win in 55 moves.
Coming up from nowhere, second place was clinched in the last round by Robert Byrne, a faculty member of the University of Indianapolis. Byrne was the only other undefeated player besides Fischer, winning five times and drawing six. After winning only twice in the first eight rounds, Byrne took his last three games for a rapid ascent.
Reshevsky, who had previously lost to Herbert Seidman and drawn four games, wound up in third place with 7½-3½. This was the lowest position in some years for the man who had dominated American chess in the pre-Fischer era. Benko, who won his last-round game against Sidney Bernstein, finished fourth with 7½-3½.
Following are details of the later rounds and games from the tournament. A complete score table appears below.
Chess by Isaac Kashdan 10 Jan 1960, Sun The Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, California) Newspapers.com
The Courier-Journal, Louisville, Kentucky, Sunday, January 10, 1960 - Page 38
Fischer Wins Title Third Year In Row
This department's candidate to bring the United States the world chess championship within the next decade took another long step in that direction last week.
Brooklyn's youthful Bobby Fischer won the National Chess Tournament for the third consecutive year.
The tourney, co-sponsored by the United States Chess Federation and the American Chess Foundation, was held at the Manhattan Chess Club.
Robert Byrne, Indianapolis, was second. Samuel Reshevsky, New York, five-time winner of the title, was third. Paul Benko, a Hungarian refugee, was fourth, followed in order by Arthur B. Bisguier and Raymond Weinstein of Brooklyn.
Fischer Wins Title Third Year In Row 10 Jan 1960, Sun The Courier-Journal (Louisville, Kentucky) Newspapers.com
The Journal Times Racine, Wisconsin Sunday, January 10, 1960 - Page 42
Rosenwald Tournament
In the U.S. Championship (Rosenwald Memorial) tournament now under way in New York, Bobby Fischer leads his arch-rival Sammy Reshevsky by a half-point, 8½-1½ to 7-2 at the end of ten rounds. Fischer and Reshevsky will meet in the eleventh and final round. Robert Byrne holds third with 7-3, Pal Benko is fourth 6-4 in the twelve-man field.
Rosenwald Tournament 10 Jan 1960, Sun The Journal Times (Racine, Wisconsin) Newspapers.com
New York Times, New York, New York, Wednesday, January 13, 1960 - Page 24
Chess Aid Is Sought
Group to Petition Congress for Funds for Fischer
A committee headed by Anthony Santasiere, a former national champion, is drawing up a petition to seek Congressional aid in obtaining funds to further the career of Bobby Fischer, 16-year-old United States chess champion from Brooklyn.
Santasiere, the national champion in 1945 and a four-time New York State champion, said petitions were being circulated nationally. The group is called the Committee for United States Chess Champion Bobby Fischer.
Santasiere said his committee hoped to raise money to defray “tournament expenses for Bobby, a goodwill ambassador of his country and a young man with phenomenal talent.” The chairman said he hoped Congress would “see fit to support Bobby tournament-wise until he's able to support himself.”
Santasiere, who teaches at Public School 92, the Bronx, said Fischer was deserving of recognition for “extraordinary services” in winning friends abroad.
The Tampa Tribune, Tampa, Florida, Wednesday, January 13, 1960 - Page 19
Congress Asked to Help U.S. Chess Champion
New York, Jan. 12 (AP)—Chess enthusiasts are petitioning Congress for government help in furthering the career of Bobby Fischer, 16-year-old national champion from Brooklyn.
Petitions are being circulated nationally by a group known as the Committee for U.S. Chess Champion Bobby Fischer.
The group says recognition should be made of Fischer's “extraordinary services” in winning friends abroad and that funds should be appropriated to permit him to continue his international competition.
Congress Asked to Help U.S. Chess Champion 13 Jan 1960, Wed The Tampa Tribune (Tampa, Florida) Newspapers.com
The Morning News, Wilmington, Delaware, Friday, January 15, 1960 - Page 22
Why Not Chess?
The Russian government subsidizes chess players. Russia has the best chess players in the world today, including world champion Botvinnik and most of the leading challengers for his title.
The American government doesn't subsidize chess players. Since the best of them aren't rich, they can't even enter international competition unless they find a patron to finance them. But there aren't enough enthusiastic patrons to go around.
The result is that when American players do meet Russians in international competition, they are under much of the same sort of handicap as amateurs in other fields carry when they meet professionals.
These are some of the facts adduced by an ad hoc group recently formed to petition Congress to provide funds to groom the 16-year-old Brooklyn schoolboy, Bobby Fischer, for a real try at the world championship.
Young Bobby is considered the most promising American chess player since Paul Morphy. He has already won the national title three times in competition with the older international grandmaster Samuel Reshevsky; and in the last year he has done well in international competition. If any American player can bring the world title back over the Atlantic, Bobby can.
Non-chess players, who in this country are legion, may ask, “So what?” The committee has an answer. We are going in for “cultural exchange” with Russia in a big way. We meet the Russians in athletic competition, stage fairs behind the Iron Curtain, send musicians and actors and even vice presidents over there as a sample of our wares.
But chess is the Russian national game, and tournaments there are played in large theatres with overflow crowds standing in the streets. If we can afford to send over these other performers in pursuit of good will, why not the amiable, attractive Bobby Fischer? He would wow them.
Remember the sensation caused in Moscow when Van Cleburn of Texas went over there and played Tchaikovsky on the piano in a music competition? Russians suddenly realized that America was not a nation of cultural barbarians. We think the Committee for United States Champion Bobby Fischer (that's its name) may have something.
Why Not Chess? 15 Jan 1960, Fri The Morning News (Wilmington, Delaware) Newspapers.com
The Morning Call, Allentown, Pennsylvania, Friday, January 15, 1960 - Page 14
Send Chess Champ Abroad
It has been observed with regrets and disgust that in recent years, the Olympic Games have been used more and more as a propaganda medium and less as an emphasis upon skills and training. That we can expect repetition in the current Olympiad is indicated in the difficulties already cooked up by the Red Chinese for athletes of Nationalist China.
We can't do much about the frantic efforts of the Communists to achieve athletic victories and credit the Communist system for a Red's casting the discus a few more inches than his competitor and a Russian Amazon's putting the shot a foot or so farther than some big, Nordic girl from the West.
There is a good chance to beat them at their own game and in a field where they least expect serious challenge; but where they will value results most highly. This is in the field of chess.
The threat that the United States can pose in this field is offered by a brilliant boy from Brooklyn. Bobby Fischer altho only sixteen years of age, is the acknowledged champion of the United States. As such he has done extraordinary service to the nation by his journeys abroad, especially to Russia, where he has met and bested some of the top players in this purely intellectual game.
Now Congress is being petitioned to provide funds to send the mere boy to Europe and to any countries where chess is played extensively. The especial target should be Russia where superiority is played up for its political value. In the confidence that the Brooklyn lad can hold his own with the world's greatest and defeat most of them, he should be encouraged to go wherever masters of the game are to be met.
Americans know that his victories will not be the result of the democratic, free enterprise American system. They know it will be due to the boy's phenomenal mentality. But the Communist world, trained for more than forty years in warped thinking will look upon the defeats of their supermen as a defeat for their system.
Send Chess Champ Abroad 15 Jan 1960, Fri The Morning Call (Allentown, Pennsylvania) Newspapers.com
Sunday Gazette-Mail, Charleston, West Virginia, Sunday, January 17, 1960 - Page 60
“While Bobby Fischer won his third straight United States chess title in the recent championship tournament, Robert Byrnes turned in what was probably his best tournament performance to date. He finished a point behind Fischer, and like him was undefeated.
Byrne game Fischer his closest call of the tourney. Fischer was down his Queen for two Bishops, but he got by with a draw when with youthful alertness he spotted the fact that the same position had occurred three times.”
Speaking of Chess 17 Jan 1960, Sun Sunday Gazette-Mail (Charleston, West Virginia) Newspapers.com
Fort Lauderdale News, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Sunday, January 17, 1960 - Page 27
“Once again 16-year-old Bobby Fischer has proved his supremacy in American chess circles by winning the U.S. Championship by the convincing score of 9-2. He won seven games, drew four and lost none.
Second was R. Byrne with 8-3. S. Reshevsky was third with 7½-3½. Pal Benko came in fourth with 6-4.
Tourney Results 17 Jan 1960, Sun Fort Lauderdale News (Fort Lauderdale, Florida) Newspapers.com
The Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Wednesday, January 27, 1960 - Page 18
Chess Champion Subsidy
To the Editor of The Inquirer:
Your front page article (Jan. 13) regarding the petitioning of Congress to finance Chess Champion Bobby Fischer's international competition has prompted me to write. This is just one of the many straws that are slowly but surely breaking the taxpayers' back.
If the Committee for U.S. Chess Champion Bobby Fischer feels so strongly that his good will abroad will greatly change the state of U.S. relations with the rest of the world, the let them demonstrate some patriotism by raising the money in any way they see fit. But please, let's not milk the taxpayers for pet projects which are so completely foreign to the function of the Federal Government as to be ridiculous.
CHARLES K. PATTERSON
Lancaster, Pa., Jan. 23.
Chess Champion Subsidy 27 Jan 1960, Wed The Philadelphia Inquirer (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) Newspapers.com
The Corpus Christi Caller-Times, Corpus Christi, Texas, Sunday, February 07, 1960 - Page 16
QUESTION: Do you believe Bobby Fischer will be world champion some day?
ANSWER: Bobby has good possibilities. Why not? If at the age of 16, he plays in the highest tournament possible, he will if he can stand the strain, and become a “gentleman” too; become world champion. In the meantime he will have to overcome Mikhail Tal of Russia.
Chats On Chess 07 Feb 1960, Sun Corpus Christi Caller-Times (Corpus Christi, Texas) Newspapers.com
The Guardian, London, Greater London, England, Thursday, February 11, 1960 - Page 7
Seidman-Reshevsky
Some of the most forceful king's side attacks occur when one or more minor pieces are sacrificed so as to expose the king to the crossfire of the opposing queen and rooks. This fine illustration from the United States championship helped to ensure that Bobby Fischer, Reshevsky's great rival, retained the title for the third year running.
Chess 11 Feb 1960, Thu The Guardian (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com
The Sydney Morning Herald, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, Saturday, February 13, 1960 - Page 13
Chess Is A War Of Nerves
“Morphy could not pass examinations to qualify as a lawyer.
Really?!
A New Star in the Firmament. 03 Nov 1864, Thu The Daily True Delta (New Orleans, Louisiana) Newspapers.com
'Chess Is A War Of Nerves' 15 Feb 1960, Mon The Sydney Morning Herald (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia) Newspapers.com
The current American prodigy, Bobby Fischer, amazed his teachers at Erasmus High School, Brooklyn, when they heard of his chess prowess.
“In class he can't sit still for five minutes,” one teacher said. “He just stumbles through his work, and I did not think he was interested in anything but prehistoric animals and jigsaw puzzles.”
Chess Is A War of Nerves (Pt. 2) 13 Feb 1960, Sat The Sydney Morning Herald (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia) Newspapers.com
Express and News, San Antonio, Texas, Sunday, February 14, 1960 - Page 72
The following game won the brilliancy prize in the Swiss Championship of 1956.
The opening is the Sicilian and it appears that the game could have been played yesterday, as Black employs a line very much in vogue at the present time, and White also continues in the current fashion. Bobby Fischer continues in the same manner today as Nievergelt did in 1956.
The game abounds in combinations and illustrates clearly the principle that, in an attack on the king, irrespective of whether the monarch is on a wing or in the center, the combination of wing attack with preponderence in the center is almost invariably irresistible.
Championship Chess 14 Feb 1960, Sun Express and News (San Antonio, Texas) Newspapers.com
The Press Democrat, Santa Rosa, California, Sunday, February 14, 1960 - Page 39
“Will we ever attain their heights in this game? Possibly, but it will take a great deal of work, and a few Bobby Fischers!
A Few Bobby Fischers 14 Feb 1960, Sun The Press Democrat (Santa Rosa, California) Newspapers.com
The Courier-Journal, Louisville, Kentucky, Sunday, February 14, 1960 - Page 32
Congress Is Asked For Funds To Groom Fischer For Title
U.S. Prestige Held At Stake
By MERRILL DOWDEN
The “Committee For United States Chess Champion Bobby Fischer” informs me it is petitioning Congress for funds “that may help us win our immediate goal of securing support for Fischer or our basic goal—the promotion of chess in America and of American prestige abroad.”
Young Fischer, the committee says, “is confidently expected to win the world championship for the United States from Russia, which has held it virtually unchallenged over the past decade.”
And it adds:
“The more this 16-year-old's enormous talents are helped to flourish, the more tournaments in which he can represent the United States all over the world.”
Even without financial assistance from organized chess in America, the three-times U.S. champion has already represented this country abroad in five important events.
Persons interested in the boost-Fischer campaign may obtain further information by writing to Walter Goldwater, committee secretary, University Place Book Shop, 69 University Place, New York City.
Congress Is Asked For Funds To Groom Fischer For Title 14 Feb 1960, Sun The Courier-Journal (Louisville, Kentucky) Newspapers.com
The Sydney Morning Herald, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, Monday, February 15, 1960 - Page 2
“Chess Is A War Of Nerves”
Sir,—James Holledge, in “Chess is a War of Nerves” (“Herald,” Feb. 13), states that Paul Morphy, the American chess genius of a century ago, “could not pass examinations to qualify as a lawyer.”
Morphy was called to the Bar at 19 in April, 1857. He could recite from memory nearly the whole Civil Code of Louisiana at this time, and spoke four languages fluently.
It is true that Bobby Fischer, the American chess prodigy, is restive and lazy at school, but when he decided to learn Russian so as to read his 40 Russian chess books, he mastered it in a matter of months.
True, also, one cannot prove any correlation between chess and intelligence, but the Australian junior chess championship has usually been won by boys of academic brilliance.
Alekhine, probably the most libeled chess champion of all time, never threw his king at any opponent.
Holledge says Lasker claimed he lost the world championship to Steinitz because Steinitz sipped lemonade. Lasker did not, however, lose the world championship to Steinitz; he won it from Steinitz.
C.J.S. PURDY.
Greenwich.
"Chess Is A War Of Nerves" 15 Feb 1960, Mon The Sydney Morning Herald (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia) Newspapers.com
Sunday Gazette-Mail, Charleston, West Virginia, Sunday, February 21, 1960 - Page 34
The current issue of Chess Life, publication of the U.S. Chess Federation, carries, without notes, 15 games of the recently completed U.S. championship tournament. Chess Life intends to publish the remaining matches, too.
THIS PUBLICATION, in hailing Bobby Fischer's third straight U.S. championship, also pointed out that Samuel Reshevsky had won four in a row and, later his fifth American title. But he only finished second in 1951, 1957 - 58 and 1958-59. He dropped to third in the 1959-60 tournament. Oddly enough, Sammy lost two games, but to Seidman in seventh place and to Denker in 11th (next to last) place.
This is not exactly recent news, but Pal Benko won the U.S. rapid transit championship in a tourney conducted by the Log Cabin Chess Club. Benko scored 9½ to ½. Other scorers were Bisguier, 8 to 2; and Fischer, 7 to 3.
U.S. Championship Tournament 21 Feb 1960, Sun Sunday Gazette-Mail (Charleston, West Virginia) Newspapers.com
Courier-Post, Camden, New Jersey, Wednesday, February 24, 1960 - Page 13
The Committee for U.S. Chess Champion Bobby Fischer is promoting a campaign to persuade Congress to make an appropriation to our sensational 16-year star “on a continuing basis, to enable him properly to carry on his invaluable service to our country.” Interested organizations and individuals are asked to sign petitions to that effect which may be obtained from the committee by addressing it c/o University Place, New York City. A.E. Santasiere is chairman and Walter Goldwater secretary of the committee.
The Committee for U.S. Chess Champion Bobby Fischer 24 Feb 1960, Wed Courier-Post (Camden, New Jersey) Newspapers.com
The Bridgeport Telegram, Bridgeport, Connecticut, Saturday, March 05, 1960 - Page 12
A group of chess enthusiasts hopes to petition Congress for some loot to finance tours by 16-year-old U.S. chess champ Bobby Fischer . . . Bobby has been abroad five times, is rated by U.S. experts as a potential threat to Russian dominated world championships.
Chess Enthusiasts 05 Mar 1960, Sat The Bridgeport Telegram (Bridgeport, Connecticut) Newspapers.com
The Courier-Journal,Louisville, Kentucky, Sunday, March 06, 1960 - Page 30
Russians, Losing Face, Start Training Center
By Merrill Dowden
If there's one thing the Russians hate to lose even more than a chess game, match, tournament, or title, it is “face”.
And face they did lose with the dropping in recent months of the Junior World Chess Championship and the Students Team Championship.
This deep and double humiliation is said to be the reason for a decree issued in the U.S.S.R. for the immediate recruitment of 1,000 boys and girls, for a new chess-training school, and an additional 1,300 for chess-training centers.
The program also orders physical-education teachers to undergo courses in chess instruction and special trainers to supervise what the New York Times calls “the great farm system” in Moscow, Leningrad, Kiev and Minsk.
In view of these developments, Chess Review suggests:
“It is impossible to resist the thought that, perhaps, the advent of Bobby Fischer has unsettled Russian convictions.”
(Teen-ager Fischer is the reigning American champion)
The King's Men 06 Mar 1960, Sun The Courier-Journal (Louisville, Kentucky) Newspapers.com
Oakland Tribune, Oakland, California, Sunday, March 06, 1960 - Page 138
…Then the winning hall will challenge 16-year-old Bobby Fischer of Brooklyn, a three time United States Chess Champion, to a match.
“We think we can beat him,” said Lynn Waterman and Russ Barlow.
Co-Ed Overconfidence 06 Mar 1960, Sun Oakland Tribune (Oakland, California) Newspapers.com
New York Times, New York, New York, Wednesday, March 09, 1960 - Page 40
Youth Chess Group to Meet
The Youth for Chess Committee will hold its first meeting tomorrow at 8 P.M. at the Advertising Club, 23 Park Avenue, at Thirty-fifth Street. Among other goals, the organization hopes to increase interest in chess among the young and to secure Federal aid for the game. Bobby Fischer, the United States champion, who will be 17 years old today, will play an active part in the committee.
New York Times, New York, New York, Thursday, March 10, 1960 - Page 39
Prins Scores In Chess
Takes 8 Matches and Draws 3 in Simultaneous Play
Notables in the chess world, including the United States champion Bobby Fischer, Dr. Reuben Fine and Dr. Edward Lasker, turned out last night to greet Lodewijk Prins of Amsterdam at the Marshall Chess Club.
Prins, en route home after a visit to the Dutch West Indies, played twelve opponents simultaneously. He won eight games, drew three and lost one, to E.C. Dietrich. Draws were registered by Dr. Robert C. Stephenson, G. Wildenberg and H. Hirsch.
Fort Lauderdale News, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Sunday, March 20, 1960 - Page 120
Chess Queen's Gambit
By Neil Hickey
THE DARKLY BEAUTIFUL GIRL you see at the left is neither an aspiring dramatic actress, a cheesecake Hollywood starlet, nor a $100-an-hour high-fashion photographer's model. At 22, she's the reigning Queen of American chess players, the top-ranking woman manipulator of kings, rooks and pawns.
Lisa Lane confounds all customary notions of bookish, brainy females. She has all the equipment, all the lissome beauty of a cover girl; yet in free competition last December, she vanquished all comers and, after a five-hour bout with the defending title-holder, emerged undisputed women's national champ.
Says a chagrined male victim: “It's hard enough to concentrate on the game with her sitting across the chessboard in a floppy sweater. But on top of that, she's a killer. She plays chess like Pancho Gonzales plays tennis: always stalking, always aggressive. No doubt about it—if she continues to study, she can be the best woman player in the world.” And the best looking, we might add.
Next year, she and Bobby Fischer, 17-year-old men's champ, will trek to Yugoslavia and represent the U.S. in an international interzonal tournament. “We'll meet the Russians,” she says. “They're traditionally the best in the world and I'm anxious to see them. Of course, in Russia, chess is the national sport and players are subsidized. No wonder Americans have trouble beating them.”
Lisa, who'll be the first woman chess “master” in U.S. history, has played chess for only two years. Her opponents in the championship were women with experience ranging up to 30 years.
She was a philosophy student in her sophomore year at Temple University (she lives in Philadelphia) when a local master named Attilio DiCamillo interested her in the game. He watched her play a few times and ventured the prediction: “If you work hard you can be national champion in two years.” Lisa copped the crown right on schedule.
“I dropped out of Temple University (I wasn't much of a student anyway), and devoted eight to 12 hours a day to chess. I'd work with Mr. DiCamillo all morning; then in the afternoons and evenings I'd play at a chess club near my home, and write down every move. The next day my teacher and I would go over the previous day's games. I spent all my money on chess books.”.
Nine days after winning the title, the youngest woman ever to do so, Lisa got married. Walter Rich, a boy she had known for three years, convinced her there's more to it all than playing chess. Now she says: “If I don't win in Yugoslavia next year, I never will; the tourney won't be held again for another four years, and by that time I'll be raising a family.”
Insiders say that while Bobby Fischer is an outright prodigy and a slightly eccentric one at that, Lisa Lane is a normal 22-year-old who simply has developed through hard work. She's demure and a little shy, but in recalling past matches, she'll dramatize every move in a burst of theatrics that leaves a listener breathless.
Is she good enough to beat Fischer? “No, I don't think so,” she says. “I've never played him, but I'm sure he's better than I. But then men are better than women at most things, aren't they? That's the way it should be.”
Chicago-born Fischer, who tied for fifth place in the interzonal finals in Yugoslavia in 1958, may be the greatest natural genius since the age of six, and won the U.S. men's title at 14. Though one of his high school teachers in Brooklyn, where he moved with his divorced mother in 1948, calls him “a sure bet for the world's championship some day, none of the other great players ever accomplished so much so early.” Bobby's fiercely competitive spirit makes it tough on the people around him. He used to go to a corner after a losing match and cry.
Most topflight chess players are hard losers. “I can't even look at my opponent for hours after losing a game,” Lisa confesses. But that problem seldom arises with this curvaceous campaigner. She'll beat you fair and square or rattle your composure with a flutter of eyelids. Either way, it's almost fun to lose.
Chess Queen's Gambit 20 Mar 1960, Sun Fort Lauderdale News (Fort Lauderdale, Florida) Newspapers.com
Des Moines Tribune, Des Moines, Iowa, Monday, March 21, 1960 - Page 15
Fischer to Play
Mar Del Plata, Argentina (AP) — The young U.S. champion, Bobby Fischer of Brooklyn, will come here to play in the International Chess tournament next week, the Argentine Federation announced.
Fischer to Play 21 Mar 1960, Mon Des Moines Tribune (Des Moines, Iowa) Newspapers.com
The Baltimore Sun, Baltimore, Maryland, Tuesday, March 22, 1960 - Page 19
Fischer In Chess Event
Mar Del Plata, Argentina, March 21 (AP)—The young United States champion, Bobby Fischer, of Brooklyn, will come here to play in the international chess tournament next week, the Argentine Federation announced. Other international masters also have been invited.
Fischer In Chess Event 22 Mar 1960, Tue The Baltimore Sun (Baltimore, Maryland) Newspapers.com
New York Times, New York, New York, Saturday, March 26, 1960 - Page 18
Fischer Gets Invitation For Chess in Moscow
Ever since Bobby Fischer, the Brooklyn schoolboy chess wonder, competed at Moscow two years ago he has been eager to return for another crack at the Soviet masters.
On Thursday he left for an international tournament at Mar del Plata, Argentina. Yesterday the mailman delivered an invitation from the Moscow Chess Club to compete in an international competition there May 24-June 9. The letter had been mailed Feb. 23
His mother said she would forward the letter to Bobby in South America.
Asbury Park Press, Asbury Park, New Jersey, Saturday, March 26, 1960 - Page 9
Fischer Gets Delayed Wish
New York (AP)—Ever since Bobby Fischer, Brooklyn schoolboy chess wonder, competed at Moscow two years ago he had been eager to return to Russia for another crack at the Soviet masters.
Thursday he left for an international tournament at Mar Del Plata, Argentina. Yesterday the mailman delivered an invitation from the Moscow Chess Club to compete in an international competition there May 24-June 9. The letter had been mailed Feb. 23.
Fischer Gets Delayed Wish 26 Mar 1960, Sat Asbury Park Press (Asbury Park, New Jersey) Newspapers.com
The Gazette, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, Saturday, March 26, 1960 - Page 17
The Game of Kings
Bobby Fischer Goes South
Youthful U.S.A. champion, Robert Fischer, will be one of the favorites to win the Mar del Plata, Argentina, international which starts March 29th. Russia will send B. Spassky and D. Bronstein, and F. Olafsson will come from Iceland. Veterans M. Najdorf and E. Eliskases will provide the chief opposition from Argentina. Invitations have been sent to B. Larsen, Denmark, L. Szabo, Hungary, and W. Unzicker, Germany. There will be 20 in a single round robin.
Bobby Fischer Goes South 26 Mar 1960, Sat The Gazette (Montreal, Quebec, Canada) Newspapers.com
Asbury Park Press, Asbury Park, New Jersey, Thursday, March 31, 1960 - Page 30
Fischer Wins Chess Opener
Mar Del Plata, Argentina (AP)—Bobby Fischer, U.S. champion from New York and three other foreign grand masters won their opening matches in the Mar Del Plata international chess tournament Tuesday night.
Fischer beat Argentine Bernardo Wexler in 40 moves. David Bronstein, Russia, defeated Argentine Alberto Fogelman in 44 moves. Boris Spassky, Russia, won over Argentine Carlos Bielicki in 40 moves, and Frederick Olafsson, Iceland, beat Argentine Carlos Incutto in 37 moves.
Fischer Wins Chess Opener 31 Mar 1960, Thu Asbury Park Press (Asbury Park, New Jersey) Newspapers.com
New York Times, New York, New York, Thursday, March 31, 1960 - Page 45
Fischer Defeats Wexler In Chess
Forces Argentine Champion to Resign in 40 Moves at Mar Del Plata
Bobby Fischer, the United States chess champion, started with a victory yesterday in the Argentine Chess Federation tournament at Mar del Plata, according to a report received through South American news sources last night.
Fischer's opponent was Bernardo Wexler, the champion of Argentina. The Brooklyn youth played the King's Indian defense. He followed the line of the Petrosian variation and won the exchange to obtain a winning position. Wexler resigned after forty moves.
There are sixteen players in the competition. Nine are from Argentina, two from the Soviet Union and one each from Brazil, Chile, Uruguay and Iceland.
The two Soviet representatives, Boris Spassky and David Bronstein, also scored.
The Tennessean, Nashville, Tennessee, Thursday, March 31, 1960 - Page 45
Fischer Wins First Match In Argentine Tourney
Mar Del Plata, Argentina—(AP)—Bobby Fischer, U.S. champion from New York and other foreign grand masters won their opening matches in the Mar Del Plata international chess tournament Tuesday.
Fischer beat Argentine Bernardo Wexler in 40 moves. David Bronstein, Russia, defeated Argentine Alberto Fogelman in 44 moves. Boris Spassky, Russia won over Argentine Carlos Bielicki in 40 moves, and Frederick Olafsson, Iceland, beat Argentine Carolos Incutto in 37 moves.
Fischer Wins First Match In Argentine Tourney 31 Mar 1960, Thu The Tennessean (Nashville, Tennessee) Newspapers.com
New York Times, New York, New York, Friday, April 01, 1960 - Page 46
Spassky Defeats Fischer In Chess
Soviet Player Subdues U.S. Champion in 29 Moves, Tying Letelier for Lead
Boris Spassky, a former world junior champion and one of the two Soviet players in the chess tournament at Mar del Plata in Argentina, defeated Bobby Fischer of Brooklyn, the United States champion, in the second round yesterday.
Spassky, meeting Fischer for the first time, used a king's gambit along the lines of the Kieseritsky variation. Spassky maintained constant pressure, sacrificing a pawn, but keeping both rooks in forceful action.
Finally, the Soviet player crowding out his adversary's queen, won a piece by force, causing Fischer to resign after twenty-nine moves.
Spassky tied at 2—0 for first place with Rene Letelier of Chile, who beat Erich Eliskases of Argentina. David Bronstein, the Soviet grandmaster, was held to a short draw by Fridrik Olafsson of Iceland, who forced a perpetual check.
Asbury Park Press Asbury Park, New Jersey Friday, April 01, 1960 - Page 30
Fischer Beaten
Mar Del Plata, Argentina (AP)—Boris Spassky, Russian grand master, needed only 29 moves yesterday in defeating Bobby Fischer of Brooklyn, 17-year-old United States chess champion.
Fischer Beaten 01 Apr 1960, Fri Asbury Park Press (Asbury Park, New Jersey) Newspapers.com
The Gazette Montreal, Quebec, Canada Friday, April 01, 1960 - Page 32
Chess Victor
Mar Del Plata, Argentina, March 31.—(AP)—Boris Spassky, Russian grand master, needed only 29 moves today in defeating Bobby Fischer of Brooklyn, 17-year-old United States chess champion. They met in an International tournament.
Chess Victor 01 Apr 1960, Fri The Gazette (Montreal, Quebec, Canada) Newspapers.com
Star Tribune Minneapolis, Minnesota Saturday, April 02, 1960 - Page 20
Sports In Brief
“Bobby Fischer, 17, United States chess champion, defeated Olisio Gadia of Brazil in 23 moves in an Argentine international tournament…
Bobby Fischer Defeats Olisio Gadia of Brazil in 23 Moves 02 Apr 1960, Sat Star Tribune (Minneapolis, Minnesota) Newspapers.com
The Times Record Troy, New York Saturday, April 02, 1960 - Page 13
Fischer Wins Chess Match
Mar Del Plata, Argentina (AP)—Bobby Fischer, 17-year-old U.S. chess champion from Brooklyn, defeated Olisio Gadia of Brazil in 23 moves last night in the third round of an international tourney. Boris Spassky of Russia, leads with three straight triumphs. He defeated Fischer Wednesday.
Fischer Wins Chess Match 02 Apr 1960, Sat The Times Record (Troy, New York) Newspapers.com
New York Times, New York, New York, Saturday, April 02, 1960 - Page 19
Spassky Wins Again
Boris Spassky, one of the two Russian representatives among sixteen players in the tournament at Mar del Plata, yesterday gained his third consecutive victory at the expense of A. Redolfo of Argentina, whom he defeated on the black side of a Sicilian defense. David Bronstein of Moscow and Fridrik Olafsson of Iceland were also winners and are tied for second place with scores of 2½—½.
The United States champion, Bobby Fischer, outplayed Olisio Gadia of Brazil in a Sicilian defense lasting twenty-three moves. The 17-year-old schoolboy is in a quadruple tie for fourth place with a score of 2—1.
The Courier-Journal Louisville, Kentucky Sunday, April 03, 1960 - Page 49
Fischer Defeated By Russian
By Merrill Dowden
Russia's Boris Spassky, former world junior champion, defeated Bobby Fischer, 17-year-old United States champion, as the International Chess Tournament got under way last week at Mar del Plata, Argentina.
The New York Times News Service reports that Spassky, meeting the American for the first time, resorted to a King's Gambit along the lines of the Kierseritsky Variation. He sacrificed a Pawn, quickly got both Rooks into action, and finally won a piece by force after crowding Fischer's Queen out of position.
However, Fischer's game with Brazil's Olisio Gadia on Friday ended on a happier note, Fischer winning with a Sicilian Defense in only 23 moves.
Friday also saw a turn in the fortunes of defending World Champion Mikhail Botvinnik of Russia, who at last cracked the ice in the title match with the Latvian, Mikhail Tal.
Botvinnik won the eighth game of the 24-game series to reduce his rival's impressive lead to 5-3.
Fischer Defeated By Russian 03 Apr 1960, Sun The Courier-Journal (Louisville, Kentucky) Newspapers.com
New York Times, New York, New York, Monday, April 04, 1960 - Page 41
Botvinnik Beats Tal in 9th Game
Cuts Challengers' lead to 5-4 in World Chess Play—Spassky, Fischer Win
Mikhail Botvinnik, the defending world chess champion, reduced the lead of Mikhail Tal of Latvia yesterday when he won the ninth game of the title series in Moscow, according to Soviet news sources. The game had been adjourned after forty-one moves on Saturday and Botvinnik won after fifty-eight moves.
The play of the challenger in the first session was regarded as reckless. He sacrificed a piece for two pawns while playing the white pieces against a Caro-Kann defense.
At the time of adjournment, after queens and other pieces had been exchanged, the champion still held command. The ending, however, was quite difficult and required all of Botvinnik's high-class technique.
Tal holds a 5-4 lead. The tenth game of the twenty-four game series is scheduled for Tuesday.
…
Eighth Game Analyzed
The eighth game of the championship match, the first one in which Botvinnik was able to win from Tal, was a Benoni counter gambit, set up by Tal. It followed the lines of the second game, which resulted in a draw.
…
Spassky Wins Again
Boris Spassky, a Soviet grandmaster, yesterday continued his victorious career in the international chess tournament at Mar del Plata when he defeated Olisio Gadia of Brazil in 44 moves. Spassky retained the lead with four straight victories to his credit, according to a report received through South American news sources.
Bobby Fischer, the United States champion, won from B. Said of Argentina on the black side of a King's Indian defense in thirty-four moves.
The fourth-round summaries:
Asbury Park Press Asbury Park, New Jersey Monday, April 04, 1960 - Page 18
Fischer Beats Saddi in Chess
Mar Del Plata, Argentina (AP)—Bobby Fischer, teen-age U.S. champion, advanced into a tie for second place in the international chess tournament Saturday night when he defeated Argentina's Julio Saddi in 34 moves.
The victory gave Fischer three points and a deadlock with Russia's David Bronstein and Argentina's Bernardo Wexler and Alberto Fogelman.
Boris Spassky of Russia remained undefeated in first place with four points. His fourth victory was over Olisio Gadia of Brazil in 44 moves.
Fischer Beats Saddi in Chess 04 Apr 1960, Mon Asbury Park Press (Asbury Park, New Jersey) Newspapers.com
The Los Angeles Times Los Angeles, California Monday, April 04, 1960 - Page 4
Bobby Fischer Tied for Second in Chess Meet
Mar Del Plata Argentina, April 3 (AP) — Bobby Fischer, teen-age U.S. champion, advanced into a tie for second place in the International Chess Tournament last night when he defeated Argentina's Julio Saddi in 34 moves.
The victory gave Fischer 3 points and a deadlock with Russia's David Bronstein and Argentina's Bernardo Wexler and Alberto Fogelman.
Boris Spassky of Russia remained undefeated in first place with 4 points.
Bobby Fischer Tied for Second in Chess Meet 04 Apr 1960, Mon The Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, California) Newspapers.com
New York Times, New York, New York, Tuesday, April 05, 1960 - Page 49
Fischer Scores Narrow Triumph
Wins From Argentine in 44 Moves and Takes Second in Mar del Plata Chess
Boris Spassky of the Soviet Union extended his winning streak for a 5-0 lead in the chess tournament at Mar del Plata in Argentina.
However, Bobby Fischer, the 17-year-old United States champion, has taken second place with a score of 4—1, according to a report that arrived last night.
Fischer won from Erich Eliskases of Argentina after forty-four moves in a Ruy Lopez. It was a close struggle.
Spassky had the black side of a Ruy Lopez against Carlos Incutto of Argentina. Spassky sacrificed a piece for the attack and won in twenty-five moves.
The Times Record Troy, New York Tuesday, April 05, 1960 - Page 19
Bobby Fischer Tops Argentine In Chess Match
Mar Del Plata, Argentina (AP)—Bobby Fischer of Brooklyn defeated Argentina's Erich Eliskases in 44 moves Sunday night in a fifth round match of the international chess tournament. Fischer, with four points, is second to Russian Boris Spassky, who has five on five straight victories.
Bobby Fischer Tops Argentine In Chess Match 05 Apr 1960, Tue The Times Record (Troy, New York) Newspapers.com
Chicago Tribune Chicago, Illinois Tuesday, April 05, 1960 - Page 56
To Complete the Report…
Bobby Fischer, 17, United States chess champion, beat Erich Eliskases of Argentina in 44 moves in the international tournament in Mar del Plata, Argentina. Fischer, having won four and lost one, is in second place behind Boris Spassky of Russia.
Bobby Fischer vs. Erich Eliskases in 44 Moves 05 Apr 1960, Tue Chicago Tribune (Chicago, Illinois) Newspapers.com
St. Louis Post-Dispatch St. Louis, Missouri Tuesday, April 05, 1960 - Page 17
Russian Still Leads Chess Event, American Second
New York, April 5—While Boris Spassky of the Soviet Union continues his winning streak to lead in the international chess tournament at Mar del Plata with a score of 5-0, Bobby Fischer, 17-year-old United States champion, took second place with a score of 4-1, a report which reached here last night says.
The youthful American won in 44 moves in a Ruy Lopez from Erich Eliskasas of Argentina. It was a close struggle, but Fischer succeeded in capturing a piece in the ending. Spassky had the black side of Ruy Lopez against Carlos Incutto of Argentina. The Russian sacrificed a piece for the attack and won in 25 moves. David Bronstein, the other Russian, is in a quadruple tie at 3½-1½.
Russian Still Leads Chess Event, American Second 05 Apr 1960, Tue St. Louis Post-Dispatch (St. Louis, Missouri) Newspapers.com
New York Times, New York, New York, Wednesday, April 06, 1960 - Page 53
Fischer Triumphs In 72-Move Game
Beats Foguelman to Retain Second Place in Argentine Chess—Spassky Wins
Bobby Fischer, the three-time chess champion of the United States, yesterday retained second place in the international tournament at Mar del Plata, Argentina, with a brilliant effort in the sixth round against Alberto Foguelman of Argentina.
The Brooklyn youth played the Sicilian defense and a polished ending rewarded his performance with a victory. The game lasted seventy-two moves. His score now is 5—1.
Boris Spassky of the Soviet Union, the leader, made it six straight by defeating B. Sadi of Argentina in a Sicilian defense lasting forty-one moves.
Rene Letelier of Chile and Fridrik Olafsson of Iceland were winners and remained tied for third place at 4½—1½.
New York Times, New York, New York, Thursday, April 07, 1960 - Page 49
Fischer Outplays Olafsson
Bobby Fischer, the United States chess champion, gained an important victory yesterday in the seventh round of the international tournament at Mar del Plata in an English opening lasting forty-one moves.
The American youth outplayed Fridrik Olafsson of Iceland in the first session of an English opening, winding up two pawns plus. Olafsson resigned without resuming play.
Fischer, with a score of 6—1, is second to Boris Spassky of Russia with 6½—½. Spassky was held to a draw by David Bronstein, the other Soviet representative.
Asbury Park Press Asbury Park, New Jersey Thursday, April 07, 1960 - Page 28
Fischer Only Half-Point Behind Russ
Mar Del Plata, Argentina (AP)—Bobby Fischer defeated Frederick Olafsson of Iceland, in 42 moves Tuesday night and the 17-year-old Brooklyn youth closed to within a half-point of the Russian leader in an international chess tournament. Boris Spassky has 6½points, the young U.S. champion 6.
Spassky and David Bronstein, also from Russia, drew on 29 moves.
Fischer Only Half-Point Behind Russ 07 Apr 1960, Thu Asbury Park Press (Asbury Park, New Jersey) Newspapers.com
The Morning News Wilmington, Delaware Thursday, April 07, 1960 - Page 40
U.S. Chess Ace Wins
Mar Del Plata, Argentina, April 6 (AP).—Bobby Fischer defeated Frederick Olafsson of Ireland, in 42 moves last night and the 17-year-old Brooklyn youth closed to within a half-point of the Russian leader in an international chess tournament. Boris Spassky has 6½ points, the young U.S. champion, 6.
U.S. Chess Ace Wins 07 Apr 1960, Thu The Morning News (Wilmington, Delaware) Newspapers.com
The Palm Beach Post West Palm Beach, Florida Thursday, April 07, 1960 - Page 24
Brooklyn Teener Nears Chess Lead
Mar Del Plata, Argentina, (AP)—Bobby Fischer defeated Frederick Olafsson of Iceland, in 42 moves Tuesday night and the 17-year-old Brooklyn youth closed to within a half-point of the Russian leader in an international chess tournament. Boris Spassky has 6½ points, the young U.S. champion 6.
Spassky and David Bronstein, also from Russia, drew on 29 moves. It was the only game Spassky has failed to win. The eighth round of competition is scheduled for Thursday.
Brooklyn Teener Nears Chess Lead 07 Apr 1960, Thu The Palm Beach Post (West Palm Beach, Florida) Newspapers.com
Tampa Bay Times St. Petersburg, Florida Saturday, April 09, 1960 - Page 24
Fischer Still Down Half Point in Chess
Mar Del Prata, Argentina (AP) — Boris Spassky of Russia maintained his half-point lead over Bobby Fischer of Brooklyn, Thursday night in the international chess tourney.
Spassky, who was held to a draw once in the eight rounds to date, has 7½ points. Fischer, at 17 the U.S. champion, lost an early round match. He has 7 points. Each won Thursday night. Spassky defeated Erich Elizkases of Argentina in 33 moves while Fischer defeated Osvaldo Bazan, also of Argentina, in 33.
Fischer Still Down Half Point in Chess 09 Apr 1960, Sat Tampa Bay Times (St. Petersburg, Florida) Newspapers.com
New York Times, New York, New York, Saturday, April 09, 1960 - Page 18
Spassky, Fischer Again Win
Boris Spassky of Russia and Bobby Fischer, the United States champion, the two leaders in the international chess tournament at Mar del Plata, Argentina, won again in the eighth round yesterday, according to last night's report through South American news sources.
Spassky, with a point score of 7½—½, defeated Erich Eliskases of Argentina in a Sicilian defense lasting thirty-six moves.
Fischer, second with 7—1, won in thirty-three moves on the black side of a Queen's pawn opening. After winning a piece, the American worked up a fine mating attack. The only other winner was Bernard Wexler of Argentina, who outplayed Carlos Bielicki of Argentina.
New York Times, New York, New York, Sunday, April 10, 1960 - Page 237
Fischer Defeats Bielicki In Chess
Wins in 38 Moves to Retain 2d Place in Argentina—Spassky Scores
The United States chess champion, Bobby Fischer, won again in the ninth round of the international chess tournament at Mar del Plata, Argentina, yesterday, according to a report reaching here last night through South American news sources.
The 17-year-old American defeated Carlos Bielicki of Argentina, on the white side of a Sicilian defense after winning a pawn. The game lasted thirty-eight moves.
Fischer, with a score of 8-1, remained in second place. The leader, Boris Spassky of Russia, retained the lead with 8½-½ after beating J. Alvarez del Monte of Uruguay in a Sicilian defense lasting twenty-four moves.
The Los Angeles Times Los Angeles, California Sunday, April 10, 1960 - Page 38
Spassky Beats Fischer, Leads In Mar Del Plata
Bobby Fischer, brilliant 16-year-old United States chess champion, accepted an invitation to participate in the annual international master tournament at Mar del Plata, Argentina, according to a report from the New York Times.
Among the most highly regarded of the 16 competitors are David Bronstein and Boris Spassky of the Soviet Union and Fridrik Olafsson of Iceland.
Spassky is setting the pace with three winning efforts in the first three rounds of the tournament. He defeated Fischer in the second round, opening with a daring but rarely seen variation of the King's Gambit.
Fischer played to retain the gambit pawn and developed a satisfactory game. But he lost ground after several weak moves, notably on his 21st turn when B-N2 was much superior to R-N2. In the final position Spassky was about to win a piece when Fischer resigned.
In other games Fischer scored points against Bernardo Wexler of Argentina and Olisio Gadia of Brazil. His 2-1 score placed him in fourth position. Bronstein and Olafsson were tied for second and third with 2½-½ each.
Spassky Beats Fischer, Leads In Mar Del Plata 10 Apr 1960, Sun The Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, California) Newspapers.com
Sunday Gazette-Mail Charleston, West Virginia Sunday, April 10, 1960 - Page 64
“HE NOW TRAILS his younger opponent by only one point and there are still fourteen games left to play, unless one player gains 12½ points first.
Another young Soviet master, Boris Spassky, is setting a blazing pace in the tournament at Mar del Plata, Argentina, with six straight wins. But Bobby Fischer of Brooklyn, who is even younger, is just a point behind at 5-1. Fischer is three-time U.S. champion.
Fridrik Olafsson of Iceland and Rene Letelier of Chile are tied at 4½-1½—a half point ahead of Osvaldo Bazan of Argentina and David Bronstein, the other Russian competitor in this event.”
Boris Spassky vs Bobby Fischer - One Point Trailing 10 Apr 1960, Sun Sunday Gazette-Mail (Charleston, West Virginia) Newspapers.com
The Racine Journal-Times Sunday Bulletin Racine, Wisconsin Sunday, April 10, 1960 - Page 36
Mar Del Plata
Bobby Fischer of the U.S. drew to within ½ point of tournament leader Boris Spassky by defeating Frederik Olafsson of Iceland, while Spassky was drawing with David Bronstein. Fischer's only loss was to Spassky on the Black side of a King's Gambit. Spassky has 6½-½, Fischer 6-1, Bronstein 5½-1½.
Mar Del Plata 10 Apr 1960, Sun The Racine Journal-Times Sunday Bulletin (Racine, Wisconsin) Newspapers.com
The Courier-Journal Louisville, Kentucky Sunday, April 10, 1960 - Page 40
Fischer Wins Chess Match
Mar Del Plata, Argentina, April 9 (AP)—Both Boris Spassky of Russia and Bobby Fischer of Brooklyn won again Friday night in an international chess match and continued their race toward the finish separated by only a half point. After nine rounds, Spassky has 8½ points, the 17-year-old U.S. champion 8.
Fischer Wins Chess Match 10 Apr 1960, Sun The Courier-Journal (Louisville, Kentucky) Newspapers.com
The Times Shreveport, Louisiana Monday, April 11, 1960 - Page 2
American Champ Wins Chess Game
Mar Del Plata, Argentina, April 10 (AP)—Russia's Boris Spassky and Bobby Fischer, the American champion, won their tenth round games Saturday night in the international chess tournament. The 16 contestants each have five games to go.
Spassky leads with 9 points. Fischer, of Brooklyn, is second with 9.
Fischer defeated Argentino Redolfi of Argentina in 40 moves. Spassky conquered Alberto Foguelman of Argentina in 32 moves.
American Champ Wins Chess Game 11 Apr 1960, Mon The Times (Shreveport, Louisiana) Newspapers.com
New York Times, New York, New York, Monday, April 11, 1960 - Page 48
Spassky, Fischer Advance In Chess
The keen race between Boris Spassky of the Soviet Union and Bobby Fischer, the United States champion, continued yesterday in the international chess tournament at Mar del Plata, Argentina. Both were winners in the tenth round, according to a report received through South American news sources.
Spassky captured the queen in a king's side attack against Alberto Foguelman of Argentina and won in thirty-two moves for a score of 9½—½.
Fischer, second at 9—1, defeated Argentino Redolfo of Argentina on the black side of a Sicilian defense in thirty-six moves. In the bishop ending Fischer had four pawns to three.
Fridrik Olafsson of Iceland was placed third with 7½—2½ after winning in thirty-five moves from Erich Eiskases of Argentina.
Tampa Bay Times St. Petersburg, Florida Monday, April 11, 1960 - Page 34
Fischer Trails Red By Only Half Point
Mar Del Plata, Argentina (AP) — Russia's Boris Spassky and Bobby Fischer, the American champion, won their 10th round games Saturday night in the International Chess Tournament. The 16 contestants each have five games to go.
Spassky leads with 9½ points. Fischer, of Brooklyn, is second with 9.
Fischer Trails Red By Only Half Point 11 Apr 1960, Mon Tampa Bay Times (St. Petersburg, Florida) Newspapers.com
New York Times, New York, New York, Tuesday, April 12, 1960 - Page 42
Leaders Advance At Mar Del Plata
Spassky Beats Letelier in 49 Moves—Fischer Downs Incutto in Ruy Lopez
Boris Spassky of the Soviet Union and Bobby Fischer, the United States champion, posted victories again in the eleventh round of the chess tournament at Mar del Plata yesterday, according to a report from Argentine news sources.
Spassky, who leads with a score of 10½—½, won on the black side of a Sicilian defense from Rene Letelier of Chile in forty-nine moves.
Fischer gained his point at the expense of Carlos Incutto of Argentina in fifty-two moves. The Brooklyn youth adopted his favorite Ruy Lopez and, in a close struggle, accumulated two pawns. Fischer is second at 10—1.
David Bronstein of the Soviet Union took third place at 8—3 after winning from Bernardo Wexler of Argentina in thirty-three moves. The Russian, playing the Benoni Counter attack, brought off a fine combination involving the sacrifice of his queen.
Tampa Bay Times St. Petersburg, Florida Tuesday, April 12, 1960 - Page 42
Fischer, Spassky Stay Tied In Chess Tourney
Mar Del Plata, Argentina (AP) — Russia's Boris Spassky and young Bobby Fischer of the United States, kept their one-two positions in the International Chess Tourney at the end of the 11th round Sunday.
Spassky maintained his half-point lead over Fischer by defeating Rent Letelier of Chile in 49 moves. Fischer defeated Carlos Incutto of Argentina in 52 moves.
Fischer, Spassky Stay Tied In Chess Tourney 12 Apr 1960, Tue Tampa Bay Times (St. Petersburg, Florida) Newspapers.com
New York Times, New York, New York, Thursday, April 14, 1960 - Page 41
Fischer Is Victor And Ties For Lead
Brooklynite Downs Alvarez in Argentine Chess—Tal and Botvinnik Draw
Mar Del Plata, Argentina, April 13 (AP)—Bobby Fischer of Brooklyn moved into a first-place tie today in the international chess masters tournament.
Fischer defeated Luis Alvarez of Uruguay in thirty-seven moves in the thirteenth round. The 17-year-old United States champion has a score of 11—1.
Boris Spassky of the Soviet Union, who had been leading, now is tied with Fischer. Spassky was held to a draw by Luis Marini of Argentina in thirty-nine moves.
Frederik Olafsson of Iceland was third at 9½—2½ after beating Osvaldo Bazan of Argentina. Two rounds remain in the tournament.
—
Fischer and Spassky adjourned twelfth-round games earlier in the day. Fischer handled the black pieces against David Bronstein of the Soviet Union in a queen's pawn opening. They reached what promised to be a drawn ending. Spassky played Olafsson in a Sicilian defense.
The Times Shreveport, Louisiana Thursday, April 14, 1960 - Page 35
Fischer in Tie For Chess Lead
Mar Del Plata, Argentina, April 13 (AP)—Young Bobby Fischer of Brooklyn moved into a tie with Russia's Boris Spassky in the international chess tournament today.
The teenage New Yorker defeated Luis Alvarez, Uruguay, in 37 moves, during the thirteenth round. Spassky was held to a draw in 39 moves by Argentina's Luis Marini.
There are two rounds still to be played.
Only half a point below them in the standings is Fridric Olafsson, of Iceland, who tonight defeated Osvaldo Bazan, Argentina.
The tourney is due to finish Saturday night.
Fischer in Tie For Chess Lead 14 Apr 1960, Thu The Times (Shreveport, Louisiana) Newspapers.com
Courier-Post Camden, New Jersey Thursday, April 14, 1960 - Page 25
“…While worshiping high-salaried baseball, golf and basketball stars, many of whom don't deserve either the adulation or the remuneration they get, couldn't sports lovers spare a polite hurrah or two for Bobby Fischer, the 17-year-old Brooklyn high school boy, now holding his own with two top Russians and 13 superior chess players, down in the Argentine, with no one to encourage him in what he is doing to dispel the misconception prevalent in foreign lands that America, which excels in sports and living standards, doesn't produce cultural or intellectual talent?”
While worshiping high-salaried baseball, golf and basketball stars... 14 Apr 1960, Thu Courier-Post (Camden, New Jersey) Newspapers.com
New York Times, New York, New York, Friday, April 15, 1960 - Page 16
Spassky Gains Lead Over Fischer Again In Argentine Chess
Boris Spassky of Russia, with a 12-1 record, has regained his lead over the United States champion, Bobby Fischer (11½—1½), in the international masters' chess tournament at Mar del Plata, according to reports received yesterday from the Argentine.
David Bronstein of Russia and Fridrik Olafsson of Iceland each have 9½3½.
Spassky drew his thirteenth-round game with Luis Marini of Argentina, and won his adjourned twelfth-round game with Olafsson.
Fischer fought Bronstein to a draw in their adjourned twelfth-round game, in sixty-five moves. In the thirteenth round, the U.S. champion defeated J. Alvarez del Monte of Uruguay.
Clarion-Ledger Jackson, Mississippi Friday, April 15, 1960 - Page 18
Chess Lead Swaps
Mar Del Plata, Argentina, (AP) — Boris Spassky, Russian Grand Master, regained first place in an international chess tournament Thursday by winning an adjourned game. Bobby Fischer of Brooklyn slipped to second by losing to David Bronstein, another Russian.
With 13 of the scheduled 15 rounds played, Spassky lead with 12 points on 11 victories and 2 draws. Fischer is second with 11½ points in 11 victories, 1 defeat and 1 draw.
Thursday, Spassky defeated Fridric Olafsson of Iceland in 60 moves. Bronstein defeated Fischer in 66.
Chess Lead Swaps 15 Apr 1960, Fri Clarion-Ledger (Jackson, Mississippi) Newspapers.com
Asbury Park Press Asbury Park, New Jersey Friday, April 15, 1960 - Page 22
Spassky Has Edge Over Fischer Again
Mar Del Plata, Argentina (AP)—Boris Spassky, Russian grand master, regained first place in an international chess tournament yesterday by winning his adjourned game. Bobby Fischer of Brooklyn slid to second by losing to David Bronstein, another Russian.
With 13 of the scheduled 15 rounds played, Spassky leads with 12 points on 11 victories and 2 draws. Fischer is second with 11½ points in 11 victories, 1 defeat and 1 draw.
In yesterday's play, Spassky defeated Fridric Olafsson of Iceland in 60 moves. Bronstein defeated Fischer in 66.
Spassky Has Edge Over Fischer Again 15 Apr 1960, Fri Asbury Park Press (Asbury Park, New Jersey) Newspapers.com
Chicago Tribune Chicago, Illinois Friday, April 15, 1960 - Page 53
“Bobby Fischer, 16 year old Brooklyn wizard, slipped to second place in the invitational chess tourney in Argentina by losing to David Bronstein of Russia, in 66 moves…”
Bobby Fischer Moves Into Second Place in Argentine Invitational Tourney 15 Apr 1960, Fri Chicago Tribune (Chicago, Illinois) Newspapers.com
Tampa Bay Times St. Petersburg, Florida Saturday, April 16, 1960 - Page 24
Fischer Still Trails In Chess Tournament
Mar Del Plata, Argentina (AP)—Boris Spassky, Russian chess grand master, leads Bobby Fischer, 17-year-old United States champion, by a half-point with only one more round left in the international tourney.
In Thursday night's competition Spassky defeated Osvaldo Bazan of Argentina in 25 moves while Fischer defeated Reno Letelier of Chile in 36 moves.
Spassky now has 13 points, Fischer 12½. Each match counts a point for the victor. In a draw, each competitor gets a half point.
Fischer Still Trails In Chess Tournament 16 Apr 1960, Sat Tampa Bay Times (St. Petersburg, Florida) Newspapers.com
New York Times, New York, New York, Saturday, April 16, 1960 - Page 14
Spassky, Fischer Are Victors Again In Masters' Chess
Boris Spassky of Russia defeated Osvaldo Bazan of Argentina yesterday to maintain his half-point lead over Bobby Fischer of the United States in the masters' chess tournament at Mar del Plata, Argentina.
Spassky, who is undefeated, sacrificed a pawn and won a piece in a Sicilian defense lasting twenty-five moves, according to a report from Argentina. His score at the end of the next-to-last round is 13—1.
Fischer, on the black side of a queen's pawn opening, won from Rene Letelier of Chile in thirty-six moves after employing minor pieces to attain a mating position.
David Bronstein of Russia, in third place at 10½—3½, defeated Julio Sadi of Argentina in a Sicilian defense lasting twenty-six moves. Fridrik Olafsson of Iceland, who is fourth, adjourned his game with Carlos Bielicki of Argentina after forty moves of a queen's Indian defense.
St. Louis Post-Dispatch St. Louis, Missouri Saturday, April 16, 1960 - Page 9
Fischer Trails Spassky After 14 Rounds of Chess
New York, April 16—After the fourteenth and semifinal round of the international chess tournament at Mar del Plata, Argentina, yesterday, the two leaders, both of whom were again winners, were still half a point apart. Boris Spassky of Russia, still undefeated, remained in first place with a score of 13 and 1, while Bobby Fischer, 17-year-old United States champion, was second with 12½ and 1½.
According to a report reaching New York last night, Spassky defeated Osvaldo Bazan of Argentina in a Sicilian defense after 25 moves. Fischer, on the black side of a queen's pawn opening, outplayed Rene Letelier of Chile in 36 moves.
Fischer Trails Spassky After 14 Rounds of Chess 16 Apr 1960, Sat St. Louis Post-Dispatch (St. Louis, Missouri) Newspapers.com
Asbury Park Press Asbury Park, New Jersey Saturday, April 16, 1960 - Page 17
Fischer Half Point Behind
Mar Del Plata, Argentina (AP)—Boris Spassky, Russian chess grand master, leads Bobby Fischer, 17-year-old United States champion, by a half-point with only one more round in the international tourney to be played.
In Thursday night's competition Spassky defeated Osvaldo Bazan of Argentina in 25 moves while Fischer defeated Reno Letelier of Chile in 36 moves.
Spassky now has 13 points, Fischer 12½. Each match counts a point for the victor. In a draw, each competitor gets a half point.
Fischer Half Point Behind 16 Apr 1960, Sat Asbury Park Press (Asbury Park, New Jersey) Newspapers.com
Pensacola News Journal Pensacola, Florida Saturday, April 16, 1960 - Page 4
Pushing The Pawns In Moscow
Chess players, that hardy, silent breed, will be following with keen interest the matches being played in Moscow these days by two masters of the game named Botvinnik and Tal. Botvinnik is world champion; Tal, who at twenty-three is less than half his age, is the challenger. And Tal won the first match in thirty-two moves, which is approximately the equivalent of Kansas City beating the Yankees 10-2 on opening day.
Since brevity is not the soul of chess, and since no fewer than twenty-four matches are being played, it may be some time before we know whether the brains of Botvinnik or the talents of Tal prevail.
Nowadays the chess championship seems to be a Russian monopoly (Tal, to be exact, is a Latvian), but this was not formerly the case, for many countries in both hemispheres have had their great players. In fact, in sixteen-year-old Bobby Fischer, a student at Erasmus Hall High School in Brooklyn, the United States right now has a prospective champion.
In any case, it may be reassuring to learn that to many Russians the virtues of the Ruy Lopez and Philidor's Defense are still as absorbing as the latest advances in rocketry. Your move Botvinnik; steady, Tal — and let us know how it comes out.
—New York Herald Tribune
Pushing The Pawns In Moscow 16 Apr 1960, Sat Pensacola News Journal (Pensacola, Florida) Newspapers.com
New York Times, New York, New York, Sunday, April 17, 1960 - Page 220
Outlook Is Good For Tal In Chess
Latvian's Quest for World Title Helped by His Play in First Seven Games
At the halfway mark in the world chess championship match in Moscow, with twelve games decided, the outlook was favorable for Mikhail Tal.
The Latvian challenger had a score of 7—5 against the champion, Mikhail Botvinnik. At that stage Tal had won four times, lost twice and drawn six times.
The start was most unhappy for Botvinnik, who did not win in the first seven games while Tal won three games and drew four. The champion won the eighth and ninth games and Tal won the eleventh.
Unless Botvinnik retorts with another stand, the total of twenty-four games may not be necessary. Tal has the white pieces in the odd-numbered games and Botvinnik plays first in the others.
Fischer Stays in Fight
In the international tournament at Mar del Plata, Argentina, an exceptionally close struggle for first place will end today. The contenders are Boris Spassky of the Soviet Union and Bobby Fischer of Brooklyn, the United States champion.
They have been well matched and never more than a point apart in the standing. Although defeated by Spassky, Fischer held on doggedly and tied for first place on Wednesday.
Scores of some of the games at Mar del Plata have reached here by air mail. The following selection includes games by Fischer and Spassky:
Sunday Gazette-Mail Charleston, West Virginia Sunday, April 17, 1960 - Page 71
THE WORLD championship match continues in Moscow with Mikhail Tal adding another win to raise his score to 6½ to 4½ over the defending Mikhail Botvinnik. However, at the time of adjournment, Botvinnik seemed to have a win in game number 12. But the game finally ended a draw and Tal led, 7-5. Twelve and one-half points can win for either player, but Botvinnik can draw the match and retain his crown by scoring 12 points.
The young American champion, Bobby Fischer, and the somewhat older Russian, Boris Spassky, continue their amazing string of wins in the international tournament at Mar del Plata in Argentina. After 11 rounds, Spassky led with 10 victories and a draw (with fellow countryman David Bronstein). Fischer had 10 wins and one loss (to Spassky in round 2).
Boris Spassky and Bobby Fischer's Amazing String of Wins 17 Apr 1960, Sun Sunday Gazette-Mail (Charleston, West Virginia) Newspapers.com
New York Times, New York, New York, Sunday, April 17, 1960 - Page 217
Chess Rivals Set For Final Round
Spassky, Leading Fischer by Half-Point, Will Face Wexler of Argentina
Fourteen rounds of the international chess masters tournament at Mar del Plata were completed yesterday, when two adjourned games were played to a finish, according to a report from Argentina. All is in readiness, therefore, for the fifteenth and final round.
The leader, with a score of 13—1, is Boris Spassky of the Soviet Union, who is still undefeated. He will be paired with Bernardo Wexler of Argentina. Half a point behind the Russian is Bobby Fischer, the United States champion, who will play Luis Marini of Argentina.
David Bronstein of the Soviet Union, 2 points below Fischer, is out of the race for first place but has the inside track for third. He will be paired with Erich Eliskases of Argentina.
—
Owing to the illness of Mikhail Tal of Latvia, the challenger of Mikhail Botvinnik for the world chess championship in Moscow, play has been postponed until Tuesday. Tal is leading, 7½ to 5½
New York Times, New York, New York, Monday, April 18, 1960 - Page 41
Fischer Gains Tie For Chess Honors
Beats Marini in Final Round at Mar del Plata—Wexler Holds Spassky to Draw
Bobby Fischer gained a tie for first place in the final round of the chess tournament at mar del Plata yesterday according to a report from Argentina.
Fischer, the United States champion, defeated Luis Marini of Argentina in thirty-five moves, while Boris Spassky of the Soviet Union, who had held the undisputed lead, drew with Bernardo Wexler of Argentina in twenty moves.
Both finished with scores of 13½—1½. They were 2 points ahead of David Bronstein of the Soviet Union, who finished third. Fridrik Olafsson of Iceland, 10½—4½, was fourth.
Fischer, the 17-year-old Brooklyn youth, won thirteen games, lost one and drew one. Spassky won twelve and drew three.
Fischer evolved a brilliant combination, during which he sacrificed a piece and the exchange. Marini had the black pieces in a Sicilian defense.
Spassky, on the other hand, went out of his way to take liberties with the position reached by him and Wexler. The conclusion of the game, in which Spassky resorted to the Nimzowitsch defense, was more difficult to assess. The Russian, although he sacrificed his queen for two minor pieces, could not prevail.
Asbury Park Press Asbury Park, New Jersey Monday, April 18, 1960 - Page 29
Fischer Gains Tie in Chess
Mar Del Plata, Argentina, (AP)—Bobby Fischer, 17-year-old United States champion, and Russian Grand Master Boris Spassky finished in a tie yesterday for first place in the International Chess Tournament. Each had 13½ points in the 19-day tourney.
The New York youngster earned his tie Saturday night in the final round when he won and the Russian was held to a draw. Fischer defeated Argentina's Luis Marini in 34 moves. Spassky was tied by Argentina's Bernardo Wexler in 20 moves.
Fischer wound up with 13 victories, one loss and one draw.
Spassky won 12 and played three draws. A victory counts one point and a draw a half point.
Fischer Gains Tie in Chess 18 Apr 1960, Mon Asbury Park Press (Asbury Park, New Jersey) Newspapers.com
St. Louis Post-Dispatch St. Louis, Missouri Monday, April 18, 1960 - Page 29
Fischer, Spassky In Tie As Chess Tourney Ends
New York, April 18—Bobby Fischer gained a tie for first place yesterday in the final round of the chess tournament at Mar del Plata, Argentina, according to a report from Argentina.
Fischer, the 17-year-old United States champion, defeated Luis Marini of Argentina in 35 moves, while Boris Spassky of the Soviet Union, who had held the undisputed lead, drew with Bernardo Wexler of Argentina in 20 moves.
Thus Fischer and Spassky each finished with scores of 13½ to 1½. They were two points ahead of David Bronstein of the Soviet Union, who finished third. Fridrik Olafsson of Iceland, 10½-4½ was fourth.
Fischer, Spassky In Tie As Chess Tourney Ends 18 Apr 1960, Mon St. Louis Post-Dispatch (St. Louis, Missouri) Newspapers.com
Courier-Post Camden, New Jersey Wednesday, April 20, 1960 - Page 44
Bobby Fischer, our 17-year-old U.S. champion, made perhaps his greatest tournament showing to date in finishing in a tie with Boris Spassky, Soviet grandmaster, in the international tourney at Mar del Plata, Argentina. Beaten only by Spassky, Bobby finished with a score of 13½-1½, as did the Russian. Spassky lost no games but drew three, while Bobby drew only one. It is reported that Bobby next will play in an international tournament in Moscow starting May 24.
Bobby Fischer Makes Perhaps His Greatest Tournament Showing To Date 20 Apr 1960, Wed Courier-Post (Camden, New Jersey) Newspapers.com
The Guardian London, Greater London, England Wednesday, April 20, 1960 - Page 2
Another Draw In Chess Match
“There may be a pointer to the prospects for the next title match in 1963 in the fact that two of the chief contenders, Boris Spassky of Russia and Bobby Fischer, of the United States, have just tied for the first prize at Mar del Plata, Argentina, with 13 out of 15, ahead of Bronstein and Olafsson.”
Another Draw In Chess Match 20 Apr 1960, Wed The Guardian (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com
The Gazette Montreal, Quebec, Canada Saturday, April 23, 1960 - Page 47
“At Mar del Plata international Boris Spassky, USSR, and Bobby Fischer, USA, have almost run away from the rest of the field. Spassky defeated Fischer but is only half a point ahead of him, with one round to go.”
Spassky Is Half Point Ahead of Fischer 23 Apr 1960, Sat The Gazette (Montreal, Quebec, Canada) Newspapers.com
New York Times, New York, New York, Sunday, April 24, 1960 - Page 295
Fischer Games Shown
“The details of four games played by the United States chess champion, Bobby Fischer, in the the recent international tournament at Mar del Plata, wherein he shared the first and second prizes with Boris Spassky of Russia, are included in the latest selection reaching here through South American channels.”
The Journal Times Racine, Wisconsin Sunday, April 24, 1960 - Page 16
Mar Del Plata
Thanks to Bernardo Wexler of Argentina, who drew with Boris Spassky in the final round, Bobby Fischer managed to tie Spassky in the final round of the Mar Del Plata event at Buenos Aires. Fischer lost to Spassky in the second, and later drew with Bronstein, who finished third ahead of Iceland's Frederick Olafsson. Spassky had three draws. The final standings:
Bobby Fischer vs Boris Spassky Mar Del Plata Tie 24 Apr 1960, Sun The Journal Times (Racine, Wisconsin) Newspapers.com
The Morning Call Allentown, Pennsylvania Saturday, April 30, 1960 - Page 11
“FUN: Harvey Breit, co-author of “The Disenchanted,” is raising a fund to bring the Soviet chess team here to play against Bobby Fischer . . .”
Harvey Breit Raising Fund to Bring Soviet Chess Team to Play Against Bobby Fischer 15 May 1960, Sun The Montgomery Advertiser (Montgomery, Alabama) Newspapers.com
New York Times, New York, New York, Sunday, May 01, 1960 - Page 272
Argentine Seeks Chess Standouts
Tourney Opening on June 10 Has Top Prize of $1,000
—Fischer Gets Bid
The Government of Argentina has made a grant equivalent to $10,000 to the Argentine Chess Federation for the purpose of staging an international tournament as a part of the celebration of the 150th anniversary of the revolution that made that country a republic.
None of the grandees of the chess world will be missing from the invitation list. The first prize will be $1,000.
Of course, when this influential South American organization issues invitations, they are accompanied by guarantees of transportation and hotel expenses. This attractive event, scheduled to begin on June 10, will focus the attention of the chess-playing world on Buenos Aires for nearly three weeks.
Leading Players Listed
According to the latest reports, the Argentine Federation has sent invitations to the leading players of nine countries, including the Soviet Union and the United States. The Soviet stars invited were Mikhail Tal, Mikhail Botvinnik, Tigran Petrosian and Vassily Smyslov. Other bids went to Bobby Fischer and William Lombardy of the United States; Svetozar Gligoric of Yugoslavia; Bent Larsen of Denmark; Laszlo Szabo of Hungary; Wolfgang Unzicker of East Germany; Wolfgang Uhlmann of West Germany; Fridrik Olafsson of Iceland, and Ludek Pachman of Czechoslovakia.
Daily News New York, New York Sunday, May 01, 1960 - Page 156
Checkmate Mischief With Chess for Kids
By Stephen Unsino
Boys who plot moves across a chess board seldom plot mischief on the streets, according to the Chess For Youth Committee, a group recently set up in New York City. The committee intends to introduce this game of fierce skill and concentration to one million children in one year, and to promote it across the U.S.
Their first move was check—a $1,000 check from Harvey Breit of 635 Park Ave., co-author of the Broadway play “The Disenchanted.”
U.S. Champs at 14
“I heard that the committee intended to send Bobby Fischer on chess playing tours abroad, and I wanted to help,” Breit says. “Young Fischer is amazing. He became U.S. chess champion in 1958, at the age of 14, and he's still champ.”
“I think it's more important to send brilliant chess players like Bobby abroad than to send boxers to Europe or baseball teams to Japan. They play chess avidly overseas,” the author says. Breit confesses to a kibitzer's interest in chess. He and his wife are using chess as a theme in a play they are writing for next season, “The Guide.”
Exert Their Minds
“Chess can do a great deal for children,” says the white-haired, vigorous Rev. Frank Peer Beal, chairman of the Chess For Youth Committee and also of the Community Councils of the City of New York.
“Just as boys learn to pit their strength and skill openly and fairly against an opponent in the boxing ring, so they can benefit from exerting their minds against their fellows across the chess table.”
“I don't want to brag, but when I was on the Harvard chess team we beat Yale three years in a row,” says the 76-year-old clergyman. “I was low man on the team, but I'll never forget it.”
The Widow Gambit
“Now when I play with my grandson, I'm thrilled to see him use his ingenuity and strategy against me, and almost beat me,” he says.
Another gambit of the committee is to bring “chess widows” into the game. “Instead of sitting alone while the man moves into the chess club, a woman can learn the game too,” it suggests.
Jean Shepherd, radio disk jockey who became interested in chess through interviewing Fischer on his program, urges members of the committee to dramatize the tension and conflict of chess, which is usually concealed by its outward appearance—two opponents sitting motionless for hours around a checkerboard with strange-looking pieces.
Lessen Delinquency
“Plenty of intramural competition among children is our ultimate goal,” the Rev. Mr. Beal says. “The game will give them something to concentrate on besides the confusion and excitement which surround them, and should help lessen juvenile delinquency.
“It's great to work with children,” add the ruddy-faced minister, who coached junior baseball teams while a student at Harvard. “Once you've reached the youngsters, and taught them to love one another, you have something to be proud of the rest of your life.”
Headquarters of the Chess For Youth Committee are at the Community Councils of the City of New York, 1118 54th St., Brooklyn.
Checkmate Mischief With Chess for Kids 01 May 1960, Sun Daily News (New York, New York) Newspapers.com
Express and News San Antonio, Texas Sunday, May 01, 1960 - Page 92
Championship Chess By Blake Stevens
One of the most dramatic chess tourneys in recent times has been concluded at Mar Del Plata, Argentina, and I am proud to report that Bobby Fischer of the USA tied for first place with Boris Spassky of Russia.
The young United States Master, only 17, lost the first game to Spassky, who is about 21, and then trailed by a half a point for 13 rounds, finally overtaking the pace-setting leader in the last round.
Spassky gave up only three draws in 15 rounds, against Bronstein, also of Russia, Marini of Argentina, and Wexler, also from Argentina.
Fischer drew with Bronstein, early in the tournament, then won about 12 or 13 games in a row, a remarkable feat!
Another noteworthy aspect of this tournament is that Fischer and Spassky left the field far behind, which is a good indication that they are head and shoulders above masters of the Western Hemisphere.
Spassky ranks about fifth in Russia. Therefore Fischer may be about fifth or sixth ranking chess player in the world's chess kingdom, and only 17!
Championship Chess By Blake Stevens 01 May 1960, Sun Express and News (San Antonio, Texas) Newspapers.com
The Gazette Montreal, Quebec, Canada Saturday, May 07, 1960 - Page 47
The Game of Kings by D.M. Le Dain
Wounded Lion At Bay
World champion Mikhail Botvinnik, after drawing the 15th and 16th games of his title match with challenger Mikhail Tal at Moscow, went all out in the 17th game. He obtained an early advantage but failed to make the most of it and Tal came on. The advantage then see-sawed until Botvinnik blundered and Tal went on to tally the point, increasing his overall advantage to three points. In thsi situation the 18th required another violent effort to recover lost ground, and it went to 76 moves before Botvinnik conceded a draw. Tal has won 5 games, Botvinnik, 2, with 11 drawn. Score: Tal 10½, Botvinnik, 7½. Tal needs but two more points to win, Botvinnik needs 4½ points to tie and retain his title, in the 24-game match.
Negro Gains Membership
Walter Harris, of the Marshall C.C. of New York, is the first American Negro to earn a USA Chess Fed. national master rating. His pictured appeared recently on the front page of “Chess Life,” the USACF official organ.
Mrs. Elizaveta Bikova (USSR) retained her world title defeating FIDE official challenger, Mrs. Katarina Zvorikina, 8½-4½, in a match held at Moscow several months ago. The champion is 46 years old and the challenger, 39, Bikova, like Botvinnik, lost her title in 1957 and then won it back in 1958.
Liverpool's Easter Junior Congress grows each year. This time, 1,251 players from 125 schools in England, Scotland and Wales were registered.
Russia is organizing an important international tourney starting the end of May. Bobby Fischer is among those invited.
Dr. Marx Euwe, Holland, former world champion, will be in Cleveland on business May 9-14, and Clevelanders are hoping that it will be possible for him to give one or two exhibitions.
The Game of Kings: Russia's Invitation 07 May 1960, Sat The Gazette (Montreal, Quebec, Canada) Newspapers.com
Sunday Gazette-Mail Charleston, West Virginia Sunday, May 08, 1960 - Page 22
Mikhail Tal won the 19th game of his world championship match over Mikhail Botvinnik and raised his lead to 11½ to 7½. One more point in their scheduled 24-game match will give Tal the title.
Quite possibly by the time this appears in print Tal will be the new champion, and it would seem quite unlikely that Botvinnik would ever regain the title as he did following his loss to Smyslov.
But already there are danger clouds looming on the horizon to menace Tal's position in the chess world. Tal is young, but Spassky—and Bobby Fischer—are even younger and very formidable.
More Formidable Opponents on the Horizon 08 May 1960, Sun Sunday Gazette-Mail (Charleston, West Virginia) Newspapers.com
Press and Sun-Bulletin Binghamton, New York Monday, May 09, 1960 - Page 17
Chess Ace Returns
Buenos Aires—(AP)—Bobby Fischer, the United States' 17-year-old chess champion, left today to return to his home in Brooklyn. He said he had decided against going to Moscow and would return here for another international chess tournament next month.
Chess Ace Returns 09 May 1960, Mon Press and Sun-Bulletin (Binghamton, New York) Newspapers.com
New York Times, New York, New York, Sunday, May 08, 1960 - Page 286
“Tal once played with the American prodigy Bobby Fischer. One of the grand masters writing about that game said the youth from Riga “simply laid Fischer on the carpet.”
Fort Lauderdale News Fort Lauderdale, Florida Sunday, May 15, 1960 - Page 37
Let's Play Chess by Frank Rose
Bobby Fischer, 17-year-old U.S. champion, tied for first place with Boris Spassky of Russia in the recent Mar Del Plata tournament. Bobby won 13, lost one and drew one for one of his greatest victories.
…
I'm sticking my neck out again and predicting that in four years Fischer will win the world title.
Fischer Ties for First Place Alongside Boris Spassky at Mar Del Plata 15 May 1960, Sun Fort Lauderdale News (Fort Lauderdale, Florida) Newspapers.com
Hartford Courant Hartford, Connecticut Sunday, May 15, 1960 - Page 40
Chess, Anyone?
Almost as exciting to the people of the Soviet Union as the political sensations of the day is the finale of the world chess championship match. It was won recently by a young Latvian, 23-year-old Mikhail Tal. Tal defeated Mikhail Botvinnik of Moscow in a tournament lasting two months, by a score of 12½ to 8½.
The Russians take their chess seriously. It might even be called their national game, with the championships the equivalent of our World Series. There is a story, perhaps apocryphal, that the Bolsheviks snatched Dr. Alexander Alekhine away from a firing squad in the revolution of 1917 on the ground that his skill at the chessboard represented a national asset. At any rate Alekhine went on to win the world title in 1917. Today, with chess experts heavily subsidized by the Kremlin, a grand master can live like a Romanov.
It would be well if the same sort of encouragement were given to promising chess players in the United States. True, we have had a number of masters at the game, including the present champion Bobby Fischer. But we cannot boast of a world champion since the redoubtable Paul Morphy defeated all comers here and abroad in the late 1850s. If our schools gave their chess teams a fraction of the attention they give physical sports, the Russians would have more of a struggle to retain their monopoly on the title than they do.
Unfortunately too many people regard chess as a formidable mental exercise like solid geometry. In reality a bright child of six or seven can learn the rules of the game and enjoy playing it while at the same time developing his ability to use his brain. Care for a game?
Chess, Anyone? 15 May 1960, Sun Hartford Courant (Hartford, Connecticut) Newspapers.com
The Gazette Montreal, Quebec, Canada Saturday, May 21, 1960 - Page 47
Title Re-Match A Possibility
The chess world would unquestionably like to see M. Botvinnik exercise his right to a return match in 1961 with M. Tal, his recent conqueror for the world title. Whether he will do so remains his decision. His recovery against V. Smyslov in 1958 may induce him to try again, now that he understands better the strength and weaknesses of his opponent. In future the FIDE will abolish the right and the ex-champion will be seeded into the Challengers tourney of the next series.
Fischer Winged By Obsolete Weapon
Bobby Fischer second round loss to Boris Spassky in the Mar del Plata international came through his acceptance of the old-fashioned King's Gambit. However, he managed to overcome the handicap by following up with a remarkable string of victories which enabled him to tie Spassky in the final standing.
The Game of Kings By D.M. Le Dain 21 May 1960, Sat The Gazette (Montreal, Quebec, Canada) Newspapers.com
The Sydney Morning Herald Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Saturday, June 11, 1960 - Page 22
Chess Experts
“The main interest in Bobby Fischer's book of his own games lies in the personality of the author.
When a 16-year-old boy reaches nearly to the top of the chess ladder of fame the astonished world wants to know how he does it. Fischer's 13 games from the U.S. championship are very interesting, but his annotations do not help their full appreciation. The remaining 20 games from the Portoroz Interzonal tournament are without notes.
The reader is left with the impression that better use could have been made of the material and that Bobby might have been wiser to leave his biography for another to write.”
Chess Experts 11 Jun 1960, Sat The Sydney Morning Herald (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia) Newspapers.com
New York Times, New York, New York, Sunday, June 19, 1960 - Page 268
Fischer in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires, June 18 (AP)—Bobby Fischer of Brooklyn, the North American chess champion, arrived from New York yesterday to play in an international tourney as part of Argentina's 150th Independence anniversary celebration.
New York Times, New York, New York, Sunday, June 19, 1960 - Page 261
Argentine Chess Lists 3 From U.S.
Fischer, Reshevsky, Evans in Event Opening Tomorrow at Buenos Aires
With the United States contributing three grandmasters—Bobby Fischer, Samuel Reshevsky and Larry Evans—another South American international chess tournament will start tomorrow.
The congress to be held in Buenos Aires lists twenty players from ten countries. Six places have been reserved for Argentina. There will be two each from the Soviet Union, Yugoslavia and Germany. In addition, there will be one each from Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Iceland, England and Spain.
The complete list of players and the countries they represent follow:
New York Times, New York, New York, Saturday, June 25, 1960 - Page 17
Fischer Gains Tie After 23 Moves
U.S. Champion Draws With Szabo in Buenos Aires—Guimard Tops Taimanov
The United States chess champion, Bobby Fischer, drew with Laszlo Szabo of Hungary yesterday after twenty-three moves of a Kink's Indian defense in the second round of a chess masters' tournament in Buenos Aires, according to a report from South America.
Fischer's first-round game with Alberto Foguelman of Argentina, which had taken forty-five moves, was still adjourned.
Carlos Guimard of Argentina scored a notable victory in the round when he won in thirty moves of a King's Indian defense from Mark Taimanov of the Soviet Union.
However, Svetozar Gligoric of Yugoslavia defeated Bernardo Wexler of Argentina and took the lead with a score of 2—0.
Samuel Reshevsky of the United States had an advantage in pawns over Victor Korchnoi of the Soviet Union. Korchnoi, however had drawing chances when the game was adjourned after forty-one moves.
New York Times, New York, New York, Monday, June 27, 1960 - Page 30
Uhlmann Upsets Gligoric In Chess
Loss Drops Yugoslav to Tie With Pachmann and Szabo in Argentine Tourney
Wolfgang Uhlmann of West Germany upset Svetozar Gligoric of Yugoslavia in the third round of the chess masters' tournament at Buenos Aires yesterday, according to a report from South America.
The defeat of the Yugoslav grandmaster dropped him to a tie with Ludek Pachman of Czechoslovakia and Laszlo Szabo of Hungary. Each has a 2-1 record.
Gligoric had the black side of a King's Indian defense and resigned after thirty-five moves. Uhlmann sacrificing his queen, forced a checkmate after six moves.
Pachman played Pal Benko of the United States. Pachman played the white pieces in an old Indian defense, sacrificing the exchange to win in thirty-eight moves. Szabo drew with Boris Ivkov of Yugoslavia in a Slav defense, lasting thirty-one moves.
Bobby Fischer, the United States champion, beat Hector Rosetto of Argentina in a Sicilian defense after forty-four moves. Mark Taimanov of the Soviet Union beat Osvaldo Bazan of Argentina after twenty-seven moves of a queen's gambit.
New York Times, New York, New York, Tuesday, June 28, 1960 - Page 37
Fischer Adjourns With Ivkov In Chess
The United States champion, Bobby Fischer, and Boris Ivkov of Yugoslavia adjourned after forty-one moves last night in the fourth round of the international chess masters' tournament in Buenos Aires, according to a report from Argentina.
Fischer was stymied by the Caro-Kann defense set up by his opponent, who was a pawn ahead in a rook ending when play was stopped.
With the possibility of a draw looming, Fischer elected to continue. With two games now adjourned, Fischer's score is 1½—½.
Leading the competition after four rounds are Svetozar Gligoric of Yugoslavia, Ludek Pachman of Czechoslovakia, Laszlo Szabo of Hungary and Wolfgang Unzicker of West Germany. Each has a score of 2½—1½.
Asbury Park Press Asbury Park, New Jersey Tuesday, June 28, 1960 - Page 24
Reshevsky Cops Chess Match
Buenos Aires (AP)—Sam Reshevsky, of New York, defeated Osvaldo Bazan in 43 moves in the Argentine International Chess Tournament last night. Two other Americans played suspended matches.
Bobby Fischer and Boraslav Ivkov suspended their match after 41 moves. Larry Evans and Hector Rossetotto also suspended after 41 moves. Fischer and Evans both are from New York.
Reshevsky Cops Chess Match 28 Jun 1960, Tue Asbury Park Press (Asbury Park, New Jersey) Newspapers.com
New York Times, New York, New York, Wednesday, June 29, 1960 - Page 38
Evans Gains Lead At Buenos Aires
New Yorker Beats Rossetto in Chess—Fischer Draws in 2 Adjourned Games
Larry Evans of New York, a former United States champion, yesterday defeated Hector Rossetto of Argentina to gain the lead in the chess tournament at Buenos Aires, according to a report from South American news channels.
The game, which had been adjourned after forty moves, found Rossetto resigning after only two more moves.
Evans now has a 3—1 total, leading six other players who have 2½-1½ scores.
In another adjourned game yesterday, Bobby Fischer of Brooklyn, the United States titleholder, drew a first-round contest with Alberto Foguelman of Argentina. Fischer also drew in the fourth round with Boris Ivkov of Yugoslavia.
The longest game was a second-round event between Pal Benko, United States, and Erich Eliskases, Argentina. It went eighty-three moves.
Samuel Reshevsky of the United States has two games pending with Victor Korchnoi of the Soviet Union and Osvaldo Bazan of Argentina.
The Times Shreveport, Louisiana Wednesday, June 29, 1960 - Page 8
Evans Is Leading In Chess Tourney
Buenos Aires, June 28 (AP)—Larry Evans of New York led the field with 3 points today at the end of four complete rounds in the International Chess Tournament. Bobby Fischer of Brooklyn was in a multiple tie for second with 2½, and Paul Benko, also of New York, was in a nine-way tie at 2 points.
Evans defeated Hector Rosseto of Argentina in 42 moves last night, and Benko defeated Erich Eliskases of Argentina in 83 moves.
Fischer drew with Borislav Ivkov of Yugoslavia in 60 moves and with Alberto Foguelman of Argentina in 58 moves in suspended matches continued last night.
Evans Is Leading In Chess Tourney 29 Jun 1960, Wed The Times (Shreveport, Louisiana) Newspapers.com
New York Times, New York, New York, Thursday, June 30, 1960 - Page 33
Evans, Korchnoi Play Chess Draw
New Yorker Is Held Even in Argentina and Is Tied for Lead by Unzicker
Larry Evans, a former United States chess champion, was held to a draw in forty-two moves yesterday in the fifth round of the international tournament at Buenos Aires, according to a report received here through South American news sources.
As a result the New Yorker was tied for the lead, with a score of 3½-1½, by Wolfgang Unzicker of West Germany. Unzicker gained a point by beating Osvaldo Bazan of Argentina.
Evans' opponent was Victor Korchnoi of the Soviet Union who set up a Gruenfeld defense.
The United States champion, Bobby Fischer, adjourned a Nimzowitsch defense with Erich Eliskases of Argentina. The South American was a pawn ahead.
Samuel Reshevsky, an ex-champion of the United States, drew in twenty-three moves with Svetozar Gligoric of Yugoslavia.
Pal Benko, United States, improve his standing with a victory over Wolfgang Uhlmann of East Germany in thirty-six moves.
New York Times, New York, New York, Friday, July 01, 1960 - Page 22
Reshevsky of U.S. Outplays Bazan
Wins in 40 Moves in Chess at Buenos Aires—Evans in Tie for First Place
Samuel Reshevsky of the United States yesterday won his adjourned fourth-round game from Oswaldo Bazan of Argentina in the international masters' tournament at Buenos Aires, according to South American news sources. Forty moves were played in a Sicilian defense before a decision was reached.
Reshevsky, who now has a score of 3—2, is tied for third place with seven others.
Bobby Fischer of Brooklyn lost to Erich Eliskases of Argentina. Fischer played the black side of a Nimowitsch defense. The game which had been adjourned earlier, lasted fifty-eight moves.
Larry Evans, like Reshevsky, a former United States champion, is tied for first place in the tournament with Wolfgang Unzicker of West Germany. Both players have scores of 3½—1½
Benko and Szabo Share Chess Lead
Hungarian Refugee Defeats Taimanov in Argentina—Wexler Is Beaten
Pal Benko, a Hungarian refugee from New York, and Laszlo Szabo of Hungary, with scores of 4—2 each, yesterday took the lead in the chess masters tournament at Buenos Aires, according to a report reaching here last night through South American news sources.
Benko gained a notable victory over Mark Taimanov of the Soviet Union, whom he defeated in a Catalan opening lasting forty moves.
Szabo gained a point against a Nimzo-Indian defense set up by Bernardo Wexler of Argentina.
Larry Evans, United States, adjourned with Carlos Guimard of Argentina, who was a pawn ahead at the time. Wolfgang Unzicker of West Germany was a pawn behind with Svetozar Gligoric of Yugoslavia in a Queen's ending of a Nimzo-Indian defense.
Samuel Reshevsky, United States, adjourned with Richard Wade of New Zealand, the American having a two-pawn advantage.
The United States champion, Bobby Fischer, was held to a draw by Ludek Pachman of Czechoslovakia in a Sicilian defense after thirty-one moves.
New York Times, New York, New York, Sunday, July 03, 1960 - Page 118
Unzicker Paces Argentina Chess
German Turns Back Wade and Draws With Gligoric—Fischer Is Beaten
Wolfgang Unzicker of West Germany gained a tenuous hold on first place in the Buenos Aires chess tournament yesterday, according to South American news sources.
Still undefeated, after seven rounds, Unzicker defeated Richard Wade of New Zealand yesterday and then drew with Svetozar Gligoric of Yugoslavia in an adjourned game that lasted sixty-nine moves. As a result, the West German champion took over the lead with a 5-2 score.
However, a victory by either Samuel Reshevsky or Pal Benko in their adjourned game would put the winner in a tie for first with Unzicker. Reshevsky appears to have the advantage after forty moves in the game involving a King's Indian defense.
Bobby Fischer, the United States champion, is faring poorly. Yesterday he lost again to Bernardo Wexler of Argentina, whose fine defensive tactics foiled the American youngster's sharp attack in an English opening. Fischer now has a 3-4 score.
The Los Angeles Times Los Angeles, California Sunday, July 03, 1960 - Page 30
Four U.S. Masters In Argentine Tourney
The Argentine Chess Federation, easily the most active chess organization in the Americas, is sponsoring an international masters' tournament in Buenos Aires, with 20 top-ranking stars in attendance.
With partial results after three rounds, the lead was shared by Svetozar Gligoric of Yugoslavia, Ludek Pachman of Czechoslovakia and Laszlo Szabo of Hungary. The three were tied with scores of 2-1, according to a report by the New York Times.
Four grandmasters are representing the United States, headed by 17-year-old champion Bobby Fischer and former champion Larry Evans, who are tied for fourth with 1½-½. Paul Benko got off to a poor start with ½-1½, as did another former U.S. champion, Samuel Reshevsky, who has 0-1.
Two Russian participants have also barely started, Mark Taimanov registering 1-1 and Victor Korchnoi ½-½. Tied at 1½-1½ are Osvaldo Bazan and Bernardo Wexler of Argentina, Boris Ivkov of Yugoslavia and Wolfgang Unzicker of East Germany.
Four U.S. Masters In Argentine Tourney 03 Jul 1960, Sun The Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, California) Newspapers.com
Hartford Courant Hartford, Connecticut Saturday, July 09, 1960 - Page 3
Chess
Q. How old was Bobby Fischer when he first became the U.S. chess champion? T.H.
A. Bobby Fischer, of Brooklyn, N.Y., was 14 years old when he won the U.S. championship on January 7, 1958, at the Manhattan Chess Club in New York City. He started playing chess when he was six.
Chess 09 Jul 1960, Sat Hartford Courant (Hartford, Connecticut) Newspapers.com
New York Times, New York, New York, Tuesday, July 05, 1960 - Page 43
Reshevsky Leads Argentine Chess
Sets Back Foguelman in 39 Moves—Unzicker, Evans Trail by Half a Point
After eight rounds of the chess masters tournament in Buenos Aires, Samuel Reshevsky, a former United States champion, leads a field of twenty by a half-point, according to a report received Sunday night from South America.
The New Yorker won in thirty-nine moves on the black side of a Sicilian defense against Alberto Foguelman of Argentina, who made an unsound sacrifice.
Reshevsky added 2 points to his score for a 6-2 total. This included an adjourned game with Pal Benko of New York, who resigned after forty-one moves without resuming play.
Trailing Reshevsky in second place are Larry Evans, another former United States champion, and Wolfgang Unzicker of West Germany. Four players, including Victor Korchnoi of the Soviet Union, share fourth place at 5—3.
Bobby Fischer, the current United States champion, lost in the eighth round to Wolfgang Uhlmann of East Germany in a French defense lasting forty-two moves. The German sacrificed a queen for a rook and bishop.
New York Times, New York, New York, Wednesday, July 06, 1960 - Page 37
Reshevsky Plays Draw With Szabo
American Retains Lead in Ninth Round of Buenos Aires Chess Tourney
Samuel Reshevsky as the United States drew in seventeen moves with Laszlo Szabo of Hungary yesterday in the ninth round of the chess tournament at Buenos Aires.
According to a report from Argentina, the former United States champion had the white side of an English opening. With a score of 6½-2½, he retained first place among twenty contenders.
Victor Korchnoi of the Soviet Union scored against a Benoni Counter attack adopted by Svetozar Gligoric of Yugoslavia, who sacrificed the exchange in an unsound combination.
Korchnoi, at 6-3, was tied by Fridrik Olafsson of Iceland, who won from Pal Benko of New York in forty moves. Benko played the Sicilian defense and lost a piece under time pressure.
Larry Evans as the United States adjourned a Benoni Count Gambit with Richard Wade of New Zealand after forty moves. The United States champion, Bobby Fischer, had a slight edge in a Nimzo-Indian defense with Mark Taimanov of Russia after forty moves.
After nine rounds, Evans, 5½-2½, was tied with Wolfgang Unzicker of West Germany for fourth place.
New York Times, New York, New York, Thursday, July 07, 1960 - Page 37
Reshevsky, Fischer Draw In Argentina
Samuel Reshevsky, the leader in the international chess masters' tournament at Buenos Aires, drew in the tenth round yesterday with Bobby Fischer, his successor as the United States champion.
Reshevsky played a Sicilian defense, according to information from Argentina, and the match ended after thirty-seven moves. Reshevsky has won five games and drawn four. His score is 7-3.
New York Times, New York, New York, Friday, July 08, 1960 - Page 28
Reshevsky Holds His Lead In Chess
Unzicker Ties Evans for 2d After Drawing Adjourned Game In Buenos Aires
Two American grand masters continued to pace the field last night in the international chess tournament at Buenos Aires, according to South American news sources.
Samuel Reshevsky is in first place with a 7—3 score after ten completed rounds. Larry Evans, the only man to beat Reshevsky in the tournament so far, is tied for second with Wolfgang Unzicker of West Germany with 6½—3½.
Neither Reshevsky nor Evans played yesterday, but Unzicker finished an adjourned game with Alberto Foguelman of Argentina. The match, involving a Caro-Kann defense, ended in a draw after seventy-two moves.
The longest game of the tournament, between Bobby Fischer of the United States and Mark Taimanov of Russia, was also a draw after eighty-seven moves of a Nimzowitsch defense. The Russian had a bishop and a pawn opposed to a bishop in the ending, but could not prevail.
Three Share Lead In Argentine Chess
A triple tie for first place in the chess masters tournament at Buenos Aires resulted last night from the play in the eleventh round, according to a report received through Argentine news sources.
Samuel Reshevsky, who drew an English opening with Boris Ivkov of Yugoslavia in twenty-four moves, was tied at 7½—3½ by Larry Evans, United States and Wolfgang Unzicker, West Germany.
Unzicker was pitted against Bobby Fischer, the United States champion, who blundered on the black side of a King's Indian defense and lost in twenty-two moves.
Evans conducted a strong king side attack against the French defense set up by Alberto Foguelman of Argentina and won in twenty-seven moves, when he captured his opponent's queen.
New York Times, New York, New York, Sunday, July 10, 1960 - Page 187
Reshevsky Remains Tied For Chess Lead
Samuel Reshevsky of New York and Wolfgang Unzicker of West Germany remained tied, 8—4, for the lead in the international chess masters tournament yesterday at Buenos Aires.
Reshevsky drew with Erich Eliskases of Argentina in forty-four moves of an English opening in the twelfth round. Unzicker drew with Boris Ivkov of Yugoslavia in nineteen moves on the black side of Slav defense.
Larry Evans, a former United States champion, holds third place with 7½—3½. South American news sources reported that his twelfth-round match with Laszlo Szabo of Hungary was adjourned after forty moves. The New Yorker had the black side of a Queen's Gambit declined, but the Hungarian was a pawn ahead in a rook and bishop ending.
The Los Angeles Times Los Angeles, California Sunday, July 10, 1960 - Page 46
Reshevsky Leads In Argentine Tourney
Samuel Reshevsky of Spring Valley, N.Y., former U.S. chess champion, recovered from an early setback to take the lead with a score of 6½-2½ after nine rounds of the international masters' tournament in Buenos Aires, according to a report from the New York Times.
In the first round Reshevsky lost by overstepping the time limit after a difficult battle against Larry Evans of New York, also a former U.S. titleholder. After that Reshevsky won five games and drew with Svetozar Gligoric of Yugoslavia, Victor Korchnoi of Russia and Laszlo Szabo of Hungary.
Korchnoi, who won a critical game from Gligoric, is tied for second at 6-3 with Fridrik Olafsson of Iceland. A half step behind, tied at 5½-3½, are Evans and Wolfgang Unzicker of West Germany.
U.S. champion Bobby Fischer, brilliant 17-year-old Brooklyn schoolboy, lost three of his last four games to slump to 3-5. He has a slight advantage in an adjourned game against Mark Taimanov of Russia. The fourth American in the tournament, Paul Benko of New York, is in a group tied at 4½-4½.
Following is the standing of the players after the ninth round:
—
No games are on hand from the tournament. The following were played in a similar event last April in Mar del Plata, Argentina, in which Fischer tied for first with Boris Spassky of Russia.
Chess By Isaac Kashdan 10 Jul 1960, Sun The Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, California) Newspapers.com
New York Times, New York, New York, Monday, July 11, 1960 - Page 35
Reshevsky Leads In Chess Tourney
Goes Ahead in Masters at Buenos Aires After He Defeats Pachman
Samuel Reshevsky of the United States took the lead from Wolfgang Unzicker of West Germany yesterday in the thirteenth round of the international chess masters tournament at Buenos Aires, according to South American news sources.
By defeating Ludek Pachman of Czechoslovakia in twenty-five moves, Reshevsky went ahead with a tally of 9—4. Unzicker is second, a point ahead of Larry Evans of the United States and Laszlo Szabo of Hungary.
Unzicker adjourned a knight and pawn ending of a Nimzo-Indian defense with Erich Eliskases of Argentina after forty moves. Evans was paired with Bobby Fischer, the United States champion, in a Ruy Lopez drawn after twenty-three moves.
The biggest gain was made by Carlos Guimard of Argentina, who defeated Alberto Foguelman, also of Argentina, in a Queen's Indian defense lasting thirty-two moves and also winning on the black side of a Dutch defense against Pal Benko of New York, adjourned from the twelfth round after forty-eight moves.
The Evening Independent, Massillon, Ohio, Monday, July 11, 1960 - Page 5
Chess Champ at 16!
Bobby Fischer ponders his next move.
by GERALD S. SNYDER
Central Press
Association Correspondent
BROOKLYN —A blond, gangling, 16-year-old boy from Brooklyn may soon become the foremost master of one of the world's most difficult mental activities.
He is Bobby Fischer, United States chess champion for the third consecutive year, who, experts agree, has the best chance of any player in the Western Hemisphere of taking away the title now held by Mikhail Botvinnik, 49, a Russian.
★ ★ ★
FISCHER, a normal youngster who gets just average grades in school, is himself optimistic about someday winning the world crown. “The Russians have the edge on us right now,” he says, “but give us a few years and we'll be better than them.”
The talented youth, who says he plays chess simply “because I like to,” admits that Americans have little popular interest in the game (“I guess we're not artistically minded”) but notes that the ancient art is receiving more and more publicity and, at least, seems to be coming out of the doldrums of years gone by.
“What's so amazing,” he says, “is that our players are so high.”
He rates only Russia as being ahead of the United States. Hungary, Yugoslavia and Argentina, in that order, are just behind us.
Fischer became the youngest international grand master of all time at the age of 15 — nine years and many tournaments after his sister, Joan, who was then 11, first taught him the moves.
Taking to chess like a baby takes to candy, the Chicago-born youth studied all the books on the game (he's now written one himself) and played against his betters until there were no more betters to play against.
★ ★ ★
FISCHER ENTERED his first tournament at the age of nine and won the U.S. junior championship in a walk when he was 13. The next year, he defeated most of the country's top adult players to become the U.S. open champ, and he been playing at the height of his form ever since.
The credit for his success? Chalk it up to plain hard work and determination. Fischer says, “There's no luck involved in chess. You just have to work at it.” He admits, though, that a little talent helps.
The young Brooklynite has played against the world's best. At his last big European tournament, in Belgrade, some 3,000 fans turned out for the games and the newspapers were full of news about the outcome.
The lad from Brooklyn was hailed as a hero. His picture was widely printed and his autographs came into great demand. However, in this country, Bobby Fischer is an unsung hero. Nobody stands in line to buy tickets. There are no fan clubs. Nobody asks for autographs.
Still, the Americans play, Fischer, who plays best of all pays no attention to jibes which aim to paint chess players as strange or neurotic — gestures, the players say, which generally stem from plain anti-intellectualism.
Playing chess has helped Bobby Fischer see a lot of the world and he's still traveling. However, there's one trip he's waiting for most -- to Moscow and a chance to beat the Russians at their own game.
Chess Champion at 16! 05 Mar 1960, Sat The News-Messenger (Fremont, Ohio) Newspapers.com
New York Times, New York, New York, Wednesday, July 13, 1960 - Page 43
Reshevsky Vanquishes Wexler In Chess Match at Buenos Aires
Samuel Reshevsky of the United States strengthened his hold on first place in the international chess masters' tournament in Buenos Aires yesterday with a score of 10—4, according to South American news sources.
In his fourteenth-round match Reshevsky defeated Bernardo Wexler of Argentina in thirty-five moves. He conducted the black forces and triumphed with a checkmating combination.
Wolfgang Unzicker of West Germany dropped to third place with 8½—5½ as he lost to Ludek Pachman of Czechoslovakia. He was defeated on the black side of a Slav defense in twenty-eight moves.
Victor Korchnoi of Russia held his own in a Sicilian defense against Bobby Fischer, the United States champion, the result being a draw in twenty-nine moves. The Russian was in second place with 9—5.
The Guardian London, Greater London, England Thursday, July 14, 1960 - Page 4
Chess Problem No. 584 by H. Hermanson (Sweden)
Buenos Aires tournament
“Fourteen grandmasters are taking part in the strongest international event of the year. After 10 rounds, Reshevsky (United States) led with seven points, followed by his countryman Evans with six and a half. Reshevsky was a last-minute entry after his challenge to Bobby Fischer for a match for stakes of $1,000 a side was rejected. Szabo, Unzicker, Olafsson, and Korchnoi are in the leading group, but both Bobby Fischer and Gligoric are faring badly.
When Gligoric overlooked a simple win of a piece against Guimard of Argentina the audience burst into laughter, and after this game (his third successive defeat) Gligoric described his play as the worst of his career. Wade started poorly with a half out of six, but a later unconfirmed report states that he has beaten the Russian champion, Victor Korchnoi.”
Buenos Aires tournament 14 Jul 1960, Thu The Guardian (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com
New York Times, New York, New York, Friday, July 15, 1960 - Page 27
Fischer Defeats Guimard In Chess
Passed Pawn Decisive After 58 Moves—Wexler Also Wins at Buenos Aires
Bobby Fischer, the United States chess champion, yesterday won an adjourned fifteenth-round game from Carlos Guimard of Argentina in the Buenos Aires international chess tournament, according to South American news sources.
Fischer, whose form has been far below par in this tournament, employed a King's Indian defense and won in fifty-eight moves after promoting a passed pawn.
Bernardo Wexler of Argentina, utilized a Slav defense in defeating Wolfgang Unzicker of West Germany in fifty-five moves. Pal Benko of New York drew with Svetozar Gligoric of Yugoslavia in a seventy-five-move game involving an Old English opening.
Samuel Reshevsky of the United States still leads the standings with a 10½-4½ score, half a point better than Victor Korchnoi of Russia. Larry Evans of the United States is in a three-way tie for third place with Laszlo Szabo of Hungary and Mark Taimanov of Russia. Each of the three has a 9-6 mark.
In the thirteenth round, Reshevsky's twenty-five-move victory over Ludek Pachman of Czechoslovakia was considered outstanding.
The score:
New York Times, New York, New York, Saturday, July 16, 1960 - Page 14
Caution Is Stressed In Game By Masters
Although Bobby Fischer succeeded Samuel Reshevsky as the chess champion of the United States and has become a world figure in the sport, it is Reshevsky who has been faring the better of the two in the tournament at Buenos Aires.
There Reshevsky has been leading consistently since he lost his first game to Larry Evans, a former United States titleholder.
A cautiously conducted game resulted from the encounter between Reshevsky and Fischer which ended in a draw after thirty-seven moves.
The Gazette Montreal, Quebec, Canada Saturday, July 16, 1960 - Page 28
Blistering Pace at Buenos Aires
The strength of the Buenos Aires international is such that half the field of 20 masters and grandmasters are so closely bunched together after eleven rounds that any among the first dozen can be considered as potential winners. The Americans, Larry Evans and Sam Reshevsky, are doing especially well. In the first round, Evans, in a superior position, won from Reshevsky on time. Top scores: Evans, Reshevsky, Unzicker, 7½-3½ each; Uhlmann, 7-4; Korchnoi, Szabo, Olafsson, 6-4 each; Taimanov, Rossetto, 6-5 each; Ivkov, Pachman, 5½-5½ each.
The big surprises are Bobby Fischer, USA, S. Gligoric, Yugoslavia, and E. Eliskases, Argentina, tied at 4 pts. each near the bottom of the list!
Blistering Pace at Buenos Aires 16 Jul 1960, Sat The Gazette (Montreal, Quebec, Canada) Newspapers.com
Sunday Gazette-Mail Charleston, West Virginia Sunday, July 17, 1960 - Page 64
SAMUEL RESHEVSKY of the USA continues to show the way in the international chess tournament at Buenos Aires, Argentina, with a score of 9 to 4. There yet remain six rounds of play.
One-half point behind the leader follow the Russian champion, Victor Korchnoi, and Wolfgang Unzicker of West Germany. Larry Evans, another American, and Laszlo Szabo, of Hungary, are tied at 8 to 5 each.
Young teen-ager Bobby Fischer, U.S. champion, is decidedly below his best form and is well down in the standings with 5 to 8. The fourth U.S. representative in the 20-player field is Pal Benko (former Hungarian star), who has a 6 to 7 record.
Chess by Edward M. Foy 17 Jul 1960, Sun Sunday Gazette-Mail (Charleston, West Virginia) Newspapers.com
The Courier-Journal Louisville, Kentucky Sunday, July 17, 1960 - Page 39
Reshevsky Still Leads Argentina Chess Meet
By Merrill Dowden
I have just learned through the New York Times News Service that United States Champion Bobby Fischer won his adjourned game Thursday from Carlos Guimard of Argentina in 58 moves. Fischer, on the Black side of a King's Indian, succeeded at long last in promoting a passed Pawn.
The American champion for the most part has been below par in the International Tournament in progress at Buenos Aires.
Another winner was Bernardo Wexler of Argentina, who had set up a Slav defense against Wolfgang Unzicker of West Germany. This game went to 55 moves. Pal Benko of New York drew with Svetozar Gligoric of Yugoslavia in an English Opening in 75 moves.
Samuel Reshevsky, United States, still leads the field with 10½-4½, half a point in advance of Victor Korchnoi of Russia, 10-5. Larry Evans, United States, 9-6, is in a triple tie with Laszlo Szabo of Hungary and Mark Taimanov of Russia.
The sixteenth round is scheduled for today.
Reshevsky Still Leads Argentina Chess Meet 17 Jul 1960, Sun The Courier-Journal (Louisville, Kentucky) Newspapers.com
New York Times, New York, New York, Tuesday, July 19, 1960 - Page 36
Reshevsky Keeps His Lead In Chess
New Yorker Beats Rosetto in 40 Moves at Buenos Aires—Benko Wins
Buenos Aires, July 18 (AP) — Samuel Reshevsky of New York retained his half-point lead in the international chess tournament tonight by defeating Argentino Rossetto of Argentina in forty moves.
Reshevsky has 12 points to 11½ for Victor Korchnoi of Russia. Two rounds are still to be played.
Pal Benko of New York defeated Alberto Foguelman of Argentina in thirty-two moves and Bobby Fischer of Brooklyn drew with Svetozar Gligoric of Yugoslavia in twenty moves. Larry Evans of New York and Bernardo Wexler of Argentina adjourned after forty-one moves.
Two Share Lead At Buenos Aires
Korchnoi Beats Wexler and Ties With Reshevsky in Chess in Argentina
As Samuel Reshevsky was held to a draw by Wolfgang Unzicker of West Germany in the eighteenth round last night, the former United States champion was tied for the lead at 12½—5½ by Victor Korchnoi of the Soviet Union at Buenos Aires, according to a wireless report received through South American news channels.
Unzicker, on the black side of a Nimzo-Indian defense, agreed to a draw with Reshevsky after seventeen moves.
Korchnoi, playing the Nimzo-Indian defense, defeated Bernardo Wexler of Argentina in thirty-nine moves.
Laszlo Szabo of Hungary gained third place at 11—7 after a draw with Pal Benko of New York in an English opening lasting twelve moves.
Larry Evans, New York, adjourned a Slav defense with Wolfgang Uhlmann of East Germany after forty moves.
The United States champion, Bobby Fischer won a Ruy Lopez from Richard Wade of New Zealand in forty-five moves.
In the seventeenth round, Reshevsky beat Hector Rossetto in a Benoni counter gambit, lasting forty moves. Korchnoi defeated Ludek Pachman of Czechoslovakia and drew in his sixteenth-round adjourned game with Erich Eliskases.
The Los Angeles Times Los Angeles, California Sunday, July 24, 1960 - Page 68
Reshevsky Favored In Argentine Chess
With two rounds to go, Samuel Reshevsky of Spring Valley, N.Y. and Victor Korchnoi of the Soviet Union maintained their 1-2 position in the stiffly contested International Masters' Tournament at Buenos Aires, according to a New York Times report.
Reshevsky, making his best showing in some time, defeated Hector Rossetto of Argentina in the 17th round to bring his score up to 12-5. In the previous session he drew with Mark Taimanov of Russia.
Korchnoi kept pace by winning from Ludek Pachman of Czechoslovakia and drawing with Erich Eliskases of Argentina, for a tally of 11½-5½. Both Reshevsky and Korchnoi have won eight games outright. Korchnoi has lost twice, to Rossetto and Richard Wade of New Zealand. Reshevsky has not been set back since his first-round loss to fellow American Larry Evans.
In third place is Laszlo Szabo of Hungary, with 10½-6½. He won five games, lost but one to Wolfgang Uhlmann of East Germany and drew 11 times. Fridrik Olafsson of Iceland is close behind with 10-7.
The biggest disappointment of the tournament is the lowly position of brilliant U.S. champion Bobby Fischer, tied at 7½-9½ with the fourth U.S. representative, Paul Benko of New York.
Following is the standing of the players after 17 rounds and games of the event:
Reshevsky Favored In Argentine Chess 24 Jul 1960, Sun The Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, California) Newspapers.com
Tampa Bay Times St. Petersburg, Florida Wednesday, July 27, 1960 - Page 1
U.S., Russia Tied In Argentina Chess
Buenos Aires (AP) — With only one more round left to play, Samuel Reshevsky of New York and Victor Korchnoi of Russia are tied for first place in the Argentina international chess tourney with 12½ points each.
Reshevsky has been leading since the outset but was held to a draw Tuesday night by Wolfgang Unzicker of Germany in 17 moves. Meanwhile, Korchnoi defeated Bernardo Wexler of Argentina in 39.
In other matches Bobby Fischer of Brooklyn, defeated Robert Wade of England in 45 moves; Paul Benko of New York, and Laszlo Szabo of Hungary, drew in 12 and Larry Evans, also of New York, defeated Wolfgang Uhlmann of East Germany, in 69 moves.
U.S., Russia Tied In Argentina Chess 27 Jul 1960, Wed Tampa Bay Times (St. Petersburg, Florida) Newspapers.com
The Guardian London, Greater London, England Thursday, July 28, 1960 - Page 4
Buenos Aires
Here is a further selection of games from the Buenos Aires tournament.
The result
Reshevsky (United States) and Korchnoi the Russian champion shared first prize at Buenos Aires with 13 out of 19, followed by Szabo with 12. The two Argentines, Guimard and Rossetto, shared fourth place with Taimanov and Evans, and thereby qualified for the grandmaster title. One's impression is that Gresham's Law is operating so effectively here that the International Chess Federation will soon be obliged to begin creating great-grandmasters.
Gligoric rallied near the finish to finish tenth with 10 points, but Bobby Fischer had one of his worst results, ending in thirteenth place with 8½. Wade had another win over a grandmaster when he defeated Benko, but his final score of 5½ was equal last.
Chess: Buenos Aires 28 Jul 1960, Thu The Guardian (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com
The Gazette Montreal, Quebec, Canada Saturday, July 30, 1960 - Page 33
Reshevsky Tied At Buenos Aires
It was not Bobby Fischer, on whose young shoulders most hopes were placed, but veteran Samuel Reshevsky who upheld the chess prestige of the free world by tieing for first in the Buenos Aires international with Victor Korchnoi, champion of all the Russians. Curiously, Reshevsky's only loss was to fellow-countryman Larry Evans in the first round. He won eight other games and drew 10. Korchnoi won 9, drew 8 and lost to Rossetto and Wade, the tail-ender!
The Game of Kings 30 Jul 1960, Sat The Gazette (Montreal, Quebec, Canada) Newspapers.com
Express and News San Antonio, Texas Sunday, July 31, 1960 - Page 79
Championship Chess by Blake Stevens
One of the strongest tournaments ever to be conducted in the last 25 years is in progress in Buenos Aires. Chess stars from all over the world are competing.
Missing from the roster are Botvinnik and Tahl, both recuperating from their World Championship Match, and Keres and one or two other high Russian players.
Nevertheless, such luminaries as Reshevsky, Korchnoi, Taimanov, Fischer, Evans, Szabo, Uhlmann, Ivkov, Gligoric, Pachman and Unzicker are present. The countries represented include the U.S.A., Russia, Germany, England, Hungary, Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, and several South American countries.
Fischer Lags
Bobby Fischer is tied for 16th and 17th places, in a field of 20. It is strange how reactions to Fischer's progress change with the times.
At first, when this youngster, scored his early successes (winning the U.S. Open, the U.S. Closed twice, qualifying at Portoroz for the Candidates), the chess world was amazed. Finally, he was accepted as a great player, and his later successes (U.S. Closed, again, Zurich, Mar Del Plata) were more or less taken as a matter of fact with hardly a note of surprise.
Now, in his first serious defeat, his followers are likely to register incredulity when they learn that he is so close to the bottom in such a large tournament.
Perhaps this reaction is only human, but, at least, let's not start calling Fischer a “flash in the pan.” After all, he is only 17! One set-back at this stage in his career is most negligible. He will undoubtedly bounce right back. Young players are very resilient.
Standings
At the end of the 13th round, a players are grouped as follows:
Reshevsky, 9-4;
Korchnoi, 8½-4½;
Unzicker, 8½-4½;
Evans, 8-5;
Szabo, 8-5;
Olafsson, 7½-5½;
Rossetto, 7½-5½;
Uhlmann, 7½-5½;
Guimard, 7-6;
Taimanov, 7-6;
Ivkov, 6½-6½;
Benko, 6-7;
Gligoric, 6-7;
Eliskases, 5-8;
Fischer, 5-8;
Foguelman, 4½-8½;
Bazan, 4-9;
Wade, 2½-10½
Fischer still has a chance to improve his score considerably. He has already drawn with several of the top contenders.
Championship Chess 31 Jul 1960, Sun Express and News (San Antonio, Texas) Newspapers.com
The Los Angeles Times Los Angeles, California Sunday, July 31, 1960 - Page 53
Korchnoi Wins Final, Ties With Reshevsky
Samuel Reshevsky of Spring Valley, N.Y., losing the slight lead he had maintained most of the way, finished in a tie for first place with Victor Korchnoi of Russia in the International Masters' tournament at Buenos Aires, according to a report from the New York Times.
In the final round Korchnoi, who recently won the championship of the Soviet Union, defeated Wolfgang Uhlmann of East Germany to bring his score up to 13-6. Korchnoi won nine games, drew eight and lost to Hector Rosetto of Argentina and Richard Wade of New Zealand.
Reshevsky could only draw in his last two games against Wolfgang Unzicker of West Germany and Fridrik Olafsson of Iceland, to equal the top score of 13-6. After losing in the first round to Larry Evans of New York, Reshevsky won eight times and drew 10.
Third place was taken by Laszlo Szabo of Hungary with a final tally of 12-7. He lost twice, to Uhlmann and Carlos Guimard of Argentina, won seven games and drew 10. Evens finished in a tie at 11-8 with Guimard, Rosetto and Mark Taimanov of Russia.
U.S. Champion Bobby Fischer, who was in the second division throughout, won only three games, against five losses and 11 draws. He lost in the final round to Paul Benko, former Hungarian refugee now residing in the U.S. This put Fischer in last place in the American contingent, an amazing reversal of his previous form.
Following are the final standings of the players, and a selection of games from the tournament.
Chess by Isaac Kashdan 31 Jul 1960, Sun The Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, California) Newspapers.com
The Gazette Montreal, Quebec, Canada Saturday, August 06, 1960 - Page 33
Madrid Zonal
Particular interest for Montrealers in the Madrid Zonal of the new world championship series, centers in the fine showing made by Arturo Pomar, of Spain, who tied for top honors. Pomar visited this city seven years ago and made many friends here by his fine play and modest demeanor.
Starting off as a sensational 14-year-old prodigy at the London 1946 international his subsequent progress, although fairly good, did not quite come up to the hopes of his well-wishers. This is his first big success. The recent achievements of Bobby Fischer may have stirred him! He lost only to O'Kelly and Attard, Donner lost to Lehmann, while Gligoric's losses were to Portisch and Pietzsch. Portisch was the only undefeated player.
Madrid Zonal 06 Aug 1960, Sat The Gazette (Montreal, Quebec, Canada) Newspapers.com
St. Louis Post-Dispatch St. Louis, Missouri Sunday, August 14, 1960 - Page 82
“Chess players are accustomed to being the butt of stale jokes about being chess-nuts, and complaints that chess is for graybeards and that one game lasts forever.
They know that none of these things is true: that men and women from all walks of life enjoy chess, that the Open championship was won by Bobby Fischer at the age of 14 and that the length of a game depends on the players. A friendly game often takes less time that a rubber of bridge. They know also that it is useless to try to convince the layman: his mind is made up and he doesn't want to be confused with facts.”
Captions:
U.S. Chess Meet—Quiet, Please
Country's Leading Players Concentrate in Silence in Open Tournament Here
View of the 87-board United States Open chess tournament at Sheraton-Jefferson hotel.
Lisa Lane of Philadelphia . . . women's champion.
Robert Steinmeyer of St. Louis, left, opposing Maxwell Sokoler of Mamaroneck, N.Y.
Arthur Bisguier, New York City, last year's champion
U.S. Chess Meet -- Quiet, Please 14 Aug 1960, Sun St. Louis Post-Dispatch (St. Louis, Missouri) Newspapers.com
The Gazette Montreal, Quebec, Canada Saturday, August 20, 1960 - Page 34
Mrs. Roosevelt On Chess
Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt, who played an important part in assuring Bobby Fischer's participation in the Challenger's tourney held in Yugoslavia last fall when the financial problem threatened his withdrawal, has commented on the general chess situation in the press: “I think there is no reason why we should not have as good chess players in our country as there are in other countries. Chess is certainly interesting more and more of our young people.”
Mrs. Roosevelt On Chess 20 Aug 1960, Sat The Gazette (Montreal, Quebec, Canada) Newspapers.com
Courier-Post Camden, New Jersey Friday, August 26, 1960 - Page 4
Ex-Missionary Seeks Chess Team Funds
New York (UPI)—A former missionary in China today appealed for funds to finance an American team to compete in the chess Olympics to be held later this year in Leipzig, East Germany.
The Rev. Frank P. Beal, chairman of the People to People Chess Committee, said that if his fund drive is successful a team headed by three times U.S. chess champion Bobby Fischer, 17, would be sent to represent this country.
“Chess is a highly respected art abroad and as popular as baseball here.” Beal said. “America's prestige abroad goes up each time we play in an international chess event.”
Ex-Missionary Seeks Chess Team Funds 26 Aug 1960, Fri Courier-Post (Camden, New Jersey) Newspapers.com
New York Times, New York, New York, Friday, August 26, 1960 - Page 9
A Captive Audience of 2,400 Cheers Bobby Fischer
Bobby Fischer, 17, leans over table to move in one of the twenty games he played at City Penitentiary. Beside him is Frederick C. Rieber of the Department of Correction.
Bobby Fischer, a champion chess player, played before his largest American audience yesterday at Rikers Island.
About 2,400 inmates of the City Penitentiary watched as the 17-year-old champion took on twenty challengers simultaneously. As was expected, Mr. Fischer won all matches.
The crowd, gathered on the recreational field, cheered enthusiastically as the gangling six-foot-one-inch champion walked the length of a forty foot table, pausing only momentarily in front of each opponent to make a move.
The only things that bothered the champion were his feet.
”They're beginning to hurt,” he said. “I can play a hundred persons at once and it wouldn't make any difference, except to my feet.” Harold Wildstein, program director for the penitentiary, said that chess was the most popular sport at the prison.
“It's a great game,” commented one of the challengers. “It takes a lot of time to play—and that's what we have a lot of.”
New York Times, New York, New York, Sunday, September 18, 1960 - Page 301
Chess Rally Is Listed
Group Meets Here Tomorrow on Fund-Raising Mission
A meeting of chess enthusiasts will be held tomorrow night at the Community Church, 40 East Thirty-fifth street, at 8 o'clock. The primary topic will be ways and means of raising funds to send an American team to the world chess Olympics in Leipzig, East Germany.
Leonid Hambro, a concert pianist, called the meeting, which will be conducted by the Rev. Frank Peer Beal, the chairman of the People-to-People Chess Committee.
The competition at Leipzig will run from Oct. 14 through Nov. 9. Hambro estimates that it will cost $6,000 to send a six man United States team.
As the United States champion, Bobby Fischer of Brooklyn would head the team, Samuel Reshevsky and Nicolas Rossolimo are others who would be sent.
Medford Mail Tribune Medford, Oregon Thursday, September 22, 1960 - Page 21
Protests Decision—Mrs. Regina Fischer of Brooklyn, N.Y., mother of Bobby Fischer, 17-year-old national chess champion, pickets the White House in an effort to gain support for sending the United States chess team to the world chess olympics in East Germany next month. The United States Chess Federation refuses to sponsor the trip.
(UPI Telephoto)
Protests Decision 22 Sep 1960, Thu Medford Mail Tribune (Medford, Oregon) Newspapers.com
New York Times, New York, New York, Wednesday, September 28, 1960 - Page 46
Chess Office Picketed
Fischer's Mother Wants U.S. Team in World Olympics
Mrs. Regina Fischer continued yesterday to picket the headquarters of the American Chess Foundation at 1372 Broadway to get it to send a team to the World Chess Olympics opening at Leipzig, East Germany, on Oct. 14. She is mother of Bobby Fischer, the 17-year-old national champion from Brooklyn.
Mrs. Fischer carried a sign saying that President Eisenhower favored having an American team at the Olympics and the foundation had the money to send one.
A spokesman for the foundation said yesterday that the responsibility for sending a team abroad rested with the United States Chess Federation. He said the federation had not acted to send a team because the State Department was not in favor of it.
A spokesman for the federation said it was awaiting word from the State Department whether a team should be sent.
New York Times, New York, New York, Friday, September 30, 1960 - Page 23
Fischer Off To Iceland
U.S. Chess Champion to Play in Leipzig Tourney Later
Bobby Fischer, the 17-year-old United States chess champion, left for Iceland last night. He is the only American invited to participate in that country's tournament celebrating the sixtieth anniversary of its national chess program.
The money for Fischer's passage was donated by Harvey Breit, the writer, through the People-to-People Chess Committee. After the Iceland tourney, Fischer will fly to Leipzig, East Germany, where he will play the first board on the United States Olympic team.
The Los Angeles Times Los Angeles, California Saturday, October 01, 1960 - Page 14
In German Tourney
Times Chess Editor Will Head U.S. Team
Times Chess Editor Isaac Kashdan will captain a six-man chess team to represent the United States at the Chess Olympics to be held in Leipzig, East Germany, Oct. 16 through Nov. 9.
Others on the U.S. team with Kashdan are Bobby Fischer, 17, of Brooklyn, U.S. champion for three years and the youngest in history; Robert Byrne, of Indianapolis; Arthur Bisguier and Nicholas Rossolimo, both of New York City, and Raymond Weinstein, of Brooklyn.
Russian Defenders
Kashdan, an international grand master of chess, will leave here by plane for New York Oct. 10. He will fly to East Germany Oct. 13.
The Chess Olympics are held every two years, Russia's team will be the defending champions. They have won every Olympic tournament since the end of the war.
The U.S. team won four world championships from 1931 through 1937. They did not enter a team in 1939 when the championship was won by the German team. Competition then ceased until 1952, when the Soviet team captured the title.
Confident of Victory
Kashdan said yesterday that he feels more confident than ever that this year's U.S. team will return the championship to the United States.
Stories of the competition will be forwarded to The Times by Kashdan and carried on a daily basis during the tournament. Kashdan's regular column will continue to be carried in the Sunday Times.
In German Tourney: Times Chess Editor Will Head U.S. Team 01 Oct 1960, Sat The Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, California) Newspapers.com
The Gazette Montreal, Quebec, Canada Saturday, October 01, 1960 - Page 43
Reshevsky Defeats Benko
Veteran grandmaster Samuel Reshevsky scored a close victory over Paul Benko, Hungarian freedom fighter now resident in the U.S.A. in their ten game match at New York, scoring 5½ points to 4½. Benko started off well winning the first in good style but Reshevsky came back to take the 2nd, 5th and 7th games. He conceded the final 10th game at adjournment times when he was a P down as the match had already been won. The five other games were drawn. Reshevsky was awarded the George P. Edgar Trophy and $1,000, while Benko received $500. The match was sponsored by the American Chess Foundation. Reshevsky remains undefeated in match play having scored against Horowitz, Kashdan, Najdorf (2), Gligoric, Byrne, Bisguier and Lombardy over the years. But can he defeat young Bobby Fischer, who has thrice wrested the national crown from him in tourney play?
1st Game from the Match:
The Game of Kings: Reshevsky Defeats Benko 01 Oct 1960, Sat The Gazette (Montreal, Quebec, Canada) Newspapers.com
Sunday Gazette-Mail Charleston, West Virginia Sunday, October 02, 1960 - Page 35
“The International Chess Team Championship Tournament will start soon in Europe, but unfortunately, the U.S. will not be represented. One reason is that it is being held in East Germany where we have no diplomatic representation. Too bad. An American team headed by Bobby Fischer and Samuel Reshevsky would not be a pushover. As usual, Russia will be favored to win.”
Local Chess Club To Begin Season Tuesday Evening By Edward M. Foy 02 Oct 1960, Sun Sunday Gazette-Mail (Charleston, West Virginia) Newspapers.com
Courier-Post Camden, New Jersey Wednesday, October 05, 1960 - Page 3
Chess Champ Kin On Hunger Strike
New York (UPI)—Mrs. Regina Fischer went on a hunger strike today in an effort to get the American Chess Foundation to finance a U.S. team to participate in the 1960 Chess Olympics that begin next week in Leipzig, East Germany.
Mrs. Fischer, mother of U.S. chess champion Bobby Fischer, 17 of Brooklyn, has been picketing the foundation for the past week.
“I hope this action will enable the foundation to raise the necessary funds to send a team,” she said.
The State Department has indicated it would not preclude a U.S. entry although the games will be held behind the Iron Curtain. The games start Oct. 14.
Bobby Fischer, three-time U.S. champion, would head the U.S. team. He currently is playing in a tournament in Iceland.
Chess Champ Kin On Hunger Strike 05 Oct 1960, Wed Courier-Post (Camden, New Jersey) Newspapers.com
The Pittsburgh Press Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Wednesday, October 05, 1960 - Page 52
“Bobby Fischer, the young American chess champion, finally has been able to accept the invitation to play in Iceland's 60th anniversary chess tourney. His transportation expense problem was solved: Harvey Breit, the playwright, gave him the money for the plane trip”
Lyons Den 05 Oct 1960, Wed The Pittsburgh Press (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) Newspapers.com
New York Times, New York, New York, Thursday, October 06, 1960 - Page 37
Mother of Chess Titlist Goes on Hunger Strike
The mother of 17-year-old Bobby Fischer went on a hunger strike yesterday in an effort to persuade the American Chess Foundation to finance the participation of the United States team in the 1960 Chess Olympics. Her son is the United States champion.
The “striker,” Mrs. Regina Fischer, has been picketing the foundation at 1372 Broadway in an attempt to get it to provide the $6,318.88 for the American team's expenses at the games, which begin in Leipzig, East Germany, on Oct. 14.
“Time is running out for the United States if it is going to send a team to represent this country,” Mrs. Fischer said. She hopes that the hunger strike will dramatize the need, she said. Her son, who has been United States champion three times, is now playing in a tournament in Iceland.
The Des Moines Register Des Moines, Iowa Thursday, October 06, 1960 - Page 2
Chess
Mrs. Regina Fischer, mother of Bobby Fischer, U.S. chess champion, went on a hunger strike in New York in an effort to persuade the American Chess Foundation to finance an American chess team in the 1960 Chess Olympics in Leipzig, East Germany. The amount needed is $6,318. The tournament begins Oct. 14.
Chess 06 Oct 1960, Thu The Des Moines Register (Des Moines, Iowa) Newspapers.com
Sunday Gazette-Mail Charleston, West Virginia Sunday, October 09, 1960 - Page 36
Speaking Of Chess by Edward M. Foy
“It seems that I was in error when I stated that the United States would not be represented in the forthcoming international chess team championship tournament at Leipzig, East Germany Oct. 16 to Nov. 9.
It looks now as though we will have a team there. Bobby Fischer will play first board, but the only other player I have seen mentioned recently in this connection is Isaac Kashdan. He is reported as available.
Certainly our team should include Sammy Reshevsky, and probably Pal Benko and Larry Evans should be strongly considered too.
Bill Lombardy, of course, is no longer taking part in these affairs. His sterling performance in the international team matches was his swan song. And what a swan song. A first board record of 11 wins and two draws, with a victory over Boris Spassky of the USSR.”
Speaking Of Chess by Edward M. Foy 09 Oct 1960, Sun Sunday Gazette-Mail (Charleston, West Virginia) Newspapers.com
The Los Angeles Times Los Angeles, California Sunday, October 09, 1960 - Page 20
Russians Favored In Leipzig Tourney
The Soviet Union is sending a team of six grandmasters to the Chess Olympics in Leipzig which is probably the strongest aggregation ever to represent one country in a single event.
Leading the line-up will be recently crowned world championship Mikhail Tal, and the man he succeeded, Mikhail Botvinnik. Others, according to a report in the New York Times, are Paul Keres, Victor Korchnoi, Tigran Petrosian and Ewkim Geller.
The entry of the United States, announced last week, makes a roster of 37 nations ready for the opening bell on Oct. 16. Several others may still be heard from. Following is the list:
Albania, Austria, Argentina, Belgium, Bolivia, Bulgaria, Chile, China, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Ecuador, England, East Germany, Finland, France, Greece, the Netherlands, Hungary, Iceland, India, Israel, Italy Lebanon, Monaco, Mongolia, Norway, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, Rumania, the Soviet Union, Sweden, Spain, Tunisia, the U.S.A., West Germany and Yugoslavia.
Our team finished in fourth place in the previous team championship tournament at Munich two years ago and should do at least as well this time. The Russians, who won by a wide margin, are heavily favored to repeat.
Your editor is leaving for New York Tuesday morning to join his teammates for the flight to Germany. Robert Byrne is coming from Indianapolis. The others on the U.S. team, all New Yorkers, are Bobby Fischer, Arthur Bisguier, Nicholas Rossolimo and Raymond Weinstein.
Because of the short notice, not all the funds needed for the team's expenses have been subscribed. A national fund-raising drive has been undertaken by the U.S. Chess Federation, the American Chess Foundation and the People-to-People Chess Committee.
Anyone wishing to contribute should make his check payable to U.S. Chess Federation — Team Fund, and send it to Chess Editor, Los Angeles Times.
Russians Favored In Leipzig Tourney 09 Oct 1960, Sun The Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, California) Newspapers.com
New York Times, New York, New York, Wednesday, October 12, 1960 - Page 43
Chess Protest Is Over
Bobby Fischer's Mother Ends 6-Day Hunger Strike
The mother of 17-year-old Bobby Fischer, the United States chess champion, said yesterday that she had ended her hunger strike Monday afternoon after six days without food.
She had stopped eating in an effort to persuade the American Chess Foundation to provide more money for the United States team in the 1960 Chess Olympics.
The mother, Mrs. Regina Fischer, had also been picketing the foundation, at 1372 Broadway. She said it had provided only $2,000 for the games in Leipzig, Germany, this year, the American team's expenses for the 1958 Olympics in Munich.
New York Times, New York, New York, Friday, October 14, 1960 - Page 38
Chess Captain Arrives
Kashdan Here to Direct U.S. Six in Leipzig Tourney
Isaac I. Kashdan of Los Angeles, the former co-champion of the United States, yesterday arrived here from Los Angeles to act as the non-playing captain of the American team in the chess Olympics at Leipzig, East Germany, from Oct. 16 to Nov. 9
The United States team will include the national champion, Bobby Fischer, William Lombardy, Robert Byrne, Arthur B. Bisguier, Nicholas Rossolimo and Raymond Weinstein.
Five members of the team left last night. Fischer was not in the party. He has been in Iceland for the past fortnight and will go to Leipzig from there.
New York Times, New York, New York, Monday, October 17, 1960 - Page 35
250 Gather for World Chess
Some 250 chess players from forty nations assembled yesterday at Leipzig, East Germany, for the International Chess Federation's biennial team championships, according to a radio report. Bobby Fischer, William Lombardy, Robert Byrne, Arthur B. Bisguier, Nicholas Rossolimo and Raymond Weinstein are representing the United States.
The Guardian London, Greater London, England Monday, October 17, 1960 - Page 11
The World Chess Team Championships
From our Chess Correspondent
Leipzig, October 16.
England face a formidable task in their preliminary group of the world chess team championships which begin here tomorrow. There is a record entry of 40, and the teams in Group 3 in order of the draw are Tunisia, Greece, Mongolia, Sweden, Bolivia, Hungary, England, Czechoslovakia, Iceland, and Denmark.
Hungary and Czechoslovakia, with two grandmasters' each, appear certain qualifiers for the final, although it should be remembered that Hungary were eliminated in the preliminaries two years ago. There should be a tight struggle for third place in the final between England and Sweden.
As Olafsson in not competing for Iceland and Denmark are without Larsen, the remaining teams should offer little challenge for a place in the final group of 12. The luck of the draw has given England their most vital encounter, the match against Sweden in the very first round. If this ends decisively either way it could well decide which team enters the final. The teams in the other groups, in order of the draw, are as follows: Group 1—Yugoslavia, Indonesia, France, Malta, Albania, Finland, East Germany, Norway, Israel, and Bulgaria. Group 2—India, Russia, Philippines, Austria, Italy, Argentina, Poland, Portugal, Monaco, and Holland. Group 4—West Germany, Rumania, Ecuador, Cuba, Ireland, Belgium, Lebanon, Spain, United States, and Chile.
The Russian team of Tal, Botvinnik, Keres, Korchnoi, Smyslov, and Petrosian should win their section with plenty to spare, and the first round match with Monaco will be the equivalent of a sledge hammer crushing a nut. Tal, the world champion, was recently involved in a motor accident and has not yet recovered, but he is expected to arrive in Leipzig and to play.
The United States team has also had difficulties. They reached Leipzig after last-minute efforts to raise the necessary funds and had only just succeeded and Bobby Fischer's mother had conducted a one-woman protest parade outside the White House. Reshevsky is not playing, apparently because he was unwilling to take the buffet to his prestige involved in playing second board below Fischer. The American team is still a strong one, with Fischer, Lombardy, Robert Byrne, Bisguier, Rossolimo, and Weinstein, and could finish third to Russia and Yugoslavia.
The World Chess Team Championships 17 Oct 1960, Mon The Guardian (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com
Fischer in 14th Olympiad, Leipzig
14th Olympiad, Leipzig (DDR). In the 2nd round of the preliminaries (Group D), played on the 18th October 1960 - Bobby Fischer (USA) v. César Muñoz Vicuña (Ecuador). Fischer lost this game on the white side of a Sicilian Dragon. (Source Douglas Griffin @dgriffinchess Photo source: unknown.)
The Guardian London, Greater London, England Tuesday, October 18, 1960 - Page 2
Golombek Draw First Game
Chess at Leipzig
Leipzig, October 17.
Only one game was completed in the first session of England's match with Sweden in the world team chess championship. Golombek had the better opening against Lundin and reached an ending with the advantage of the two bishops; but a slight inaccuracy enabled Lundin to reach a drawn position.
Penrose was always struggling with the black pieces against Stahlberg, and although he defended well Stahlberg still had the better ending at the adjournment. Clarke was also on the defensive against Johansson, but he neutralised his opponent's threat and should draw the adjourned game comfortably.
Other results in group (C): Bolivia 0, Hungary 2; Czechoslovakia 2, Mongolia 1; Greece 1, Iceland 3; Tunisia 3, Denmark 0. In other groups, Russia beat Monaco 4-0, Yugoslavia and Bulgaria and level, 1½-1½, and the United States lead Rumania 2-1. Bobby Fischer won the first game of the championship when his opponent Ghitescu blundered away his queen in 14 moves. The sensation of the day was the defeat of the former world champion Dr. Max Euwe, of Holland, by the 21-year-old Indian champion Aaron.
Golombek Draw First Game 18 Oct 1960, Tue The Guardian (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com
New York Times, New York, New York, Wednesday, October 19, 1960 - Page 63
U.S. Leads Rumania In Chess Olympics
The United States team led Rumania, 2—1, with one game adjourned, in the first round of Section 4 in the chess Olympics at Leipzig, according to reports from East Germany yesterday.
Forty nations are competing in four groups in the tournament being conducted by the International Chess Federation.
Bobby Fischer, the United States champion, defeated Ghitescu, playing the black side of a Nimzo-Indian defense, after fourteen moves — the shortest game of the round.
William Lombardy, No. 2 in the American line-up, lost a Queen's Gambit declined to Drimer. Lombardy fell into a complicated position and lost on time after thirty-seven moves had been recorded.
At the third board, Robert Byrne, the United States open champion, adjourned a French defense with Radiovici. Byrne had the better position after forty moves.
In a Bogoljubow variation of a Queen's Pawn opening, Arthur B. Bisguier of the United States beat Mititelu in thirty-six moves.
In other Section 4 matches, West Germany defeated Chile, 3—1; Spain led Ecuador, 3—0, with one game adjourned; Cuba routed Lebanon, 4—0, and Belgium led Ireland, 2—1, with one game adjourned.
An upset was recorded in Section 2 when Dr. Max Euwe, a former world champion, lost to M. Aaron of New Delhi, the Indian Champion.
The Los Angeles Times Los Angeles, California Wednesday, October 19, 1960 - Page 9
U.S. Scores in Chess Olympics at Leipzig
Bobby Fischer, 17, Defeats Rumanian in 14 Moves; Americans Win Match, 3-1
By Isaac Kashdan, Times Chess Editor
LEIPZIG — The United States scored its first point in the chess Olympics in this East German city when its 17-year-old champion Bobby Fischer defeated Ghitescv of Rumania in 14 moves Tuesday.
The Rumanian had blundered, losing his queen for a bishop, and resigned immediately. The Americans won the match three-to-one.
In the middle game, Arthur Bisguier gained two pawns against Mititelu, defeating his Rumanian opponent in 36 moves. Robert Byrne began in inferior game against Radovici, but outplayed him in the end and won the second session.
The only loss for the American team came when William Lombardy tried for a win in an even position and lost ground materially. He forfeited on time in the 40th move.
The sensation of the first round came in the match against Holland, in which Dr. Max Euwe, former world champion, suffered defeat at the hands of 23-year-old Aaron of India who was playing his first international tournament.
Aaron gave up a pawn in the opening to develop an attack. He established two passed pawns, winning in fine style.
Russians Win
The top-rated Russian team had an easy time of it, winning 4-0 against Monaco. Representatives of the little monarchy were no match for former world champions Mikhail Botvinnik and Vassily Smyslov and grand master Paul Keres and Victor Korchnoi.
A real surprise was the 4-0 victory of Tunisia over Denmark. Other 4-0 shutouts were scored by Norway over France, Argentina over Malay, Hungary over Bolivia, Spain over Ecuador and Cuba over Lebanon.
U.S. Scores in Chess Olympics at Leipzig 19 Oct 1960, Wed The Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, California) Newspapers.com
Courier-Post Camden, New Jersey Wednesday, October 19, 1960 - Page 12
U.S. Team Last-Minute Olympic Competitors
Last-minute financial arrangements permitted the United States to send a team to represent it at the 1960 Chess Olympics after all.
Heading the team is our national champion, 17-year-old Bobby Fischer, plus William Lombardy, Nicholas Rossolimo and Arthur Bisguier. Raymond Weinstein and Robert Byrne are alternates, while Isaac Kashdan is serving as non-playing captain.
The Olympics are being help at Leipzig, in East Germany, and lack of enthusiasm on the part of our Government about sending a team behind the Iron Curtain is partly responsible for our near-failure to have an entry. The list of countries participating totals about 40. Play began Monday.
This may be the last major competition for many years for Lombardy, who now is at the peak of his form and has just been named an international grand master. Lombardy expects to become a member of the Society of Jesus and will soon begin his 13-year study for the priesthood.
One notable absentee from the Olympics will probably be the world champion, Mikhail Tal of the Soviet Union. Tal was involved in an automobile accident in East Germany, en route to Leipzig. While doctors permitted him to travel on to Leipzig, they advised him against competing because he had suffered a slight brain concussion.
With Botvinnik, Keres, Korchnoi, Petrosian and Geller all available, Tal's absence from the Soviet team will not be exactly disastrous.
U.S. Team Last-Minute Olympic Competitors 19 Oct 1960, Wed Courier-Post (Camden, New Jersey) Newspapers.com
The Los Angeles Times Los Angeles, California Thursday, October 20, 1960
U.S. Champion Suffers Chess Olympics Upset
Miscalculation by Fischer Loses Game to Munoz of Ecuador After Early Lead
By Isaac Kashdan
Leipzig—After being first winner in the opening round of the Chess Olympics here, U.S. champion Bobby Fischer suffered a stunning upset Wednesday, losing to Munoz of Equador.
Fischer had an early advantage with an apparently winning attack. Miscalculation allowed an exchange of queens, leaving Munoz with two pawns plus in the end game.
The United States won its second match in a row, defeating Ecuador 2½ to 1½. Lombardy Degeatec Agulirre and Rossolimo won from Garces with little difficulty.
Arthur Bisguier drew a 55-move game with Vepez after a hectic battle. Bisguier had a superior opening but blundered when Vepez repeated moves.
Spain was leading Section 4 with 7 points, 4 against Ecuador and 3 against Cuba. The United States was second with 5½ points.
Norway was leading in another section with 8 points, trouncing France and Malta, 4-0. East Germany was second with 7 points.
Russia has 8 points in Section 2, beating India in the second round.
The closest game was one in which young Aaron defeated Dr. Max Euwe in the first round and again aced former world champion Mikhail Botvinnik who gave him a good battle before succumbing in the second session.
Argentina follows Russia in this section with 7½ points. Three teams, Czechoslovakia, Hungary and Tunisia, are tied in Section 3 with 6½ points.
U.S. Champion Suffers Chess Olympics Upset 20 Oct 1960, Thu The Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, California) Newspapers.com
The Guardian London, Greater London, England Thursday, October 20, 1960 - Page 6
A Grueling Day For England
Chess championship
Leipzig, October 19.
“The surprise of round two was Bobby Fischer's loss to Munoz. Although the United States boy prodigy had the white pieces in one of his favourite variations of the Sicilian his Ecuador opponent developed an overwhelming attack.”
Chess Championship in Leipzig 20 Oct 1960, Thu The Guardian (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com
New York Times, New York, New York, Friday, October 21, 1960 - Page 40
U.S. Defeats Cuba By 3-1 as Bisguier Triumphs in Chess
The United States team gained a 3-1 victory over Cuba in the third round of the Section 4 preliminaries of the chess Olympics at Leipzig, according to a report yesterday from East Germany.
Arthur B. Bisguier clinched the match by scoring in a Nimzo-Indian defense over Juan Gonzalez in their adjourned game.
The Cuban had slightly the better of it during the early half of the game, but Bisguier gradually improved his position and at the time of adjournment had winning chances. Upon resumption, the American scored in fifty-seven moves.
Bobby Fischer, the United States champion, split a point with Eleazar Jimenez of Cuba at board No. 1. There were rook and knight ending in a Ruy Lopez was drawn after thirty moves.
Robert Byrne was pitted against Eldis Cobo. The Cuban defended accurately and, with bishops of opposite colors on the board, a draw was agreed to after thirty-nine moves. Cobo played the King's Indian defense.
Raymond Weinstein of Brooklyn College, an alternate playing his first game, defeated De Cardenas with a crushing attack in a King's Indian defense after twenty-six moves.
In Section 2, Mikhail Botvinnik of the Soviet Union, a former world champion, drew at the top board with J.H. Donner of the Netherlands. Mikhail Tal, the world champion from the Soviet Union, arrived in Leipzig and is expected to start play in the fourth round.
In adjourned matches from the second round, Spain defeated Cuba, 3—1, and Rumania downed West Germany, 2½—1½.
The Los Angeles Times Los Angeles, California Friday, October 21, 1960 - Page 29
U.S. Team Beats Cuba, 3-1, in Chess Olympics
Americans Win Third Straight Match Victory at Leipzig With Some Luck
By Isaac Kashdan, Times Chess Editor
Leipzig—With a big assist from Lady Luck, the U.S. team defeated Cuba three to one Thursday for its third straight match victory in the Chess Olympics here.
Raymond Weinstein of the U.S. opened badly against De Cordenas and seemed headed for no better than a tie. De Cordenas misplayed, however, allowing Weinstein to win in 26 moves.
Earlier, Bobby Fischer and Robert Byrne of the United States played to draws, Fischer against Jimenez and Byrne versus Cobo.
Byrne recovered from a poor opening.
The United States got another break when Gonzalez's strategy backfired and his oversight allowed Arthur Bisguier to lose a rook for a bishop. The game went two sessions with Bisguier winning.
Russia Beats Holland
After beating Ireland, Spain leads section four with 10½ points. The United States with 8½ points is tied with Belgium and West Germany.
Russia defeated Holland, three to one and Argentina kept pace by winning, three to one over Poland in section two.
After three matches, Russia has 11 and Argentina 10½.
In section one, Norway leads with 11, with East Germany's 10½ placing it second.
Czechoslovakia is ahead in section three with 10½ to Hungary's nine.
U.S. Team Beats Cuba, 3-1, in Chess Olympics 21 Oct 1960, Fri The Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, California) Newspapers.com
The Gazette Montreal, Quebec, Canada Saturday, October 22, 1960 - Page 43
Game of Kings by D.M. Le Dain
“A last minute effort, initiated by a group outside the U.S.A. Chess Federation, has assured American representation at the world team championship Leipzig, E. Germany. Veteran grandmaster Isaac Kashdan, of Los Angeles, will captain the team which will include Bobby Fischer, A. Bisguier, R. Byrne, Nicholas Rossolimo and R. Weinstein.
American Representation at the World Team Championship in Leipzig, East Germany 22 Oct 1960, Sat The Gazette (Montreal, Quebec, Canada) Newspapers.com
New York Times, New York, New York, Sunday, October 23, 1960 - Page 293
U.S. Chess Team Defeats Belgium
Lombardy, Byrne, Weinstein Score in East Germany—Fischer Held to Draw
The United States chess team yesterday defeated Belgium, 3½—½, in the fifth round of the chess Olympics at Leipzig, according to a report received from East Germany yesterday. The United States is now second behind Spain in Section 4.
Bobby Fischer, the No. 1 United States player, was held to a draw by Alberic O'Kelly de Galway. The United States champion had the black side of a Sicilian defense. O'Kelly followed a theoretical drawing line. After twenty moves, they agreed to split the point.
At the second board, William Lombardy triumphed over Thibault by constant positional pressure in a Gruenfeld defense. The Belgian resigned after forty moves.
Another Gruenfeld defense was successfully employed by Robert Byrne against Dunkelblum. The American exploited pawn weaknesses and score in thirty moves.
Raymond Weinstein defeated Van Schoor by means of a fine king's side attack lasting thirty-two moves in a Benoni counter gambit.
In Section 2 Argentina defeated Monaco, 4—0, and took first place in that group with 18—2, half a point ahead of the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union won from Austria 3½½.
Mikhail Tal, the world champion and head of the Soviet team, was held to a draw by Robatsch. Paul Keres defeated Beni, Vassily Smyslov won from Lokvenc and Tigran Petrosian scored against Janatshek.
In Section 1, Yugoslavia took the measure of Albania, 4—0, and heads the group with 17—3. Hungary defeated Iceland, 3½—½, and leads in Section 3 with 14½—5½.
In Section 4, Chile beat Ecuador, 3½—½, Rumania defeated Cuba, 2½—1½, West Germany beat Ireland, 4—0, and Spain won, 3½—½ from Lebanon, ½.
The Los Angeles Times Los Angeles, California Sunday, October 23, 1960 - Page 79
U.S. Wins 5th Straight Match at Chess Meeting
American Team Defeats Strong Belgium Group, 3½ to ½, at International Contest
By Isaac Kashdan, Times Chess Editor
LEIPZIG—The United States won the fifth straight match in the chess Olympics here Saturday, defeating the strong Belgium team 3½ to ½.
The only draw was on the first board with U.S. champion Bobby Fischer playing grandmaster O'Kelly De Galway. It was a dull 20-move game. Other games were well-played.
Ireland Loses
American Lombardy developed a strong king-side attack to beat Thibaut Byrne, won two pawns against Dunkleblum, won the ending against Weinstein and also won with neat end game tactics against Van Schoor.
There was no ground gainer in section four as Spain beat Lebanon, 3½ to ½. West Germany beat Ireland, 4 to 0. The United States and Spain tied at 16 points and West Germany at 15½. These three almost are sure to qualify for the finals.
The Soviet team defeated Australia, 3½ to ½, in section two, but are now second as Argentina scored, 4 to 0, against Monaco. World champion, Mikhail Tal over-reached himself in a combination against Robatsch, who had lost a game, but managed to draw.
End Standings
In end standings, Argentina finished at 18 points, the Soviet Union at 17½, Australia at 11½ and Poland 11.
In leader section one, Yugoslavia beat Albania, 4 to 0, and now have 17 points. East Germany has 15, Bulgaria 14 and Norway 13½.
The closest fight is in section three, where Hungary leads with 14½, Czechoslovakia 14, England 13½ and Sweden 12½.
U.S. Wins 5th Straight Match at Chess Meeting 23 Oct 1960, Sun The Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, California) Newspapers.com
Tampa Bay Times St. Petersburg, Florida Monday, October 24, 1960 - Page 19
U.S., Spain Tied In Chess Olympics
New York — The United States chess players gained another victory by the score of 3½-½ against Belgium in section 4 of the Chess Olympics at Leipzig in the fifth round, according to a report received from East Germany Saturday. United States and Spain are now tied for the lead in their section with 16-4 records.
Bobby Fischer, No. 1 for the United States, was held to a draw by Alberic O'Kelly of Galway. The U.S. champion had the black side of a Sicilian defense. O'Kelly followed a theoretical drawing line and, after 20 moves, they agreed to split the point.
At the second table William Lombardy triumphed over Thibault by constant positional pressure in a Gruenfeld defense. The Belgian resigned after 40 moves.
Another Gruenfeld defense was won by Robert Byrne against Dunkleblum. The American exploited pawn weaknesses and scored in 30 moves.
Raymond Weinstein defeated Van Schoor by means of a nice king's side attack lasting 32 moves in a Benoni counter gambit.
U.S., Spain Tied In Chess Olympics 24 Oct 1960, Mon Tampa Bay Times (St. Petersburg, Florida) Newspapers.com
The Los Angeles Times Los Angeles, California Tuesday, October 25, 1960 - Page 14
U.S. Defeats Spain in Chess Olympics Play
By Isaac Kashdan, Times Chess Editor
Leipzig—The United States scored 2½ to 1½ over a strong Spanish team Monday for its seventh straight victory in the Chess Olympics being held in this East German city.
Bobby Fischer, 17-year-old champion who had been in poor form, outplayed Spain's Perez and won a piece after complicated maneuvering.
Other games drawn in the American-Spanish contest were Byrne vs. Pomar, Bisguier vs. Toran and Rossolimo vs. Del Corral. Rossolimo missed his winning chance after gaining a pawn.
U.S. Leads Section
With two rounds left in the preliminaries, the United States leads its Section 4 with 22½ points. West Germany is close at our heels with 22 points, followed by Spain, 19½, Chile, 18½, and Rumania, 18. The top three qualify for the championship finals.
Eighth round pairings pit the United States against Chile. The same round has Germany against Spain and Rumania against Lebanon.
Russia gained a wide margin in Section 2, defeating her closest contender, Argentina, by 8½ to ½. World champion Tal drew 12 moves with Najdorf.
Disappointing a large crowd which expected an exciting series of battles, the other Russians, Botvinnik, Keres and Smyslov, won from Eliskases, Wexler and Schweber.
Section 2 Totals
Totals for Section 2 are: Russia, 25 points; Argentina, 20½; Poland, 18, and Holland, 16.
Section 1 seeded teams that are reasonably sure to qualify include Yugoslavia, 22; Bulgaria, 20½, and East Germany, 20. Other leaders are Norway, 16½, and Israel, 15½.
In Section 3, Czechoslovakia, England and Hungary are tied with 21 points each, while Sweden follows with 17½.
In the earlier sixth round, the United States won an easy 4-0 victory over last-place Lebanon. Lombardy, Byrne, Bisguier and Weinstein triumphed over Gabriel, Galeb, Tarazi and Allam. Russia also won 4-0 over Italy.
U.S. Defeats Spain in Chess Olympics Play 25 Oct 1960, Tue The Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, California) Newspapers.com
New York Times, New York, New York, Tuesday, October 25, 1960 - Page 46
U.S. Defeats Spain In Chess At Leipzig
The United States won, 2½—1½, against Spain in the seventh round of the preliminaries of the chess Olympics in Leipzig, according to a report received from East Germany yesterday.
The American quartet, with a total of 22½—5½, heads Section 4. West Germany beat Lebanon, 4—0, and trails the United States by a half point.
Bobby Fischer played Perez at the top board. The United States champion obtained two rooks and a knight for a queen in a Sicilian defense and scored in fifty-two moves.
At the second table, Robert Byrne drew with Arturo Pomar in a Slav defense. Pomar had two knights and Byrne two bishops and point was split after thirty moves.
Arthur B. Bisguier and Roman Toran were well matched in a Nimzo-Indian defense of twenty-nine moves. A well-known line of play was followed correctly by both sides in a level rook and pawn ending for a draw. Another rook and pawn ending in a Benoni Counter Grambit halved the point between Nicholas Rossolimo and Del Corral in forty-five moves.
In Section 2, the Soviet Union defeated Argentina, 3½—½. The Russians lead, 25—3. Mikhail Tal, the world champion, drew with Miguel Najdorf, but Mikhail Botvinnik, Paul Keres and Vassily Smyslov won from Erich Eliskases, Bernardo Wexler and M. Schwerber, repectively.
Yugoslavia heads Section 1 with 22—6 and Hungary, Czechoslovakia and England, 21—7 each, are setting the pace in Section 3.
The Los Angeles Times Los Angeles, California Wednesday, October 26, 1960 - Page 44
United States Keeps Lead in Chess Olympics
Bobby Fischer Scores Brilliant Victory; Lombardy, Bisguier, Weinstein Also Win
By Isaac Kashdan, Times Chess Editor
Leipzig—With one round remaining, the United States of America is practically certain to finish first in Section 4 of the Chess Olympics. Leipzig beat Chile, 4-0.
In the eighth round Bobby Fischer, now playing in good form, developed a powerful attack against Letelier. He sacrificed a rook and then a queen for a beautiful mate combination. Lombardy sacrificed the exchange against Ader and won a difficult end game. Bisguier beat Salas and Weinstein beat Jimenez. Both had the midgame advantage.
The U.S.A. has 26½ points, West Germany 24, Rumania 22, Spain 21½. Rumania and Spain are matched in the last round. THe winner advances to the championship finals.
Russia maintained its fast pace in Section 2, defeating a strong Polish team, 3½ to ½, probably knocking Poland out of the championship group. Leading scores are:
Russia, 28½; Argentina, 23½; Holland, 20; Poland, 18½.
Other probable qualifiers in Section 1 are Yugoslavia, 24; Bulgaria, 23; East Germany, 22.
In Section 3 England has 25, Czechoslovakia 24½ and Hungary 24.
There was no play Tuesday, the groups touring Dresden.
United States Keeps Lead in Chess Olympics 26 Oct 1960, Wed The Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, California) Newspapers.com
New York Times, New York, New York, Wednesday, October 26, 1960 - Page 51
U.S. Tops Chile, 4-0, In Chess At Leipzig
The United States beat Chile, 4—0, in the eighth round of the preliminaries to the Chess Olympics at Leipzig, according to a report received yesterday from East Germany.
The Americans lead Section 4 with a score of 26½—5½. West Germany is second with 24—8. The two teams will meet in the ninth round.
Bobby Fischer won a King's Indian defense from Rene Letelier. The United States champion exploited his opponent's wild play, sacrificed a queen for a pawn and forced mate in twenty-three moves.
William Lombardy, facing Ader, gave up the exchange in a King's Indian defense for two pawns and scored in forty-eight moves.
Arthur B. Bisguier won a pawn and outplayed Salas in a rook and minor piece ending after thirty-six moves of a Ruy Lopez.
Raymond Weinstein defeated Jiminez in an Old Indian defense after thirty-eight moves. Weinstein sacrificed a pawn and forced a mating finish after thirty-eight moves.
In Section 2, the Soviet Union took 3½ points from Poland and leads at 28½—3½. Yugoslavia played a 2-2 tie with Norway and heads Section 1 with 24-8. England gained a 4-0 victory over Greece and leads Section 3 at 25—7.
New York Times, New York, New York, Thursday, October 27, 1960 - Page 49
THE DEFENSE FAILED: Bobby Fischer of the U.S. ponders move in his match with Munoz of Ecuador in second round of the Chess Olympics in Leipzig, East Germany. Munoz defeated Fischer in 36 moves, but U.S. beat Ecuador, 2½-1½, in team match.
New York Times, New York, New York, Friday, October 28, 1960 - Page 35
U.S. and Soviet Union Squads Reach Finals in Olympic Chess
The United States team finished in first place in Section 4 of the preliminaries of the chess Olympics at Leipzig, according to a report yesterday from East Germany. The Americans had a score of 29—7.
The Soviet Union took the honors in Section 2 with a 32-4 record. Bulgaria headed Section 1 and Czechoslovakia and England topped Section 3.
These five teams and seven others, for a total of three from each section, advanced to the finals. The others to gain the round-robin stage among the forty nations competing were Yugoslavia and East Germany in the first group, Argentina and the Netherlands in Group 2, Hungary in the third group and West Germany and Rumania in the fourth.
In the final round of Section 4 the United States defeated West Germany by 2½—1½. Bobby Fischer, the United States champion, won from Wolfgang Unzicker at the top board. Fischer tried to gain an advantage in the early session, but Unzicker's counterplay held the position even. After forty-two moves of a Ruy Lopez an adjournment was taken.
Upon resumption, Fischer carried out a fine attack, finishing with a brilliant queen sacrifice. The German resigned after fifty-five moves.
William Lombardy, Robert Byrne and Arthur B. Bisguier drew their games.
Bulgaria blanked Albania, 4—0, Yugoslavia played a 2-2 tie with Israel and East Germany won from France by 3—1 in the first section.
The Soviet squad defeated Portugal, 3½—½, and the Netherlands won from Italy by the same score. Austria set back Argentina, 2½—1½.
In the third group, Czechoslovakia took 3½ points from Greece, England defeated Mongolia, 3—1, and Hungary took a match from Sweden, 3—1.
The Los Angeles Times Los Angeles, California Friday, October 28, 1960 - Page 18
U.S., Russia Win Ninth Straight in Chess Play
By Isaac Kashdan, Time Chess Editor
Leipzig, Germany—The United States and Russia again won their matches in the ninth and last round of preliminary play in the Chess Olympics here, thus becoming the only teams with nine straight victories.
The Yanks downed West Germany, 2½ to 1½, with Bobby Fischer, the only big winner, outplaying Unzicker in clever endgame tactics.
In the second session, a difficult game, Fischer tried especially hard to avenge his defeat by Unzicker in a Buenos Aires tournament last spring.
Other Games Drawn
The other games were quick draws pitting Americans Lombardy, Byrne and Rossolimo against Lehmann, Bialas and Pfeiffer for the West Germans.
The Soviets triumphed easily over Portugal, 3½ to ½. They were the only squad not losing a single game as the three top teams in each section entered the championship finals.
The leaders and their scores to date.
Section 1 — Bulgaria, 27; Yugoslavia, 26, East Germany, 25.
Section 2 — Russia, 32, Argentina, 25; The Netherlands, 23½.
Section 3 — Czechoslovakia, 28; England, 28; Hungary, 27.
Section 4 — United States, 29; West Germany, 25½; Rumania, 24.
The United States will square off against Rumania in today's opener of the 11 rounds of championship play.
U.S., Russia Win Ninth Straight in Chess Play 28 Oct 1960, Fri The Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, California) Newspapers.com
New York Times, New York, New York, Saturday, October 29, 1960 - Page 20
U.S. Team Has Edge In Chess At Leipzig
The finals of the chess Olympics at Leipzig got under way yesterday, according to a report from East Germany.
The United States team, which topped Group 4 in the preliminaries, adjourned all four of its games with Bulgaria.
Bobby Fischer, playing the top board for the United States, had the white side of a Sicilian defense with Ghitescu. The latter yielded a pawn, but the middle-game struggle was complicated. After forty-two moves an adjournment was taken in a rook-and-pawn ending.
At the No. 2 board, William Lombardy was pitted against Radiovici in a Sicilian defense. The game was adjourned after forty moves with the American an exchange ahead and holding a good chance of winning.
Robert Byrne faced Mititelu in a Nimzo-Indian defense that went to forty moves. Although the American had won a piece and kept pressing, the position was still difficult at the end of the session.
A Ruy Lopez opening, exchange variation, was contested at the fourth table between Arthur B. Bisguier and J. Szabo. Bisguier made an unsound sacrifice of a knight, but Szabo's inaccurate handling forced the return of the piece and the probabilities are that the players will divide the point. Forty-nine moves were recorded.
The Soviet squad defeated Bulgaria, 3—0, with one game adjourned, Mikhail Tal, the world champion won from Padevsky. Mikhail Botvinnik defeated Neikirch and Victor Korchnoi scored against Minev. Vassily Smyslov adjourned his game with Milev.
The Gazette Montreal, Quebec, Canada Saturday, October 29, 1960 - Page 13
Chess Olympics
A record entry of forty-one countries are represented in the world team championship at Leipzig. The U.S.A. team has been strengthened by the addition of W. Lombardy, who was recently accorded grandmaster status by the FIDE. Although both he and Bobby Fischer dropped games in the early rounds of the preliminaries the team is well on the way to qualifying for the championship final.
World Champion Injured
Mikhail Tal suffered a slight brain concussion in an auto accident on his way to the world team championship. After a few days rest doctors allowed him to continue but advised against playing. However, he turned up for the fourth round and brilliantly defeated Campomanes of the Philippines in 27 moves to give the USSR a 3-1 victory.
Chess Olympics 29 Oct 1960, Sat The Gazette (Montreal, Quebec, Canada) Newspapers.com
New York Times, New York, New York, Sunday, October 30, 1960 - Page 252
U.S. Beats Rumania In Chess At Leipzig
The United States completed its first-round match with Rumania with a 3½-½ triumph in the final of the chess Olympics for the Hamilton Russell trophy at Leipzig, according to a report from East Germany yesterday.
Bobby Fischer, William Lombardy and Robert Byrne won and Arthur B. Bisguier drew. The Americans met England in the second round and were tied, 1½—1½, with one game adjourned.
Fischer was paired with Jonathan Penrose, the British champion. They drew thirty-three moves of a Sicilian defense.
Bisguier lost to Harry Golombek in a Queen's Indian defense after forty moves. Bisguier overlooked tactical resources and his game collapsed.
Nicholas Rossolimo of the United States team had the advantage of two bishops in a King's Indian defense with Peter Clarke, but a draw seemed probable when adjournment was taken after forty moves.
Raymond Weinstein, an alternate, beat R.G. Wade. The United States player put on pressure in a Nimzo-Indian defense and the Englishman resigned after thirty-three moves.
With a total score of 5—2, with one game adjourned, the United States is half a point below the Soviet Union.
Finishing their first-round match with a 4-0 sweep of Bulgaria, the Soviet squad led Yugoslavia in the second match, 1½—½, with two games pending.
The Courier-Journal Louisville, Kentucky Sunday, October 30, 1960 - Page 42
U.S. Scores Over Spain At Leipzig
Bobby Fischer Beats Perez At Top Board
By Merrill Dowden
Reports on the preliminaries of the Chess Olympics now being staged in Leipzig are sketchy, but I have learned through the New York Times News Service that our side is doing very well, thank you.
The United States team has defeated the strong Spanish entry, 2½ to 1½. Bobby Fischer was pitted against Perez at top board. The youthful American champion obtained two Rooks and a Knight for a Queen in a Sicilian Defense and scored in 52 moves.
At the second table, Robert Byrne was held to a draw by Arturo Pomar in a Slav Defense. Pomar's two Knights proved as good as Byrne's Bishops and they split the point after 30 moves.
U.S. Scores Over Spain At Leipzig 30 Oct 1960, Sun The Courier-Journal (Louisville, Kentucky) Newspapers.com
The Los Angeles Times Los Angeles, California Sunday, October 30, 1960 - Page 36
U.S. and Russia Win 1st Round in Chess Finals
By Isaac Kashdan, Times Chess Editor
Leipzig — The United States team was paired with Rumania in the first round of the finals in the Chess Olympics here and trounced it 3½ to ½.
Bobby Fischer beat Ghitescu, first winning a rook for a knight and then, emerging with a passed pawn, was ahead in the rook end game.
William Lombardy also won the exchange against Radovici's queen. Robert Byrne had a better opening with Mititelu, but lost his advantage and had difficulties during the middlegame. Then both players got short of time and Byrne showed his superior tactical ability, ending the session with a bishop ahead.
Bisguier Has Trouble
The one game that looked bad for the U.S. team was Arthur Bisguier against Szabo. Bisguier sacrificed a knight in a completely unsound superficial combination. He then struggled against odds for two sessions. Weak play by Szabo helped considerably.
The Russians defeated Bulgaria 4 to 0 with their massive lineup of world champions Mikhail Botvinnik and Vassily Smyslov, and present national champion Victor Korchnoi. They defeated respectively Padeuski, Neikirch, Minev and Milev.
Other results in the first round included Yugoslavia 3 to 1 over Holland, marked by a fine win by Suetozar Gligoric over former world champion Dr. Max Euwe.
Hungary beat England, 2½ to 1½ Argentina tied 2 to 2 with East Germany. And West Germany tied Czechoslovakia at 1½ points each, with one game still uncompleted after two sessions.
U.S. and Russia Win 1st Round in Chess Finals 30 Oct 1960, Sun The Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, California) Newspapers.com
New York Times, New York, New York, Monday, October 31, 1960 - Page 37
U.S. Ties for Lead With Soviet Union In Chess at Leipzig
The United States tied the Soviet Union for first place in the chess Olympics at Leipzig, East Germany, yesterday on an adjourned second-round game with England and a 2½-½ victory over Bulgaria.
The United States and the Soviet Union now have 8-3 scores, with the one game adjourned.
Bobby Fischer, the No. 1 player in the American line-up, defeated Bobatsov with a Ruy Lopez opening. The Bulgarian had a loose-pawn position, sacrificed in vain, and resigned after thirty-five moves.
William Lombardy defeated Padevsky with a Sicilian defense. Padevsky made an unsound pawn sacrifice, lost his position, and resigned after thirty-five moves.
Robert Byrne drew with Kolarov in a Nimzo-Indian defense. A blocked-pawn position resulted in the draw after twenty-seven moves.
Raymond Weinstein and Minev adjourned after five hours and forty moves in a Bogoljubow-Indian defense.
The Soviet Union won its adjourned match with Yugoslavia, 2½-1½, and is tied with the Netherlands in the third round, 1½-1½, with one game pending. Paul Keres drew with Dr. Max Euwe, a former world champion, Victor Korchnoi drew with J.H. Donner, and Tigran Petrosian drew with L. Prins. Vassily Smyslov and Bouwmeester adjourned.
Courier-Post Camden, New Jersey Monday, October 31, 1960 - Page 19
“Mrs. Regina Fischer of Brooklyn, whose son, Bobby, the U.S. chess champion, was sent to the current World Chess Olympics in Leipzig, East Germany, with only a one-way ticket, is suing the U.S. Chess Federation for an accounting of funds in its $50,000 annual budget. Harvey Breit, well-known Broadway playwright, paid Bobby's return-fare as a last-minute emergency measure, to insure his participation in the World Tournament. Mrs. Fischer says that neither the U.S. Chess Federation nor the American Chess Foundation has ever provided any funds to help defray Bobby's expenses…”
Regina Fischer Suing the U.S. Chess Federation for Accounting of Funds 31 Oct 1960, Mon Courier-Post (Camden, New Jersey) Newspapers.com
The Guardian London, Greater London, England Monday, October 31, 1960 - Page 5
England chess team miss chances against Americans
From our Chess Correspondent
Leipzig, October 30.
England had mixed fortunes in their second round match with the United States in the world chess team championship. The result of 2-2 is the best we have ever made against the Americans, yet had all the chances been taken the score could have been 3½-½ to England. Full details were:
Penrose drew with Fischer, Sicilian Defence; Golombek beat Bisguier, Queen's Indian Defence; Clark drew with Rossolimo, King's Indian Defence; Wade lost to Weinstein, Nimzo Indian Defence.
Penrose's opening position spoke well of his pet system against the Najdorf variation of the Sicilian: Bobby Fischer's King was exposed in the centre, and he had to give up a pawn. With the 17-year-old boy prodigy on the brink of defeat Penrose's nerves let him down: he overlooked the simplest method of winning a rook and pawn ending and then agreed a draw in a still favourable position.
Golombek's pieces became very cramped against Bisguier, but then the American made a bad blunder which allowed Golombek to free his game and win a pawn. Once on top, Golombk played very accurately and finished the game with an elegant little combintion, winning a rook.
Clarke was to some extent a victim of the occasion. After defending for most of the session, he suddenly obtained the better ending after some inaccuracies by Rossolimo. Adjournment analysis indicated winning chances for Clarke, but like Penrose he agreed a draw in a still favourable position. Wade held his own for a long time against Weinstein, but two mistakes in the ending allowed Weinstein a mating attack.
In the third round England are level at 1½-1½ with Argentina but Argentina have the advantage in the adjourned position. Penrose drew with Najdorf, King's Indian Defence: Clark adjourned with Eliskases, English Opening: Haygarth lost to Wexler, Nimzo Indian Defence: and Barden beat Bazan, Sicilian Defence.
England chess team miss chances against Americans 31 Oct 1960, Mon The Guardian (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com
New York Times, New York, New York, Tuesday, November 01, 1960 - Page 50
Soviets Take Lead In Chess At Leipzig
The Soviet Union scored in the fourth round of the chess Olympics at Leipzig, East Germany, yesterday.
The Soviets gained a point in an adjourned third-round match with the Netherlands and with one game adjourned. They [scored] 2½-1½ victory over Hungary are in first place with an 11½-3½ score.
Paul Keres defeated Bilek. Tigran Petrosian won from Kluger and Mikhial Botvinnik drew with Portisch. Mikhail Tal, the world champion, adjourned in a favorable position with Laszlo Szabo.
The United States, second in the standings, won an adjourned third-round match with Bulgaria, 3½—½, and scored a half-point against Yugoslavia's 1½ in the fourth round. With two games adjourned, the Americans have a total of 9½—4½.
Bobby Fischer, the United States champion, lost to Svetozar Gligoric, the Yugoslav champion. The American resigned a Nimzo-Indian defense after thirty-three moves.
The Los Angeles Times Los Angeles, California Tuesday, November 01, 1960 - Page 17
U.S. Scores in Chess; Tied With Russ Team
By Isaac Kashdan, Times Chess Editor
Leipzig—The United States team gained a full point over the Russians Monday in the third round of the chess Olympics to tie them for the lead with 9 points each.
The Americans defeated Bulgaria by 3½ to ½ while the Russians downed Holland 2½ to 1½.
First winner for the United States was Bobby Fischer, who was paired with Bobozov. Fischer quickly developed threats which forced the game after Bobozov sacrificed a pawn for a potential attack.
Falls Into Trap
In Lombardy against Padevski, the latter fell into a trap which cost him a bishop. He promptly resigned.
Byrne drew Tih Kolarow. After uneventful maneuvering with no advantage on either side a big break occurred for the United States. This happened in the Weinstein-Minev game where Weinstein had an inferior position almost all through.
With both players in trouble, Minev missed a neat combination and lost a rook for a knight.
The game went into a second session with Weinstein emerging the winner.
Russ Undefeated
The Russians, who have not yet lost a game, drew three games in short order, Keres, Korchnoi and Petrosian holding, respectively, Dr. Euwe, Donner and Prins. The only winner was Smyslov, who defeated Bowmeester in a well played rook and bishop ending.
In other matches in championship class Yugoslavia defeated Hungary, 2½ to 1½, and Argentina beat England by the same score.
Tie matches were recorded by West Germany vs. Rumania and Czechoslovakia vs. East Germany.
Standings after three rounds: the United States and Russia, 9; Yugoslavia, 7; Argentina 6½; Czechoslovakia, 6½; East Germany 5½; England, 5; Holland, 4½; Rumania, 4½, and Bulgaria, 2½.
In Class B play Israel still leads with 9 points followed by Sweden, 8½, and Austria, 7. The Class C leader is Indonesia with 8 points, followed by the Philippines and Portugal, 7½.
U.S. Scores in Chess; Tied With Russ Team 01 Nov 1960, Tue The Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, California) Newspapers.com
Courier-Post Camden, New Jersey Wednesday, November 02, 1960 - Page 22
U.S. Russian Teams In Olympics Finals
As expected, the United States and the Soviet Union teams have reached the finals of the chess Olympics at Leipzig.
The American team of Fischer, Lombardy, Byrne, Bisguier, Weinstein and Rossolimo finished with a score of 29-7 to capture first place in Section 4 of the preliminary round. Russia's team had an even better score of 32-4 in Section 2.
Bulgaria triumphed in Section 1, with England and Czechoslovakia tying for the lead in Section 3. These five teams, plus seven others—three from each section—will compete in the round-robin finals.
Each of the Americans helped creditably in reaching the finals. Bobby Fischer was involved in one of the big upsets in the matches when he lost his second-round game to Munoz of Ecuador. Subsequently he made up for this disappointment and finished in the final round with a brilliant queen sacrifice that gave him a 55-move victory over Wolfgang Unzicker of West Germany. Unzicker had gone through the tournament undefeated to that point.
The country is probably lucky that we were able to send a team to Leipzig at all. Our State Department was not enthusiastic about our competing, since Leipzig is in Russian-dominated East Germany.
The cost of sending our six players, plus non-playing captain Irving Kashdan, is about $6,000. Not until the very last minute were the American Chess Foundation, U.S. Chess Federation, and People-to-People Sports Committee able to get together and decide to send the team, hoping that American chess enthusiasts will contribute enough to repay them. In view of American chess fans' reaction to similar appeals in the past, the sponsors are obviously congenital optimists.
The 24-game return match for the world's championship between champion Mikhail Tal and the man he dethroned this year, Mikhail Botvinnik, now has been scheduled to begin in Moscow in February. It will consist of 24 games unless one contestant wins 12½ points earlier. Tal, who was injured in an auto accident going to the Leipzig Olympics, recovered quickly and played for the Soviet team there.
U.S. Russian Teams In Olympics Finals 02 Nov 1960, Wed Courier-Post (Camden, New Jersey) Newspapers.com
New York Times, New York, New York, Wednesday, November 02, 1960 - Page 45
Fischer And Tal Draw In Leipzig
Split Point After 21 Moves—Soviet Union Leads U.S. Chess Team, 2 to 1
After gaining a victory over Yugoslavia, 2½—1½, yesterday in an adjourned fourth-round match, the United States met the powerful Soviet Union quarter in the fifth round of the chess Olympics, at Leipzig, according to a report from East Germany.
After five hours of play, the Soviet team led the Americans, 2—1, with one game adjourned.
With a total of 14½—4½, the Soviet Union holds first place, followed by the United States with 12½—6½.
Bobby Fischer, the United States champion, opposed Mikhail Tal, the world champion, at the top board. The players castled on opposite sides of the board and, in a sparkling attack and counter-attack, they agreed to split the point after twenty-one moves of a French defense.
At the second board, William Lombardy adjourned a King's Indian defense with Mikhail Botvinnik, the former world champion, after forty moves.
A repetition of moves forced a draw in a Nimzo-Indian defense between Robert Byrne and Victor Korchnoi in eighteen moves.
Arthur B. Bisguier lost to Vassily Smyslov after forty moves of a Queen's Gambit, semi-Tarrasch defense. The Soviet player forced a mate in forty moves.
Yugoslavia defeated Argentina, 2½—1½, and Hungary won from the Netherlands by the same score. West Germany and Bulgaria tied at 2-all. Czechoslovakia and England were tied at 1-all with two games adjourned as were East Germany and Rumania.
In fourth-round adjourned matches the Netherlands defeated East Germany, 2½—1½; Rumania beat Czechoslovakia, 2½—1½; West Germany downed Eangland, 3—1; Bulgaria and Argentina tied at 2-all, and the Soviet Union beat Hungary, 3½—½.
The Los Angeles Times Los Angeles, California Wednesday, November 02, 1960 - Page 18
U.S. Loses Ground to Russ in Chess Finals
Americans Beat Yugoslavia, 2½-1½; Two Leaders Paired in Key Match Today
By Isaac Kashdan, Time Chess Editor
Leipzig, Germany—The United States scored an important 2½-to-1½ victory over highly rated Yugoslavia in the world chess Olympics here Tuesday but lost ground as Russia overwhelmed Hungary, 3½ to ½.
Yanks Byrne and Bisguier, playing the bottom two boards, had difficult end-game situations but outmaneuvered their opponents, Ivkov and Bertok.
It was a different story on board one, however, where Gligoric obtained a better opening with a won pawn and scored early against Bobby Fischer. Lombardy drew with Matanovic after an evenly contested battle.
Big Two Paired
The U.S.A. and Russia are paired off today in the key match of the tournament, and a decisive victory by either team probably will decide the championship.
Against Hungary Tuesday the Soviets piled up points with Tal beating Szabo, Botvinnik drawing with Portisch, Keres beating Bilek and Petrosian edging Kluger.
The championship standings after five rounds:
Russia, 12; United States, 11½ Yugoslavia, 8½ Czechoslovakia, 8; East Germany, 7½ the Netherlands, 7; Rumania, 7; Hungary, 6½; England, 6; Bulgaria, 4½.
U.S. Loses Ground to Russ in Chess Finals 02 Nov 1960, Wed The Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, California) Newspapers.com
New York Times, New York, New York, Thursday, November 03, 1960 - Page 52
Soviet Team Adds To Lead In Chess
Routs Argentina, 3½ to ½, at Leipzig—Fischer Beats Szabo of Hungary
The Soviet chess team defeated Argentina, 3½—½, in the sixth round of the chess Olympics at Leipzig, East Germany, yesterday, according to a report received here.
With a total score of 18½—5½, the Soviet Union leads the field of twelve. The United States is second with 14—8.
Mikhail Tal, the world champion, defeated Miguel Najdorf in a sparkling attack involving an exchange sacrifice. Erich Eliskases did the only scoring for Argentina when he drew with Paul Keres. Victor Korchnoi won from Bernardo Wexler and Vassily Smyslov beat Alberto Foguelman.
Mikhail Botvinnik, the former world champion, added a half-point to the Soviet total by drawing his unfinished fifth-round game with William Lombardy of the United States. This enabled the Soviet team to defeat the United States, 2—1½.
The Americans met Hungary in the sixth round and were held to a 1-1 tie, with two games adjourned.
Bobby Fischer, playing at the top board, gained the verdict over Laszlo Szabo in a King's Indian defense. Making excellent use of a fianchettoed bishop, the United States champion won a pawn, added several other pawns and scored in twenty-four moves.
Rumania downed East Germany, 3-1; Yugoslavia beat Argentina, 2½-1½, and Czechoslovakia checked England 2½-1½.
At the second board, William Lombardy failed to finish an English opening with Lajos Portisch. After five hours of play and forty moves the game was adjourned.
Nicholas Rossolimo lost to Gideon Baroza in a King's Indian defense. The American made an unsound pawn sacrifice in the opening, never recovered and resigned after thirty-seven moves.
At the fourth table, Raymond Weinstein faced I. Bilek in a Nimzo-Indian defense. Weinstein won a pawn and appeared to have a winning position at the time of adjournment. Forty moves were registered.
In the other matches Rumania led the Netherlands 1½—½, with two games adjourned and England and East Germany were tied at ½—½ with three adjourned. Bulgaria and Czechoslovakia were even at 1½ to 1½ with one game adjourned as were Yugoslavia and West Germany.
In unfinished matches from the fifth-round, Hungary scored a 2½-1½ victory over the Netherlands, Rumania downed East Germany, 3—1; Yugoslavia beat Argentina, 2½—1½, and Czechoslovakia checked England, 2½—1½.
Tampa Bay Times St. Petersburg, Florida Thursday, November 03, 1960 - Page 39
Fischer Ties Tal In Chess Test
New York—After gaining a victory over Yugoslavia, 2½ 1½, in their adjourned fourth-round match, the United States took on the powerful Russian quartet in the resumption of the chess olympics, according to a report received from East Germany Tuesday. After five hours of play, the Soviets led the Americans by 2-1, with one game adjourned.
With totals of 14½-4½, Russia holds first place, followed by the United States, 12½-6½, and Yugoslavia, 11-9.
Bobby Fischer, United States champion, opposed Mikhail Tal, world champion, at the top board. The players castled on opposite sides of the board and, in a sparkling attack and counter-attack, they agreed to halve the point after 21 moves of a French defense.
At board No. 2 William Lombardy adjourned a King's Indian defense with Mikhail Botvinnik, ex-world champion. The game was evenly contested and adjourned after 40 moves.
A repetition of moves forced a draw in a Nimzo-Indian defense between Robert Byrne and Victor Korchnoi in 18 moves.
Arthur S. Bisguier lost to Vassily Smyslov after 40 moves of a queen's gambit, semi-Tarrasch defense. The Russian exerted pressure, won the exchange and forced a mating position in 40 moves.
Fischer Ties Tal In Chess Test 03 Nov 1960, Thu Tampa Bay Times (St. Petersburg, Florida) Newspapers.com
New York Times, New York, New York, Friday, November 04, 1960 - Page 44
U.S. Chess Team Gains
Leads the Netherlands, 2½-½, in Leipzig Tourney
Leipzig, East Germany, Nov. 3 (AP)—The Soviet Union retained its lead in the Chess Olympics today although the United States closed ground by leading the Netherlands, 2½-½ with one game adjourned.
The Soviet players took two games from West Germany and adjourned two for 20½ points after the seventh round. The United States has 18 points.
Bobby Fischer of Brooklyn and Arthur Bisguier of New York won their matches against rivals from the Netherlands. William Lombardy of New York was held to a draw. The game between Robert Byrne of new York and Haye Kramer was adjourned with Byrne in a superior position.
Daily Press Newport News, Virginia Friday, November 04, 1960 - Page 3
Soviets Lead Chess Tourney; U.S. 2nd
Leipzig, Germany (AP)—The Soviet Union held to the lead in the Chess Olympics Thursday although runner-up United States closed in by defeating Holland 2½-½ with one game adjourned.
The Soviet chessmen took two games from West Germany and adjourned two for 20½ points after the seventh round. The United States has 18 points.
Against Holland, Bobby Fischer of Brooklyn and Arthur Bisguier of New York won their matches.
Soviets Lead Chess Tourney; U.S. 2nd 04 Nov 1960, Fri Daily Press (Newport News, Virginia) Newspapers.com
The Los Angeles Times Los Angeles, California Friday, November 04, 1960 - Page 27
Russian Chess Team Beats Argentina 3½-½
By Isaac Kashdan, Times Chess Editor
Leipzig, Germany—The Soviet Union widened its lead in the international chess Olympics here Thursday by trouncing Argentina, 3½ to ½, behind the brilliant play of Vasily Smyslov and world champion Mikhail Tal.
With the United States losing ground in the point totals despite a 2½ to 1½ sixth round triumph over Hungary, it appeared that only a major upset could halt a Russian march to the Olympic title.
The Soviets, pre-tournament favorites, defeated the U.S. team on Wednesday, 2½ to 1½, in the crucial match.
Against Hungary, U.S. champion Bobby Fischer, 17 of Brooklyn, continued his winning play by forcing his opponent, Szabo, to resign after 24 moves.
Joe Rossolimo lost a point for the Yanks, however, by playing an inferior opening against Hungary's Barcza and drifting into a rook ending with a pawn minus.
At adjournment time, William Lombardy and Ray Weinstein had winning positions, but in the second session Weinstein misplayed at a critical point and had to settle for a draw, thus snapping a six game winning streak.
The point totals after six rounds:
Soviet Union, 18½; United States, 15½; Yugoslavia, 13½; Czechoslovakia, 12½; East Germany, 12; Rumania, 11½; The Netherlands, 11; Argentina, 10½; Hungary, 10½ Bulgaria, 8½; England, 8.
Russian Chess Team Beats Argentina 3½-½ 04 Nov 1960, Fri The Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, California) Newspapers.com
New York Times, New York, New York, Saturday, November 05, 1960 - Page 20
Soviet Chess Team Leads Czechs, 2-1, In Leipzig Tourney
Leipzig, Germany, Nov. 4 (AP)—The Soviet Union gained a 2—1 lead over Czechoslovakia, and the United States went ahead of Argentina, 1½—½, tonight in the chess Olympics.
After eight rounds, the Soviets, defending champions, have 24 points to 20½ for the runner-up American team.
Arthur Bisguier of the United States defeated Argentina's Foguelman and William Lombardy drew with Eliskases.
The other Americans, Bobby Fischer and Robert Byrne, adjourned their matches—Fischer with Miguel Najdorf and Byrne with Bernardo Wexler. The Americans were in favorable positions at adjournment.
—
The first-place Soviet team won two games and adjourned two in its seventh-round match with West Germany in the chess Olympics at Leipzig, according to a report from East Germany.
The United States gained the verdict over the Netherlands, 3½—½. In addition, the Americans added 1½ points from their adjourned sixth-round match with Hungary.
Bobby Fischer, the youthful United States champion, scored over Dr. Max Euwe of the Netherlands, a former world champion.
At the second board, William Lombardy split the point with J.H. Donner in a Nimzo-Indian defense.
Robert Byrne and H. Kramer contested a Nimzo-Indian defense at the third table. Steady pressure enabled Byrne to win a pawn and a minor piece ending that went to fifty-five moves.
Arthur B. Bisguier over-reached himself in an English opening with K. Langeweg and had a lost position at one stage of the game. However, he succeeded in scoring a point when the Dutchman blundered, allowing mate. Thirty-two moves were recorded.
Following are the scores of games Fischer won from Rene Letelier in the preliminaries and the grandmaster draw between Tal and Najdorf:
The Los Angeles Times Los Angeles, California Saturday, November 05, 1960 - Page 29
U.S. Defeats Holland In Chess; Russ Keep Lead
By Isaac Kashdan, Times Chess Editor
Leipzig, Germany—The American team defeated Holland, 3½ to ½, in the seventh round of the international chess Olympics here Friday but failed to gain ground on the pace-setting Russians, who made an equal score against West Germany.
Bobby Fischer, 17-year-old U.S. champion, gained an early pawn advantage and won easily against Dr. Max Euwe, former world champion.
Lombardy drew an uneventful game with Donner and Byrne outplayed Kramer in a close ending.
Wins on Blunder
Bisguier sacrificed a knight prematurely against Langeweg. He played an inferior game but won when his opponent blundered under pressure.
World champion Tal drew a long ending with Unzicker, but other Russians, Botvinnik, Korchnoi and Petrosian, scored against Schmid, Bialas and Pfeiffer of the German team. Only Korchnoi had trouble and was lucky to win.
Standings Given
Yugoslavia maintained third place by winning, 3 to 1, against Czechoslovakia. Tie scores of 2 to 2 were gained by Argentina against Hungary. East Germany against Bulgaria and Rumania against England.
Standings after seven rounds:
Soviet Union, 22; United States, 19; Yugoslavia, 16½; East Germany, 14; Czechoslovakia, 13½; Rumania 13½; Argentina, 12½; Hungary, 12½; West Germany, 12½; Holland, 11½; Bulgaria, 10½, and England, 10.
Israel and Sweden are leading Class B competition with 17½ points each, followed by Austria and Finland with 16½ The Philippines lead Class C with 18½, Indonesia is close behind with 18 and Albania follows with 16½.
U.S. Defeats Holland In Chess; Russ Keep Lead 05 Nov 1960, Sat The Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, California) Newspapers.com
New York Times, New York, New York, Sunday, November 06, 1960 - Page 269
Soviet Players Hold Chess Lead
U.S. Is 2d at Leipzig After Beating Both Argentina and Germany by 2½-1½
With two rounds remaining in the chess Olympics at Leipzig, the Soviet Union held a 2-point-lead, according to a report from East Germany yesterday.
The best the Soviet players could do in the ninth round was to tie East Germany at 1-1, with two games unfinished. The Soviet team had defeated Czechoslovakia, 3—1, in the eighth round.
Victor Korchnoi, the Soviet Union champion, drew with Dittmann and Vassily Smyslov split the point with Fuchs. Mikhail Tal, the world champion, adjourned in a winning position with Malich Tigran Petrosian and Goltz also adjourned.
The Soviet Union has a total score of 26—8, with two games pending. The United States, in second place, has 24—12.
The Americans won their unfinished eighth-round match with Argentina by 2½—1½ when Bobby Fischer, the United States champion, halved the point with Miguel Najdorf and Robert Byrne drew with Bernardo Wexler.
In the ninth round, the United States beat West Germany, 2½—1½. Fischer, William Lombardy and Arthur B. Bisguier drew with Wolfgang Unzicker, Klaus Darga and V. Bialas, respectively. Robert Byrne defeated Dr. Heinz Lehmann.
Other ninth-round results: Argentina, 1½, Netherlands, 1½ (one adjourned); Czechoslovakia, 1½, Hungary 1½ (one adjourned); Yugoslavia, 2, Rumania, 0 (two adjourned); England, 2, Bulgaria, 2.
Following is the score of the game that Botvinnik won from Eliskases in the preliminaries:
The Los Angeles Times Los Angeles, California Sunday, November 06, 1960 - Page 97
U.S. Defeats Argentina in Chess Match
By Isaac Kashdan, Times Chess Editor
Leipzig—The American team has defeated Argentina by 2½ to 1½ in the Chess Olympics here, consolidating its second place position.
The Russians, who are defending champions, improved their hold on first place by a 3-1 victory over Czechoslovakia.
The only winner for the Americans was Bisguier on the fourth board, who outplayed Foguelman to win two pawns and the game.
Fischer Loses Advantage
Bobby Fischer gained considerable advantage in the first session against Najdorf, but misplayed after the adjournment, allowing a draw ending.
Lombardy drew in routine style with Eliskases. Byrne lost a bishop to Wexler. In a faulty combination, he won three pawns in return and finally drew.
Botvinnik and Smyslov won for the Russians against Pachman and Hort, while Keres and Petrosian drew with Filip and Utelky.
Hungary Wins Easily
The best score of the round was made by Hungary, defeating West Germany 3½ to ½. Holland versus England and Yugoslavia versus East Germany were tie matches, 2 to 2. Bulgaria won three against Rumania, with one game unfinished.
The standings after eight rounds were USSR, 25; USA, 21½; Yugoslavia, 18½; East Germany, 16; Hungary, 16; Czechoslovakia, 14½; Argentina, 14; Bulgaria, 13½; Holland, 13½; Rumania, 13½; West Germany, 13, and England, 12.
U.S. Defeats Argentina in Chess Match 06 Nov 1960, Sun The Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, California) Newspapers.com
The Los Angeles Times Los Angeles, California Sunday, November 06, 1960 - Page 97
Leipzig Good Site For Chess Olympics
Arranging and conducting a tournament such as the Chess Olympics is a massive operation, requiring considerable advance preparation and plenty of money and manpower.
The East German and Leipzig officials went into action late in 1958, after the completion of the 13th Chess Olympics in Munich, West Germany. Based on discussions with players who were at Munich, they have clearly succeeded.
Excellent arrangements were made for comfort and convenience, both at the playing site and at the hotels. The players are quartered in the two leading hotels in Leipzig, the Astoria and the Park.
On arrival each player was given tickets for a value of 22 marks per day, sufficient for three good meals and an accompanying beer or two. He was also given 50 marks each 10 days for spending money, and a card entitling him to free transportation within the city. Considering that some 250 participants are involved, the cash outlay runs high.
The tournament is being held in a three-story building generally used for large receptions and exhibitions. There are 40 chess games in a large central area on each of two floors. The building is exceptionally well lighted, a prime requisite that is not always available in chess events.
Seats for spectators are spaced near each team, but in no way interfering with the players. For those who cannot get too near the games, the moves are reproduced on large wall boards. An official is assigned to each match to make sure that proper decorum is observed.
On coming to his board, each player is provided with a thermos of coffee or tea and a piece of pastry. More is available on request. Each team has its own cloak room, where pre-game conferences can be held and captains and reserve players can wait for developments.
A special press center is set up for the journalists, with wireless and long distance phone facilities available at all times. Typewriters and mimeograph machines are busy grinding out results. Bulletins containing the moves of all games played are available within 24 hours. All kinds of statistics are compiled and posted regularly.
Reporters are always around, looking for sidelights and interviewing players and officials. The tournament is regularly featured on local radio news programs. Comments by master players on feature games are also broadcast daily.
An unusually interesting feature at the tournament site is an exhibition of Chess Through the Ages. This is a series of displays in glass cases along the walls on both playing floors.
Many unusual and fascinating chess sets have been collected for the exhibition, as well as old books and manuscripts on the game. Many of the participating nations were given space for their own displays of pictures and unusual chess material, ancient and modern.
Even the sophisticated chess masters frequently take time out for another look at the many displays. These may vary from an Arabic chess problem composed in 1100 to a chess set based on electronic devices.
Games From Olympics
The following games were played in the preliminary rounds of the Chess Olympics.
Chess by Isaac Kashdan 06 Nov 1960, Sun The Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, California) Newspapers.com
The Courier-Journal Louisville, Kentucky Sunday, November 06, 1960 - Page 50
U.S. Is 2d As Russians Hold Lead In Olympics
By Merrill Dowden
Bright hopes that the strong United States chess team would win the Chess Olympics at Leipzig were dimmed and in fact all but extinguished last week when it was defeated by you-know-who, 2½ to 1½.
The powerful Russian entry, which includes world champion Mikhail Tal and former world champions Mikhail Botvinnik and Vassily Smyslov, gained a commanding lead after slipping past the Americans by defeating Argentina, 3½ to ½. The Soviets now have a total score of 20½-5½. The United States is second with a score of 19-9.
However, there were some compensations for our side. Bobby Fischer, the young American champion, held Tal to a draw and, if he continues to improve as expected, some day may replace the Latvian as champion of the world. The players castled on opposite sides of the board and, in a sparkling attack and counter-attack, agreed to halve the point after 31 moves of a French Defense.
At Board 2, America's William Lombardy held the great Botvinnik to a draw in a King's Indian Defense.
Robert Byrne drew Victor Korchnoi in 18 moves of a Nimzo-Indian, and Arthur Bisguier lost to Smyslov after 40 moves of a Queen's Gambit.
U.S. Is 2d As Russians Hold Lead In Olympics 06 Nov 1960, Sun The Courier-Journal (Louisville, Kentucky) Newspapers.com
New York Times, New York, New York, Monday, November 07, 1960 - Page 50
Soviet Sets Back Rumania In Chess
Scores, 3-1, in Olympics at Leipzig—U.S. in Draw With Czechoslovakia
The Soviet Union, nearing the team championship in the chess Olympics at Leipzig, East Germany, defeated Rumania, 3—1, in the tenth and semi-final round yesterday. The Soviet also added 2 points in taking the previously adjourned ninth-round match from East Germany, 3—1.
The Soviets have won thirty-one games and lost nine. The United States, in second place, has a 25-13 record, with two games pending.
Mikhail Tal, the world champion, won his previously adjourned ninth-round game with Malich and Tigran Petrosian defeated Goltz.
Tal against led the Soviets to victory in the tenth round by defeating Ghitescu. Paul Keres won from Radovici, while Mikhail Botvinnik and Vassily Smyslov drew with Drimmer and Mititelu, respectively.
The United States drew, 1—1, with Czechoslovakia. Two games were adjourned. Bobby Fischer won from Ludek Pachman and Raymond Weinstein lost to Hort. William Lombardy and Arthur B. Bisguier failed to finish after five hours and adjourned.
New York Times, New York, New York, Wednesday, November 09, 1960 - Page 53
Penrose Tops Tal In Leipzig Chess
World Champion Loses First Game in Tourney—U.S. Leads East Germany
The Soviet Union chess team, winner of the team championship for the fifth time, adjourned with England 1—1 in the eleventh and final round at Leipzig, according to a report received from East Germany yesterday.
The sensation of the round was the first defeat in the chess Olympics of Mikhail Tal, the world champion. He lost to Jonathan Penrose, the British champion.
Victor Korchnoi evened the score by winning from Leonard W. Barden. Paul Keres and Tigran Petrosian adjourned with Peter Clarke and R. W. Wade, respectively.
The Soviet team now has a point score of 32-10, with two games pending.
The close race between the United States and Yugoslavia for the runner-up position continued in the final round. The Americans led East Germany, 2—0, with two games adjourned, and have a total of 27½—14½. Yogoslavia defeated Bulgaria, 2½—½, with one game pending and is half a point below the Americans.
Bobby Fischer, the top board for the United States, adjourned a King's Indian defense with Wolfgang Uhlmann. The United States champion captured a pawn and at the end of the session had a bishop against a knight.
At the second board, William Lombardy played for five hours without reaching a decision with Wolfgang Pietsch in an English opening. Lombardy had the better ending when play was adjourned after forty-three moves.
Strong positional pressure enabled Robert Byrne to score against Malich in a Queen's Pawn opening which went to thirty-eight moves.
At the fourth talbe, Arthur B. Bisguier contested a Queen's Gambit with Goltz. The American made an unsound sacrifice of two pieces, but the German blundered and Bisguier organized a mating attack.
In other matches the Netherlands and West Germany were tied at ½^—½, with three games adjourned: Czechoslovakia led Argentina, ½—½, with two adjourned; Yugoslavia Bulgaria, 2½ to ½, with one adjourned, and Hungary led Rumania, 1½—½, with two adjourned.
New York Times, New York, New York, Thursday, November 10, 1960 - Page 70
U.S. Chess Team Finishes Second
Fischer Victor, Lombardy Draws in Final Round of Olympics at Leipzig
The United States team placed second in the final standing of the chess Olympics at Leipzig, according to a report from East Germany yesterday.
The Americans finished with a score of 29-15. The Soviet squad already had clinched first and Yugoslavia wound up third.
Bobby Fischer of Brooklyn, the national champion, defeated Wolfgang Uhlmann in his final-round adjourned game in forty-three moves and William Lombardy split a point with Wolfgang Pietsch after forty-four moves.
This gave 1½ points to the United States for a 3½-½ victory over East Germany. The Yugoslavs, who had been a half-point behind the Americans, lost their final game with Bulgaria and finished with a 27-17 score. Yugoslavia beat Bulgaria, 2½-1½.
The Soviet players defeated England by 3-1 in their unfinished match and had a final total of 34-10. Paul Keres won from Peter Clarke and Tigran Petrosian scored against R.G. Wade in adjourned contests.
In other eleventh-round matches West Germany defeated the Netherlands, 3-1; Czechoslovakia divided with Argentina, 2-2, and Hungary beat Rumania, 2½-1½.
This Associated Press report appears to be in error and in contradiction with the NY Times report of the same event on 11/10/1960, which states, “Bobby Fischer of Brooklyn, the national champion, defeated Wolfgang Uhlmann in his final-round adjourned game in forty-three moves…”
Clarion-Ledger Jackson, Mississippi Thursday, November 10, 1960 - Page 40
U.S. Finishes Second In Chess
Leipzig, East Germany (AP)—The U.S. team finished second in the Chess Olympics although Bobby Fischer of New York, the U.S. champion, lost his final match Wednesday.
First place went to the Russians.
Russia finished the month-long tourney with 34 points, the United States had 29 and Yugoslavia was third with 27.
U.S. Chessmen 2nd 10 Nov 1960, Thu The Morning News (Wilmington, Delaware) Newspapers.com
Sunday Gazette-Mail Charleston, West Virginia Sunday, November 13, 1960 - Page 62
U.S. Team Needs Funds
By Edward M. Foy
As was expected, the Russians won the world team chess championship in the recently completed tournament at Leipzig, East Germany. Their score based on game not match results was 34 to (illegible 10?). The United States finished second with 29 to 15. Yugoslavia came next with a 27 to 17 record.
The Americans made a good record, even though they did not top the USSR. Our team was as follows: Isaac Kashdan (non-playing captain). Bobby Fischer, William Lombardy, Robert Byrne, Nicholas Rossolimo, Arthur Bisguier and Raymond Weinstein.
They did their best for their compatriots back in the USA. However, we can do something for them. There is still a need of funds to cover the financing of sending out team to Europe. Here is how we can help. Send at least $1 (more if possible to the U.S. Chess Federation, on East 11th St. New York, 3 NY Make check payable to the U.S. Chess Federation and mark it simply “Leipzig”
AS USUAL, there were some good American players who did not play on the United States team. Reshevsky would certainly have been useful to say the least. Another would have been Paul Benko: but Benko simply could not take the risk of going back behind the Iron Curtain once more after already escaping from Communist Hungary. But probably, even with these two players (and Evans) the Russian team would still have won.
U.S. Team Needs Funds 13 Nov 1960, Sun Sunday Gazette-Mail (Charleston, West Virginia) Newspapers.com
Fort Lauderdale News Fort Lauderdale, Florida Sunday, November 13, 1960 - Page 36
We have received an appeal for funds to help finance the chess team which is presently representing the United States in the chess olympics at Leipzig, Germany.
The team is being sponsored by the USCF, the American Chess Foundation and the People-To-People Sports Committee. They raised $4,000, but $3,500 more is still needed.
Our team is a strong one and should make a good showing. Members are Bobby Fischer, William Lombardy, Robert Byrne, Arthur Bisguier, Nicolas Rossolimo, Raymond Weinstein and Isaac Kashdan.
Anyone who feels like supporting this effort may send $1 or more to the United States Chess Federation, 80 East 11th St., New York, N.Y. Mark your check, “Leipzig”.
Let's Play Chess 13 Nov 1960, Sun Fort Lauderdale News (Fort Lauderdale, Florida) Newspapers.com
Sunday Gazette-Mail Charleston, West Virginia Sunday, November 20, 1960 - Page 54
“In the world chess team championship tournament recently concluded at Leipzig, East Germany, the twelve finalists wound up as follows: USSR, 34 to 10, USA, 29 to 15; Yugoslavia, 27 to 17; Hungary, 22½ to 21½; Czechoslovakia, 21½ to 22½; Bulgaria 21 to 23; Argentina, 20½ to 23½; West Germany, 19½ to 24½; East Germany 19 to 25; Netherlands, 17 to 27; England and Romania, 16½ to 27½. Besides the championship tournament there were two other final events. Sweden won Section 1 with 27½ points, while the Philippines took Section 2 with a 28½ point total.
U.S. Champion Bobby Fischer flew to Leipzig from Iceland, where he competed in an international tournament. We have not seen the results of this event. Fischer seemed to do pretty well at Leipzig although he was not undefeated. He certainly had the satisfaction of winning from former world champion Dr. Max Euwe of the Netherlands.”
Speaking of Chess 20 Nov 1960, Sun Sunday Gazette-Mail (Charleston, West Virginia) Newspapers.com
The Los Angeles Times Los Angeles, California Sunday, November 20, 1960 - Page 69
Chess Olympics Results
Following are the final standings of the 40 teams in the 14th Chess Olympics at Leipzig, for the benefit of those who missed the daily reports, which appeared regularly in the news pages of The Times:
CHAMPIONSHIP CLASS— U.S.S.R., 34; U.S.A., 29; Yugoslavia, 27; Hungary, 22½; Czechoslovakia, 21½; Bulgaria, 21; Argentina, 20½; West Germany, 19½; East Germany, 19; Holland, 17; England, 16½; Rumania, 16½.
CLASS B—Sweden, 27½; Israel, 26½; Austria, 24½; Denmark, 23½; Finland, 23½; Cuba, 23; Norway, 23; Spain, 22½; Poland, 22; Chile, 19½ Iceland, 16½; India, 12.
CLASS C—Philippines, 28½ Indonesia, 27½ Mongolia, 27½; Albania, 26½; Ecuador, 26; France, 25; Portugal, 25; Italy, 24; Belgium, 32½; Tunisia, 21½; Greece, 20½; Bolivia, 19½; Monaco, 17½; Malta, 14; Lebanon, 8½.
Each team played nine rounds in a preliminary round-robin and 11 rounds in the finals. The following table shows the performance of the American and Russian squads, giving the individual results in the preliminaries and finals, the total score and the percentage.
The Russians used every player about the same number of times, taking advantage of their almost uniform strength. We did not use the two reserves nearly as frequently as the regulars.
U.S. champion Bobby Fischer, who played every game in the finals did substantially as well as world champion Mikhail Tal. Robert Byrne made the best percentage for the Americans, almost equaling Paul Keres on the third board.
Chess Olympics Results 20 Nov 1960, Sun The Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, California) Newspapers.com
New York Times, New York, New York, Sunday, November 27, 1960 - Page 297
U.S. Title Chess To Begin Dec. 18
Action Will Start at Empire Hotel Here—Fischer Will Defend Tourney Crown
The Lessing J. Rosenwald tournament for the United States chess championship and the Frank J. Marshall Trophy will be held in New York beginning Dec. 18 and continuing through eleven rounds until Jan. 5.
The first round will be contested in the Crystal Room of the Empire Hotel, Broadway and 63rd Street from 2 to 7 P.M. The second round is scheduled for 6 to 11 P.M. at the same site on Dec. 19.
The third round on Dec. 20 will shift to the Terrace Room from 6 to 11 P.M. A play-off of adjourned games will be held on Dec. 21.
Those entered in the tourney are Bobby Fischer, the defending champion, Samuel Reshevsky, William Lombardy, Robert Byrne, Pal Benko, Arthur B. Bisguier, Raymond Weinstein, Anthony F. Saidy, James T. Sherwin, Hans Berliner, Herbert Seidman and Charles Kalme.
Fischer, Reshevsky and Lombardy are international grandmasters.
Following is a selection of games played in the Olympiad at Leipzig, including a victory by Jonathan Penrose, the British champion, over Mikhail Tal, the world champion:
The Los Angeles Times Los Angeles, California Sunday, November 27, 1960 - Page 78
Fischer, Reshevsky In U.S. Title Match
The tournament for the United States chess championship and the Lessing J. Rosenwald Trophy will be held in New York from Dec. 16 to Jan. 1. A round robin will be contested among 12 of the strongest American masters.
Bobby Fischer, brilliant 17-year-old Brooklyn school boy, will be back from Europe in time to defend the title, which he has won for the last three years. Fischer made a fine performance at first board for the American team in the Chess Olympics in Leipzig.
Samuel Reshevsky of Spring Valley, N.Y., who had practically dominated Americans chess until Fischer came along, will be the man to watch. Last July he tied for first with Victor Korchnoi of Russia in a master tournament in Buenos Aires. Fischer made a minus score in that event, winding up in 13th place.
In his most recent appearance Reshevsky defeated Paul Benko, former Hungarian champion now residing in New York, by 5½-4½ in a match for the George P. Edgar Trophy. Benko will also be a dangerous competitor in the championship tournament.
Among the entrants are four of the team who, along with Fischer, were responsible for our capturing second prize in the Chess Olympics. They are former world junior champion William Lombardy, U.S. Open champion Robert Byrne, former U.S. champion Arthur Bisguier and former U.S. junior champion Raymond Weinstein.
Completing the list are Hans Berliner, Charles Kalme, Anthony Saidy, Herbert Seidman and James Sherwin.
Adding considerable interest to the tournament is the fact that it has been designated by the U.S. Chess Federation as the zonal tournament in the next cycle to determine a world championship contender. The leading three players will be eligible to participate in the interzonal tournament to be held next year.
Fischer, Reshevsky In U.S. Title Match 27 Nov 1960, Sun The Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, California) Newspapers.com
Sunday Gazette-Mail Charleston, West Virginia Sunday, November 27, 1960 - Page 31
“Belatedly we report that an American, Anthony Saidy, won the Canadian Open championship with a record of 8 to 2. Saidy had previously scored 9 to 3 in the U.S. Open at St. Louis and shortly before that he played on the victorious U.S. team in the world championship student team matches in Leningrad. It goes without saying that Anthony Saidy is one of the better American younger players.
We have not yet seen the lineup of players for the forthcoming U.S. championship tournament but we can expect to see Bobby Fischer, Samuel Reshevsky, Robert Byrne and Pal Benko among those invited. William Lombardy is strong enough but probably would be unable to compete. Larry Evans and Arthur Bisguier are distinct possibilities. Personally, we are against the idea of inviting the current U.S. junior champion each year — unless he happens to be someone like young Fischer.
WE HAVE NOT seen this book but it sounds interesting. The Unknown Tal, by Valdemars Zemitis, 96 pages and about 300 diagrams. Published by Civil and Industrial Advertising, 210 California Street, San Francisco. The author now lives in California; he preceded Tal as Latvian junior chess champion. This collection of the present world chess champion's games includes some losses, too, a rarity in any collection of an individual's games.”
Forthcoming Lineup of Players for U.S. Championship Tournament 27 Nov 1960, Sun Sunday Gazette-Mail (Charleston, West Virginia) Newspapers.com
The Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle Milwaukee, Wisconsin Friday, December 09, 1960 - Page 13
Championship Chess:
“There is another ‘moment of truth’ facing United States chess champion Bobby Fischer, who will defend his title in the Lessing J. Rosenwald tournament for the U.S. chess championship, beginning Dec. 18 in New York. The tourney will run until Jan. 5, and Fischer has his work cut out for him if he expects to hold onto his title.
The competition is going to be fierce. Samuel Reshevsky, who is an international grandmaster and has become, I suppose, ‘the grand old man’ of American chess, even though he is only in his forties, will be one of the brilliant foes Fischer will have to face. Another is William Lombardy, a young man, only a few years older than the teen-aged champion, who has in recent years become an international grand master himself. Lombardy is a top man. In addition, here are the other challengers: Robert Byrne, Pal Benko, Arthur Bisguier, a former titleholder, Raymond Weinstein, Anthony F. Saidy, James T. Sherwin, Hans Berliner, Herbert Seidman and Charles Kalme. It will be a tense, close tournament.”
Sports World 09 Dec 1960, Fri The Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle (Milwaukee, Wisconsin) Newspapers.com
The Gazette Montreal, Quebec, Canada Saturday, December 10, 1960 - Page 17
World Team Championship
Following are the complete results in the four preliminary sections of the world team championship at Leipzig. The best teams, based on previous records in this event, were seeded among the sections.
—
The top three teams in each section advanced to the Championship Final. The next three went into Consolation Class B, and the last four of each into Consolation Class C. All tourneys were round robins.
How Tal Was Taken
The young British champion, Jonathan Penrose, never gave world champion Mikhail Tal a chance to get started in the final round match, England vs. USSR, in the world team championship at Leipzig, outplaying him from beginning to end. This was the only game the Russian team lost in the series.
From the World Team Championship (Preliminary No. 4), Leipzig, 1960:
Transatlantic Gobbledegook
From the English magazine “Chess” comes this item: “According to a fanatics report from Leipzig, Bobby Fischer claims that his mother was responsible, almost single-handed, for the U.S. team's participation there; that she organized banner demonstrations in front of the White House and finally went on a hunger-strike to make the authorities fork out the necessary $6,000 and permission!”
There is no doubt that Mrs. Fischer played a major role in getting the team project rolling against after it had been stalled. But it is a known fact that expenses were underwritten by various non-political bodies, with the U.S. Government finally agreeing to issue visas.
World Team Championship 10 Dec 1960, Sat The Gazette (Montreal, Quebec, Canada) Newspapers.com
Sunday Gazette-Mail Charleston, West Virginia Sunday, December 11, 1960 - Page 64
“As related last week, the forthcoming National Championship Tournament will commence next Sunday in New York City. The youngest (and most dangerous) of the entrants, Bobby Fischer, three-time U.S. title-holder, will be favored to make it four straight. Incidentally, one of Bobby's strong points is that he seldom, if ever, gets into time trouble. When critical situations arise, it is Fischer's opponents who do not have enough time to figure things through. At the other extreme is Grandmaster Samuel Reshevsky who has been on notoriously bad terms with his clock for a quarter-century. But he wins a lot of games, too.”
National Championship Chess Tournament 11 Dec 1960, Sun Sunday Gazette-Mail (Charleston, West Virginia) Newspapers.com
New York Times, New York, New York, Sunday, December 18, 1960 - Page 174
Fischer Defends Chess Title Today
11 Other Ranking Players to Compete for U.S. Crown at Empire Hotel Here
Twelve ranking players, all sponsored by the American Chess Foundation and the United States Chess Federation, will begin play today in the Lessing J. Rosenwald tournament for the national championship in the Crystal Room of the Empire Hotel. Five international grandmasters are among the entrants who will compete for the Frank J. Marshall Trophy.
Bobby Fischer, at 17 years of age the youngest American grandmaster in history, is the defending champion. He is expected to encounter powerful opposition for the most coveted chess prize to be gained on this side of the Atlantic. Fischer will open with Raymond Weinstein, a fellow New Yorker, as his opponent.
The other entrants are: Pal Benko, New York; Hans Berliner, Littleton, Colo.; Arthur B. Bisguier, New York; Robert Byrne, Valparaiso, Ind.; Charles Kalme, Philadelphia; William Lombardy, New York; Samuel Reshevsky, Spring Valley, N.Y.; Anthony F. Saidy, Douglaston, Queens, and Herbert Seidman, New York.
Following is the schedule for the five rounds this week, with the first named in each pairing playing the white pieces:
Today—First round, 2-7 P.M.: Kalme vs. Berliner; Reshevsky vs. Lombardy; Fischer vs. Weinstein; Seidman vs. Bisguier; Byrne vs. Benko, and Sherwin vs. Saidy.
Tomorrow—Second round, 6-11 P.M.: Berliner vs. Saidy; Benko vs. Sherwin; Bisguier vs. Byrne; Weinstein vs. Seidman; Lombardy vs. Fischer, and Kalme vs. Reshevsky.
Tuesday—Third round, 6-11 P.M.: Reshevsky vs. Berliner; Fischer vs. Kalme; Seidman vs. Lombardy; Byrne vs. Weinstein; Sherwin vs. Bisguier, and Saidy vs. Benko.
Thursday—Fourth round, 6-11 P.M.: Berliner vs. Benko; Bisguier vs. Saidy; Weinstein vs. Sherwin; Lombardy vs. Byrne; Kalme vs. Seidman, and Reshevsky vs. Fischer.
Friday—Fifth round, 6-11 P.M.: Fischer vs. Berliner; Seidman vs. Reshevsky; Byrne vs. Kalme; Sherwin vs. Lombardy; Saidy vs. Weinstein, and Benko vs. Bisguier.
Adjourned games will be played off on Wednesday and Saturday.
—
The following games played in the recent Olympiad at Leipzig demonstrates the victories gained by Mikhail Botvinnik, Svetozar Gligoric, Robert Byrne, Arthur B. Bisguier and Lodewijk Prins:
The Los Angeles Times Los Angeles, California Sunday, December 18, 1960 - Page 72
U.S. Title Tourney Starts In New York
The tournament for the United States chess championship will start this afternoon at the Empire Hotel in New York City, with 11 rounds to be contested through Jan. 5.
Defending champion Bobby Fischer of Brooklyn, who at 17 is the youngest grandmaster in chess history, is favored to retain the title, which he has held for the last three years.
Strongest competition should come from former champion Samuel Reshevsky, recent victor in match play against Paul Benko, who is also a contender. William Lombardy, Robert Byrne, Arthur Bisguier and Raymond Weinstein, returned from the Chess Olympics at Leipzig, will all make their presence felt.
Also in the tournament are Hans Berliner, Charles Kalme, Anthony Saidy, Herbert Seidman and James Sherwin. Hans Kmoch, secretary of the Manhattan Chess Club, will be the tournament director.
The winner will have custody of a special trophy donated by Lessing J. Rosenwald. The top three players will be eligible for the interzonal tournament to determine the next challengers for the world championship.
U.S. Title Tourney Starts In New York 18 Dec 1960, Sun The Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, California) Newspapers.com
New York Times, New York, New York, Monday, December 19, 1960 - Page 36
At the National Chess Tourney: The Head Must Know What the Hand Is About to Do
Fischer Beats Weinstein in U.S. Title Chess
17-Year-Old Defender Wins in First-Round Play Here
The first round of the Lessing J. Rosenwald tournament for the United States chess championship and the Frank Marshall trophy was held yesterday at the Empire Hotel.
The defending champion, 17-year-old Bobby Fischer, won his match from Raymond Weinstein, a student at Brooklyn College and the co-champion of the Marshall Chess Club. Weinstein, who recently represented the United States in international team tournaments in Russia and Germany, defended the king-pawn opening with a variation of the French Defense.
Weinstein chose to place his king on the queen's side of the board. There the king became an object of a concerted attack.
Disregarding the loss of material, Fischer offered to sacrifice first a pawn and then a rook. Acceptance would have resulted in checkmate. But the alternative was also hopeless. Three moves later, when Fischer offered his queen, again threatening checkmate, Weinstein resigned.
James Sherwin, a New York attorney and a co-champion of the Marshall Chess Club, played Tony Saidy, the Canadian open champion, to a draw.
A victory was scored by the Hungarian grandmaster, Pal Benko, over Robert Byrne, the United States open champion. Byrne had the white pieces. The opening position resembled a Sicilian defense with the “Maroczy bind.”
Playing aggressively, Byrne did not take time to place his king in safety. Benko achieved a favorable ending wherein he was a pawn ahead and his two bishops dominated the board.
To a drawn match, William Lombardy, a former junior world champion, played the Gruenfeld defense to the queen-pawn opening of Samuel Reshevsky, the many-time United States champion.
Arthur Bisguier, a former national champion, playing the Sicilian defense, and Herbert Seidman failed to finish. Taking the offensive, Bisguier broke open the center. Seidman, however, defended well and was a pawn ahead at the end.
Hans Berliner, a former New York state champion, and Charles Kalme, a former intercollegiate champion, also failed to finish.
The Warren County Observer Warren, Pennsylvania Wednesday, December 21, 1960 - Page 18
Youngster Takes Lead In Chess Tournament
©New York Times Service
New York—Bobby Fischer, the 17-year-old defending champion, yesterday scored his second successive victory in the Lessing J. Rosenwald Tournament for the United States chess championship. Also at stake at the Empire Hotel is the Frank Marshall Trophy.
Fischer outplayed William Lombardy, the grand master who had played second board so well for the United States team at the recent Olympiad in Leipzig.
Youngster Takes Lead In Chess Tournament 21 Dec 1960, Wed The Warren County Observer (Warren, Pennsylvania) Newspapers.com
New York Times, New York, New York, Tuesday, December 20, 1960 - Page 47
Fischer Records 2D Chess Triumph
Sets Back Lombardy in Bid for U.S. Championship —3D Round Tonight
Bobby Fischer, the 17-year-old defending champion, yesterday scored his second successive victory in the Lessing J. Rosenwald tournament for the United States chess championship. Also at stake at the Empire Hotel is the Frank Marshall Trophy.
Fischer outplayed William Lombardy, the grandmaster who had played second board so well for the United States team at the recent Olympiad in Leipzig.
The tourney's third round will be played tonight.
Following are the scores of games won by Bobby Fischer and Pal Benko in the first round:
New York Times, New York, New York, Wednesday, December 21, 1960 - Page 42
Fischer Is Held To Draw In Chess
Defender Splits Point With Kalme in Title Play— Reshevsky Is Victor
Bobby Fischer, the defender, and Charles Kalme drew last night in the third round of the United States chess championship.
Kalme is a former intercollegiate champion and was a member of the United States student team that won in international competition in the Soviet Union recently.
Fischer played a Ruy Lopez and his opponent defended with a “strong point” system, which was advocated by the late Mikhail Tschigorin. The ending came with bishops of opposite colors.
The score of the second-round game Fischer won from William Lombardy:
Tampa Bay Times St. Petersburg, Florida Thursday, December 22, 1960 - Page 15
Fischer Leads U.S. Chess Tournament
New York—Bobby Fischer, the 17-year-old defending champion, Monday scored his second successive victory in the Lessing J. Rosenwald tournament for the United States Chess Championship to lead the field of 12. Also at stake at the Empire Hotel is the Frank Marshall Trophy.
Fischer outplayed William Lombardy, grandmaster who had played second board so well for the United States team at the recent Olympiad in Leipzig.
Fischer Leads U.S. Chess Tournament 22 Dec 1960, Thu Tampa Bay Times (St. Petersburg, Florida) Newspapers.com
New York Times, New York, New York, Friday, December 23, 1960 - Page 24
Fischer In Draw With Reshevsky
Champion, 17, Retains Lead in U.S. Chess — Byrne Beaten by Lombardy
Bobby Fischer, the 17-year-old defending champion, played Samuel Reshevsky, the seasoned grandmaster, to a twenty-four-move draw last night in the fourth round of the United States chess championship at the Empire Hotel.
The draw left Fischer in sole possession of first place with a 3-1 score. Reshevsky and William Lombardy are tied for second with 2½-1½ records.
Against Fischer, Reshevsky used a queen-pawn opening and the Brooklyn youth, the youngest grandmaster in chess history, countered with the king's Indian defense. Both players sought an outlet on the king-bishop file and the middle game was fairly even.
Then Reshevsky employed one of his favorite tactics, pushing his queen pawn to Queen 5. Fischer at once recognized the danger, challenged it and liquidated it. Only a move later, the two agreed to a draw.
Eight of the other ten players in the tournament found themselves under severe time pressure. Robert Byrne actually lost on the time limit, losing first one weak pawn and then another to William Lombardy until the clock finally put an end to the contest.
Hans Berliner held a pawn advantage in a difficult ending with Pal Benko when the game was adjourned. Arthur Bisguier also held a pawn advantage over Tony Saidy when that game was adjourned, but the contest appeared fated to end in a draw. The only major pieces left were bishops of opposite colors.
Raymond Weinstein and James Sherwin played an intellectual, positional game that ended in a carefully worked-out draw. The game between Charles Kalme and Herbert Seidman was adjourned with an apparently even position although Kalme earlier had sacrificed a piece and two pawns.
Earlier in the day, Saidy defeated Benko in an adjourned game from the third round that went eighty-two moves. Saidy is the present Canadian Open chess champion and currently a medical student at Cornell University.
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Following are the scores of two games from the third round:
New York Times, New York, New York, Saturday, December 24, 1960 - Page 11
Fischer Retains Chess Lead Here
Defending Champion Beats Berliner in Fifth Round of U.S. Title Play
Bobby Fischer, the defending champion, retained the lead after the fifth round of the United States chess championship last night at the Empire Hotel.
Fischer defeated Hans Berliner, who had defended the King pawn opening with Alekhine's defense. In the middle game, Fischer exchanged pawns in such a way that he had a supported passed queen pawn. In the ending, despite the presence of bishops of opposite color, the advance of this pawn was decisive.
CAPTION: DEFENDING CHAMPION: Bobby Fischer competing in the United States chess championship at the Empire Hotel. He captured fifth-round match with Hans Berliner.
New York Times, New York, New York, Sunday, December 25, 1960 - Page 117
Fischer In Front In U.S. Title Chess
Defender Has Score of 4-1 Here After 3 Triumphs and 2 Drawn Matches
Bobby Fischer of Brooklyn is making a strong big to retain the United States chess championship.
The 17-year-old Fischer leads in the twelve-man tournament at the Empire Hotel with a score of 4—1 after five rounds. He has beaten William Lombardy, Raymond Weinstein and Hans Berliner and has drawn with Samuel Reshevsky and Charles Kalme.
Arthur Bisguier of New York, a former national champion, is second at 3—1, with one game adjourned. Lombardy and James T. Sherwin, both of New York, have 3-2 records. Reshevsky, who lives in Spring Valley, N.Y., is in contention with 2½—1½.
Following are the scores of Fischer's games against Berliner and Reshevsky:
New York Times, New York, New York, Sunday, December 25, 1960 - Page 113
Chess
To chess players, the year 1960 was the most significant since Paul Morphy's meteoric ascent to the world title in 1857, the year before the New Orleans genius crossed the Atlantic to play waste to the battlefield of chess in Europe.
Giving definite promise of stepping into Morphy's shoes, Mikhail Tal, a 23-year-old Latvian representing the Soviet Union, developed an aptitude for the game that carried him swiftly to the front.
His defeat of Mikhail Botvinnik by the score of 12½—8½ elevated Tal to the world championship.
Bobby Fischer of Brooklyn started 1960 with the successful defense of his United States title.
A South American trip took Fischer to Mar del Plata and Buenos Aires in response to invitations. At Mar del Plata, he tied for first place with Boris Spassky of Russia, 2 points ahead of David Bronstein of the Soviet Union.
Samuel Reshevsky of Spring Valley, N.Y., in one of the most outstanding performances of his career, tied with Victor Korchnoi, Soviet champion, for first place in the tournament at Buenos Aires celebrating 150 years of Argentina's independence. Reshevsky also won a ten-game match with Pal Benko in New York.
The United States team won the world students' tournament at Leningrad with a score of 41-11, 1½ points ahead of Russia. The Olympic team championship at Leipzig went to Russia with 34 points. The United States was runner-up with a total of 29.
The Los Angeles Times Los Angeles, California Sunday, December 25, 1960 - Page 26
Fischer Scores In U.S. Title Tourney
The feature of the first round of the United States Chess Championship at the Empire Hotel in New York was the victory of defending champion Bobby Fischer over Raymond Weinstein of Brooklyn College.
Weinstein, one of Fischer's teammates in the Chess Olympics in Leipzig, used the French Defense, then castled on the queen's side of the board, Fischer immediately developed an attack, sacrificing first a pawn and then a rook.
Acceptance of the rooks would have resulted in checkmate. Weinstein varied, but three moves later Fischer offered his queen, against threatening checkmate, to force his opponent's resignation.
Another victory was scored by the Hungarian grandmaster Paul Benko over Robert Byrne, U.S. Open champion. Byrne played aggressively with the white pieces but did not take the time to place his king into safety. After complications Benko obtained a favorable ending with a pawn ahead and two bishops dominating the board.
Former champion Samuel Reshevsky played to a draw with former world junior champion William Lombardy. Also drawn was the encounter between Canadian Open champion Anthony Saidy and James Sherwin.
Two games were unfinished, according to a report from the New York Times. Arthur Bisguier took the offensive against Herbert Seidman, but the latter defended well and was a pawn ahead at adjournment. Hans Berliner and Charles Kalme also adjourned.
Fischer In Iceland
Just before he was due in Leipzig for the Chess Olympics, U.S. champion Bobby Fischer stopped off in Reykjavik, Iceland. He took on four of the strongest local masters in round-robin play, winning three games and drawing one for a winning score of 3½-½.
Second place was taken by Ingi R. Johannsson with 2½-1½. Grandmaster Fridrik Olafsson had an even score of 2-2. F. Porbergsson, who earned the only draw against Fischer, tied at 1-3 with A. Gudmundsson.
The following games are from the tournament.
Fischer Scores In U.S. Title Tourney 25 Dec 1960, Sun The Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, California) Newspapers.com
Fischer In Iceland 25 Dec 1960, Sun The Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, California) Newspapers.com
The Courier-Journal Louisville, Kentucky Sunday, December 25, 1960 - Page 17
Bobby Fischer Leading In Rosenwald Tourney
By Merrill Dowden
As we go to press I am informed that 17-year-old Bobby Fischer of Brooklyn, the defending champion, is leading in the Lessing J. Rosenwald Tournament at New York with a score of 4-1.
Fischer held his lead with a victory over Hans Berliner, who had defended a King's Pawn opening with the Alekhine Defense. In the middle game, Fischer exchanged Pawns in such a way that he had a supported passed Queen Pawn whose continued march proved decisive despite the presence of Bishops of opposite colors.
The King's Men 25 Dec 1960, Sun The Courier-Journal (Louisville, Kentucky) Newspapers.com
Bisguier Shares Tie With Fischer
Downs Saidy in U.S. Chess and Moves Into Deadlock With Defender for Lead
Two adjourned games were played at the Empire Hotel yesterday in the United States chess championship. Arthur Bisguier won and gained a tie with Bobby Fischer for first place in the point standing. In the other game, Samuel Reshevsky and Herbert Seidman adjourned.
Bisguier had adjourned his match with Tony Saidy in a difficult rook ending, with Bisguier a pawn ahead. With the victory Bisguier gained a 4-1 won-lost record, the same as Fischer, the defender.
Seidman began play with a king pawn opening. Reshevsky adopted a Sicilian defense. At the sixteenth move, Seidman, who had castled on the queen side, sacrificed a pawn.
Seidman, however, overestimated his prospects. Although Reshevsky's play weakened, the game was adjourned after forty-four moves. At that point, Seidman had a rook, knight and pawn against Reshevsky queen and pawn. A draw was in prospect.
It was learned that the tournament, which is for the Frank Marshall Trophy, had been recognized by the international chess organization as a zonal tournament. Consequently, the winner will be able to play for the world championship.
The next round, the sixth, will be played today at the Empire Hotel.
Tampa Bay Times St. Petersburg, Florida Wednesday, December 28, 1960 - Page 25
Bisguier's Loss Gives Fischer Chess Lead
©1960 New York Times
New York—Arthur Bisguier dropped from a tie for the lead in the sixth round of the Lessing J. Rosenwald Tournament for the United States championship Monday by losing to Hans Berliner, former New York State champion.
Bisguier had declined white's queen gambit with the somewhat speculative Vienna variation, in which he is expert, in the match at the Empire Hotel.
After winning a pawn, Bisguier had the liability of an insecure king. He aggravated this problem by castling on the queen side, where white had open lines and strong forces. After losing his queen for insufficient compensation, Bisguier resigned.
Seventeen-year-old Bobby Fischer regained sole possession of first place by winning from Herbert Seidman who, to surprise his young opponent, had defended Fischer's Ruy Lopez with the dangerous Marshall gambit.
At his 13th move Seidman, in a highly speculative attacking gesture, pushed forward the pawn in front of his king. Fischer sacrificed the exchange. He was able to lead the game into an ending in which he not only had a queen against two rooks, but also a passing pawn, the black king being exposed. This added up to resignation for black.
Bisguier's Loss Gives Fischer Chess Lead 28 Dec 1960, Wed Tampa Bay Times (St. Petersburg, Florida) Newspapers.com
New York Times, New York, New York, Wednesday, December 28, 1960 - Page 33
Byrne Sets Back Kalme In Chess
Open Champion Also Holds Fischer to Draw—Benko, Lombardy Divide Point
Robert Byrne, the United States open champion, registered his first points in the Lessing J. Rosenwald tournament for the United States chess championship yesterday at the Empire Hotel.
He won an adjourned game with Charles Kalme and then held Bobby Fischer, the defender, to a draw in the seventh round. Fischer and Kalme played aggressively. Fischer used a strong attack, but sacrificed the exchange early.
In fourteen moves, Samuel Reshevsky and James Sherwin cautiously played to a draw. In another match, William Lombardy and Pal Benko also drew.
Lombardy adopted a King's Indian defense against Benko's queen pawn opening. Lombardy introduced a variation at move No. 9—pawn to queen bishop three attacking the center formation.
Tony Saidy and Kalme adjourned. Kalme played the King's Indian defense, counter attacking in the center and on the queen's wing. Hans Berliner, the former New York state champion, adjourned in a game with Herbert Seidman.
Berliner appeared to be ahead after Seidman's game had weakened in the late stages. Arthur Bisguier and Raymond Weinstein also adjourned. Bisguier adopted the King's Indian defense.
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Following are the scores of two games from the sixth round:
New York Times, New York, New York, Thursday, December 29, 1960 - Page 30
Weinstein Holds Berliner To Draw
Splits Point in U.S. Chess —Kalme Defeats Benko —Fischer is Victor
Raymond Weinstein and Hans Berliner drew last night in the eighth round of the Lessing J. Rosenwald chess tournament for the United States championship at the Hotel Empire.
Weinstein adopted the Beroni counter gambit against Berliner's queen pawn opening. After Weinstein had mounted an attack on the king's wing and also was threatening on the queen's side, both sides surprisingly agreed to a draw.
Charles Kalme defeated Pal Benko, the Hungarian grandmaster, of the thirty-ninth move when Benko exceeded the time limit. William Lombardy and Arthur Bisguier disappointed their audience when they agreed to draw on the nineteenth move. Bisguier had adopted the King's Indian defense.
Bobby Fischer, the defender, beat James Sherwin in thirty-four moves. Against Fischer's expected king pawn opening, Sherwin adopted the French Defense in a popular Russian variation.
Herbert Seidman and Robert Byrne drew. Samuel Reshevsky beat Tony Saidy by sacrificing his king pawn to penetrate with a bishop and then a knight.
New York Times, New York, New York, Friday, December 30, 1960 - Page 24
Byrne Sets Back Berliner In Chess
Reshevsky, Benko Draw— Bisguier Downs Kalme — Fischer, Saidy Adjourn
Hans Kmoch, the referee, forfeited Hans Berliner when he overstepped the time limit in the Lessing J. Rosenwald tournament for the chess championship of the United States, today at the Hotel Empire.
Berliner's opponent was the United States open champion, Robert Byrne, who had concentrated his forces on the queen side of the board, and was effecting a major breakthrough.
Samuel Reshevsky and Pal Benko agreed to a draw after a sharp tactical struggle.
Arthur Bisguier, on the white side of a Ruy Lopez, outplayed Charles Kalme of Philadelphia. Bisguier pushed a pawn to the seventh rank and the imminent queening threat forced his opponent's resignation.
Another Ruy Lopez, played by Raymond Weinstein against William Lombardy, was victorious. In the middle game, Weinstein had a powerful two-bishop attack. Unable to find counter-play, Lombardy was in severe time pressure. When he lost his queen, he resigned.
Herbert Seidman accepted James Sherwin's queen gambit, defended well, and had a quite equal position in the middle game. But a somewhat questionable exchange of bishops gave Sherwin a passed queen pawn, and when his rook penetrated to the seventh rank, checkmate was unavoidable.
The game between Bobby Fischer, the defending champion, and Tony Saidy was adjourned after Fischer, as black, declined Saidy's Queen gambit. Fischer had at least an equal end-game position at adjournment after being outplayed earlier. When Saidy, a passed pawn to the good, weakened in time pressure, Fischer achieved excellent counter-play.
The scores of Bobby Fischer's victory over James T. Sherwin, and Samuel Reshevsky's victory over Anthony F. Saidy follow:
New York Times, New York, New York, Saturday, December 31, 1960 - Page 14
Fischer Triumphs And Nears Title
Defender Defeats Saidy in U.S. Chess by Outplaying Opponent in End-Game
Adjourned games were settled in yesterday's play in the Lessing J. Rosenwald tournament for the United States chess championship.
In the big game, between Anthony F. Saidy and Bobby Fischer, Saidy weakened in the late stages. In the end-game Fischer was able to outplay his opponent in a close ending and triumphed in fifty-nine moves. With this victory Fischer, leading with a score of 7½—1½, virtually made certain of first prize.
An unfinished game between Saidy and Raymond Weinstein ended with only a rook and bishop versus a rook—and theoretical draw—and they agreed to halve the point.
Weinstein and Pal Benko agreed to a draw without resuming play in another adjourned game.
The scores of two ninth-round games:
