ANew York Times, New York, New York, Monday, April 04, 1960
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.
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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.
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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 (above).
