New York Times, New York, New York, Saturday, January 02, 1960
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.
