ANew York Times, New York, New York, Sunday, April 17, 1960
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.
