AThe Courier-Journal Louisville, Kentucky Sunday, November 06, 1960
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.
