AConey Island Times Brooklyn, New York Friday, January 30, 1959
Bobby Fischer Gold
The student council of Erasmus Hall High School has given a gold medal to the 15-year-old chess wizard Bobby Fischer.
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Bobby Fischer Gold
Chess Books 1959
Games of Chess 13 May 1959, Wed Hartford Courant (Hartford, Connecticut) Newspapers.com
Spotlight on Books 01 Jun 1959, Mon The News Journal (Wilmington, Delaware) Newspapers.com
New Arrivals 12 Jul 1959, Sun The Times (Shreveport, Louisiana) Newspapers.com
New Books at Public Library 06 Sep 1959, Sun Casper Star-Tribune (Casper, Wyoming) Newspapers.com
Following Books May Be Borrowed at Public Library 10 Sep 1959, Thu The Dispatch (Moline, Illinois) Newspapers.com
Book Library List 13 Sep 1959, Sun The Courier (Waterloo, Iowa) Newspapers.com
Library News 17 Sep 1959, Thu The Evening Independent (Massillon, Ohio) Newspapers.com
New Books Listed at Library 03 Oct 1959, Sat Green Bay Press-Gazette (Green Bay, Wisconsin) Newspapers.com
Portrait of Nixon Among New Books at Waterloo Libraries 04 Oct 1959, Sun The Courier (Waterloo, Iowa) Newspapers.com
Book Release 08 Oct 1959, Thu News-Journal (Mansfield, Ohio) Newspapers.com
The Index-Journal, Greenwood, South Carolina, Tuesday, October 20, 1959 — Bobby Fischer's Games of Chess — BOBBY FISCHER'S GAMES OF CHESS, by Robert Fischer: “The youngest international grandmaster of chess annotates 14 or the games he played in U.S. championship tournaments. The plays of his 21 games in the Interzonal tournament of 1958 are recorded without commentary.”
Douglas County Library Arrivals 05 Nov 1959, Thu The News-Review (Roseburg, Oregon) Newspapers.com
T.B. Scott Library 07 Nov 1959, Sat The Daily Tribune (Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin) Newspapers.com
Fischer 5th In Chess Tournament
Asbury Park Press Asbury Park, New Jersey Saturday, October 31, 1959
Fischer 5th In Chess Tournament
Belgrade (AP)—Bobby Fischer, 16, the world's youngest chess Grand Master and champion of the United States, yesterday became symbolically the world's best chess player from the Western Hemisphere.
This is result of the last match played yesterday at the Challengers Chess Tournament in which Soviet Grand Master Tigran Petrosjan defeated Svetozar Gligoric of Yugoslavia in their adjourned match from the 28th and last round played Thursday.
The defeat of Gligoric enabled New Yorker Fischer, who Thursday defeated Vasil Smyslov of the Soviet Union, to share the fifth and sixth place with 12.5 points.
Smyslov Places 4th
Thanks to the victory over Gligoric, Petrosjan captured the third place before his countryman, former world champion Vasil Smyslov, who took fourth.
The placement of Fischer is considered here as a success for the wonder boy from America.
The winner of the tournament, Mikhail Tal, of Latvia, obtained the right to challenge next March present world champion Mikhail Botvinnik for the title.
Bobby Fischer's Young Career
The News Paterson, New Jersey Friday, January 23, 1959
The Chess-Rattling game, which will probably be listed as “The” game of Bobby Fischer's young career, has caused no little comment. One reason, and no wonder, is that the typesetter erred in following the proper moves. In chess, and I surmise this one is a non-player, one out of place move will spoil the whole game. For the sake of chess lovers who missed this game we will re-submit it and hope for the best. …
We can speculate about this game without end, and we can wonder why Reshevsky did not or did play a move, but let us not go overboard on this end. Let credit rest where it lies, with young Bobby Fischer for having taken advantage and planned this masterpiece of brevity.
Robert James Fischer (white) vs. Samuel Reshevsky (black)
Sicilian Defense: Accelerated Dragon, Modern Bc4 Variation
A reader noted: a similar game is listed on chessgames.com, however, the moves are recorded differently:
1. e4 c5
2. Nf3 Nc6
3. d4 cxd4
4. Nxd4 g6
Newspaper variation:
5. Bc4 Bg7
vs.
5. Be3 Bg7
Newspaper variation:
6. Be3 Nf6
vs.
6. Nc3 Nf6
Newspaper variation:
7. Nc3 O-O
vs.
7. Bc4 O-O
8. Bb3 Na5
9. e5 Ne8
10. Bxf7+ Kxf7
11. Ne6 dxe6, etc.
U.S. Champion Bobby Fischer Warming Up For World's Championship Challengers' Tournament
Courier-Post Camden, New Jersey Thursday, April 02, 1959
U.S. Champion Bobby Fischer recently turned 16, is warming up for his appearance in the world's championship challengers' tournament this summer by taking part in the current international tourney at Mar del Plata, Argentina. So far he is having his troubles, having lost twice, drawn twice and won three times for a total of 4 points. Ludek Pachmann of Czechoslovakia leads the tournament with 5½ points and is undefeated.
Bobby Fischer and Chess Championship Title
Express and News, San Antonio, Texas, Sunday, February 22, 1959
The Russian National Championship is now in progress, and Tahl is defending his crown. However, he has made a rather slow start with 4½ points out of 7, losing to Yuchtman. Bronstein has 5 out of 8, Boris Spassky has 5½-7½ and is leading the field. Geller, Keres, Korchnoi, Nezhmetdinov, are among the high-powered players participating.
Bobby Fischer of the U.S.A. defeated his title last month. Tahl has his work cut out, but we predict he will come through again.
Prodigy's Good Start
The Gazette Montreal, Quebec, Quebec, Canada Saturday, January 03, 1959
Prodigy's Good Start
Bobby Fischer, 15-year-old U.S.A. National Champion, has made a good start in defense of his title in the current Championship now taking place at the Manhattan C.C. in New York, with victories over James Sherwin and Charles Kalme and draws with Paul Benko and William Lombardy. He holds an advantage in an adjourned game with Raymond Weinstein, national junior champion. While Larry Evans was racking up three straight wins, Paul Benko, one of the heroes of the Interzonal at Portoroz, went into reverse and lost his first three games. He also missed a win against Fischer. Reshevsky won from Weinstein and drew against three others. The rest of the field of twelve includes A. Bisguier, Edmar Mednis, Don and Robert Byrne in a single round-robin. Young Charles Kalme, Pennsylvania champion, replaced Nicolas Rossolimo, who withdrew.
Bobby Fischer at 1959 Jubilee Tournament
The Boston Globe Boston, Massachusetts Sunday, June 21, 1959
Mikhail Tal, U.S.S.R., won the Jubilee tournament at Zurich with a score of 11½-3½. Second was Svetozar Gligoric, Yugoslavia, with 11-4. U.S. champion Bobby Fischer and Paul Keres, U.S.S.R., tied for third, 10½-4½.
A Game Opponent
The Journal Times, Racine, Wisconsin, Friday, February 13, 1959
A Game Opponent—Studying the board in the mirror atop his iron lung, 17-year-old polio patient Bruce Campbell played a match with two-time U.S. chess champion Bobby Fischer, 15, of Brooklyn, N.Y. The game was played at a hospital on Welfare Island, N.Y. where Bruce called out his moves and Bobby made them, and, incidentally, won the match.
Chess Career of Bobby Fischer
The Boston Globe Boston, Massachusetts Sunday, July 19, 1959
Chess Career of Bobby Fischer
The chess career of Bobby Fischer should reach some sort of climax in Yugoslavia soon.
Bobby, born in 1943, started chess tournament play seriously in 1955. He played in the 1955 U.S. Junior championship at Lincoln and made an even score (5-5), tied for tenth.
In 1956 he won the U.S. Junior championship at Philadelphia. There followed a creditable 4th-7th in the U.S. Open at Oklahoma City and a 7-3 score in the 88-man Canadian Open at Montreal.
The 1956 Rosenwald tournament was Bobby's first major round-robin (all play all) event. There were no soft touches and Fischer posted a minus as Reshevsky won.
At San Francisco in 1957 he renewed his lease on the Junior title and followed that with a smashing win in the 1957 U.S. Open.
Thus Fischer's winning the U.S. championship in January 1958 was not a shock, but his qualifying for the 1959 candidates tournament at the Portoroz interzonal did shock most of the chess world; Bobby tied for fifth with Olafsson. Fischer defended his U.S. crown successfully last January. Mar del Plata's donnybrook saw Fischer equal with Ivkov behind Najdorf and Pachman. A little later Bobby finished fourth at Santiago. Finally (for now) we come to the 10½-4½ tie for third with Keres at Zurich.
Here is Fischer's final round draw with Tal from the Zurich tournament—Bobby has not yet lost to a Russian; unique these days.
National Ratings List Two Grand Masters
Courier-Post, Camden, New Jersey, Thursday, February 12, 1959
National Ratings List Two Grand Masters
The nation's two grand masters in these ratings, which do not take into account competition outside this country, are Samuel Reshevsky, who retains his No. 1 rank, and Robert J. (Bobby) Fischer. Reshevsky's rating is 2693 and Fischer's 2636.
Fischer Defeated
Daily News New York, New York Monday, June 08, 1959
Fischer Defeated
Zurich, Switzerland, June 7 (AP).—Dieter Keller of Switzerland today defeated Bobby Fischer, the U.S. champion from New York, in the 58th move of an adjourned match. The upset dropped the 16-year-old boy wonder to third place in an international chess tournament. Fischer has 10 points.
U.S. Championship Starts
The Gazette Montreal, Quebec, Canada Saturday, December 19, 1959
U.S. Championship Starts
The U.S.A. Closed Championship started Dec. 18th at New York. Entry of champion Bobby Fischer and Samuel Reshevsky is uncertain. A. Bisguier, P. Benko, J. T. Sherwin, A. Denker, R. Byrne, E. Mednis, R. Weinstein, S. Bernstein, H. Seidman and R. Ault, the new national junior champion, will play.
World Junior Championship
The Gazette Montreal, Quebec, Canada Saturday, July 18, 1959
D. Grimshaw Canadian Representative in World Junior
Dave Grimshaw, Toronto, will represent Canada in the World Junior Championship scheduled for Munchenstein, near Basle, Switzerland, July 17-August 8. J. Rodney Phillips, twice champion of New Zealand, is also expected to enter. England will have D. E. Rumens. Russia's entry is A. Thomson! (Shades of Bruce, Wallace and Bonnie Prince Charlie!). No word yet as to the U.S.A. Bill Lombardy, who won at Toronto in 1957, is now beyond the age limit, and Bobby Fischer, although conveniently available in Europe, has moved out of that league.
Zurich Plans International
The Gazette Montreal, Quebec, Quebec, Canada Saturday, April 04, 1959
Zurich Plans International
Zurich, Switzerland, is planning an international tourney from May 19-June 8. Invitations are going out to experts from many countries. They particularly hope to have young Bobby Fischer, USA champion, but there is the question of school examinations for him. Even the more important Challengers tourney, slated for Yugoslavia, Sept.-Oct. next, poses a serious decision as participation will cut two months off his school term, and Bobby is not prodigious outside of chess.
Dr. Alexander Rueb, one of the founders and first president of the International Chess Federation (FIDE), is dead at The Hague at the age of 76.
Reshevsky Unconvinced
The Gazette Montreal, Quebec, Quebec, Canada Saturday, February 07, 1959
Reshevsky Unconvinced
While giving full credit to Bobby Fischer, the young Brooklynite who has twice headed him in tourney play for the American title, Samuel Reshevsky has expressed the opinion that superiority between two players can only be fully measured in match-play. Too much depends on the play of the other competitors in tourneys. At any rate he would welcome such a test. Sammy has never been beaten in the eight matches he has so far engaged in. Bobby has played only one match, winning easily from Rodolfo Cordosa, of the Philippines, at New York a year ago.
Robert Fischer King Pawn Opening
The News Paterson, New Jersey Friday, March 20, 1959
Chessically Yours … behind the dark brown brick and ivy covered exterior is not unusual to find such as Fischer, Evans, Bisguier and other well known players passing the time in skittles. And side by side will be the potsters as Smith and Jones and Davis. For this is the place dedicated to Chess, and for long the hub of New Jersey activity.
The Independent Chess Club of East Orange now publishes a weekly chess bulletin at 15 cents a copy. Editor is none other than Robert T. Durkin, of Knightmare fame. It is easily worth the pennies and it produces many interesting games.
With all the items and articles about Bobby Fischer, the 15 year old chess wizard, the average player might ask, “How does he handle the opening?” With this in mind we checked some of his games and we find he liked the king pawn opening. In the standard reply he goes into the Lopez, this follows:
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 0-0 8. c3 a5 9. h3 Nh5 10. Bc2 f5 11. d4
This covers the first 11 moves. On the other hand, against P-QB4 he adopts the following, listing only his opening ten:
1. P-K4 P-QB4 2. N-KB3 P-Q3 3. P-Q4 PxP 4. N-QB3 N-KB3 5. B-QB4 P-QR3 6. B-N3 P-K3 7. B-K3 B-K2 8. O-O O-O 9. P-B4 N-B3
Fischer at Santiago and Zurich
The Gazette Montreal, Quebec, Canada Saturday, June 13, 1959
Santiago, Chile International
Young Bobby Fischer, the U.S. champion, tied for third, instead of for fourth place, reported earlier on the Santiago tourney. After inaccurate dispatches received from South America, Hermann Helms, of the N.Y. Times, has kindly relayed on the established final standing. Fischer, besides losing to the two leaders, also dropped games to Sanguinetti and Jauregui.
Fischer High at Zurich
Bobby Fischer remained undefeated after ten completed rounds of the Zurich international in which 16 are competing. Fischer is half a point behind Mikhail Tal, Russian grandmaster, who leads 8½-1½ pts. Tal started off with a loss to E. Bhend, Switzerland, in the first round! Other top scores: P. Keres, USSR 7½-2½; S. Gligoric, Yugoslavia, 7-3; G. Barcza, Hungary, 6½-3½, and F. Olafsson, Iceland, 6-4.
Tal Leads At Zurich, Fischer Close Second
The Los Angeles Times Los Angeles, California Sunday, June 07, 1959
Tal Leads At Zurich, Fischer Close Second
Mikhail Tal of the Soviet Union took the lead after 10 rounds in the Jubilee International Masters Tournament in Zurich, Switzerland, according to a report form the New York Times.
Tal won eight games, drew with his compatriot, Paul Keres, and lost to Edwin Bhend of Switzerland, for a score of 8½-1½. Tal is playing aggressive, energetic chess. His loss was due to overreaching in an attacking game.
Youthful U.S. champion Bobby Fischer is in second place with a score of 8-2, comprising six wins and draws against Bent Larsen of Denmark, Gedeon Barcza of Hungary and Max Blau and Edgar Walther of Switzerland.
Fischer has been the hardest working competitor in the tournament. His draw with Larsen lasted four sessions and 92 moves. Fischer had declined the offer of a draw after 81 moves. Larsen then declined a counteroffer on his 89th turn, but there was no longer any winning prospect.
Having completed this marathon contest, Fischer promptly entered an even longer one. It took 95 moves to establish his draw against Barcza. For a long stretch the players maneuvered in an ending with queen and three pawns each, but neither side could break through.
Keres, the only other undefeated player in the tournament, is third with 7½-2½. Svetozar Gligoric of Yugoslavia follows with 7-3. He has two losses, to Keres and Barcza.
Five rounds remain to be completed. Following is the standing after 10 rounds …
Fischer Third at Zurich
The Gazette Montreal, Quebec, Canada Saturday, June 20, 1959
Fischer Third at Zurich
Mikhail Tal, USSR, added another to his growing list of victories by winning the strong Zurich tourney, 11½-3½, ahead of Svetozar Gligoric, Yugoslavia, 11-4. Bobby Fischer, USA, tied with Paul Keres, USSR, for third. 10½-4½ each. He defeated Keres in the 12th round, a long battle of 81 moves. His losses were to Gligoric and Kupper.
Fischer For Zurich
The Gazette Montreal, Quebec, Quebec, Canada Saturday, May 23, 1959
Fischer For Zurich
U.S.A. champion Bobby Fischer, has accepted the invitation to play in the Zurich International (May 19-June 8), in which several Soviet stars are expected to compete. From Santiago, Chile, International, 1959.
Bobby Fischer's Second at Challengers' Tournament
The Boston Globe Boston, Massachusetts Sunday, October 11, 1959
Bobby Fischer's Second at Challengers' Tournament
Bobby Fischer disappointed his many boosters with his collapse in the second quarter of the marathon challengers' tournament in Yugoslavia. With the change to Zagreb he opened with a win over Paul Keres (again), tournament front-runner at the time. The latest Chess Life goes on at length about Bobby's financial heartbreaks and triumphs and brings the happy news that Bobby has a second, Bent Larsen of Denmark. There is a small irony here because Larsen was, in earlier days (circa the 1958 interzonal tourney) one who loudly scoffed at Fischer's prowess, Larsen learned at Portoroz.
Chess Match Ends In Draw
The South Bend Tribune South Bend, Indiana Sunday, September 13, 1959
Chess Match Ends In Draw
Bled, Yugoslavia (AP)—Bobby Fischer and Paul Benko, both from New York, drew after 49 moves in their third round match in the International Challengers' Chess Tournament Saturday.
The match had been adjourned with a small advantage for Benko, but Fischer covered the next move to earn the draw.
Grandmaster Tigran Petrosjan of Russia is leading the tournament with 2.5 points and one adjourned match. Fischer and Benko each have 2.5 points.
Fischer's Endgames
The Boston Globe Boston, Massachusetts Sunday, August 02, 1959
The tournament in honor of the silver anniversary of the Log Cabin Chess Club will begin Aug. 7 E. Forry Laucks, founder of the club, has donated a large prize fund and hopes to lure most of the top ten players in the country to Orange, N.J., for the event.
The ten-man round-robin will be a welcome relief from the Swiss System which sometimes seems to have more holes than another product of the parent country. Bisguier, James Sherwin, William Lombardy and James Cross have accepted invitations. Others, including Reshevsky and Robert Byrne, have not yet decided. Attempts are being made to lure Bobby Fischer back from Europe.
B. H. Wood had this to say about Fischer at Zurich: “It was rather amusing to observe this boy annoying grand masters intensely by subjecting them, in drawish endgames to the same wearing-down tactics by which they themselves gain many a point against lesser lights. He went on and on against Keres in an apparently unwinnable position and finally won in 81 moves. He took Barcza to 95 moves before ‘conceding’ a draw.”
Challengers Chess Tournament in Bled, Yugoslavia
Sunday Gazette-Mail Charleston, West Virginia Sunday, October 04, 1959
It was erroneously stated here that the challengers chess tournament in Bled, Yugoslavia, was scheduled for 14 rounds. Actually, this eight-player event will run for 28 rounds—seven more at Zagreb and the final seven at Belgrade.
At the mid-point, after fourteen complete rounds, U.S. champion Bobby Fischer was fifth with 5½ to 8½. Paul Keres of the USSR led with 10 to 4, followed by two fellows-Soviets, Mikhail Tal (9½ to 4½) and Tigran Petrosian (8½ to 5½). Svetozar Gligoric of Yugoslavia had 8 to 6 and ex-world champion Vassily Smyslov of Russia had 6 to 8. Next in order followed Fischer, Pal Benko of Hungary (but a refugee in the USA) and Fridrik Olafsson of Iceland.
That “youth will be served” is often true in chess as in other sports. The younger Tal and Petrosian may catch up with or pass Paul Keres in the final rounds of tournament play in this great chess event. Although an unlikely candidate for first place, now, sixteen - year - old Bobby Fischer (of Brooklyn) may improve on his standing during the coming days of tourney competition and may well finish in the first division.
★ ★ ★
WE WONDER what kind of arrangements Grandmaster Fischer made with his home-town high school officials for time off. Or perhaps the Brooklyn truant officer cannot extradite from so far away as Yugoslavia.
It might be of interest to know that Fischer's second in the challengers tournament is Bent Larson, talented Danish master — or is it grandmaster?
Time was when there were only five grandmasters — and what grandmasters! — Dr. Emmanual Lasker, Raul Capablanca, Alexander Alekhine, Frank J. Marshal and Dr. S. Tarrasch. Now the woods are full of them. Charleston has no masters or grandmasters. The local area boasts one great-grandmaster, but that is another story.
Fischer Wins U.S. Championship for Second Year
The News Paterson, New Jersey Saturday, January 17, 1959
Fischer Wins U.S. Championship for Second Year
Fifteen-year-old Bobby Fischer of Brooklyn, for the second year in succession, has won the United States Chess Championship. In total he won six games and drew five, he lost none. The line-up, reading like the Who's Who in American Chess, is as follows: Fischer, Reshevsky, Evans, D. Byrne, Bisguier, Lombardy, Sherwin, Benko, R. Byrne, Kalme, Weinstein and Mednis.
It is of importance to notice, in thinking of the future, that of the top twelve listed above 10 belong to the so-called younger generation. The old-timer is Reshevsky and Benko is a Hungarian refugee.
Bobby Fischer vs Paul Keres
The Boston Globe Boston, Massachusetts Sunday, October 18, 1959
Bobby Fischer vs Paul Keres
The New York Times said of Bobby Fischer's second victory over Paul Keres in the 15th round at Zagreb: “Fischer… capitalized on the acquisitiveness of his opponent in most effective manner. Keres went out of his way to capture a distant pawn. He had a chance to better his position but he yielded to the temptation of another pawn capture… Fischer carried on aggressively until an oversight by Keres at the 24th move virtually brought the struggle to a close.”
The Rosenwald
The News Paterson, New Jersey Friday, January 09, 1959
The Rosenwald
The Rosenwald Tournament, the strongest Chess Tournament in the United States is coming to a climactic close. This tournament is invitational to only the top rated U.S. chess players, and it produces the undisputed United States champion. Last year, at 14 years of age, Bobby Fischer won it, and this year he is once again in the lead; followed by Evans, Bisguier and Reshevsky. Reshevsky is the only so-called “Old Timer” among the top players. As was mentioned in last week's column, youth has taken over.
All chess players will blunder, but somehow most of us imagine the Grandmasters to be exceptions. This is, of course, not true. They will at times blunder, but not very often. In this Tournament a game was played which shocked the Chess World, a feat was accomplished which actually staggers the imagination for it seems so incredible.
In the Fischer-Reshevsky game, their personal fight for leadership in the Rosenwald, the boy wonder delivered a knock-out blow against the great grandmaster in 10 moves. On the 11th Reshevsky resigns, completely crushed. For those who follow chess and know Reshevsky, a boy-wonder himself starting at the age of 5, it is difficult to believe. But through the courtesy of Mel Morris, who was a witness to this masterpiece, we bring you this game.
Reshevsky plays the black side of a Sicilian defense, for more years than Fischer is old, his favorite against P-K4. Yet black does not actually blunder, such as we know in giving material away, but for a Grandmaster player not to see what was coming is in itself an oversight which might be termed a blunder. We would also question the lack of his queen pawn to move, or why the N-QR4 when latent danger stalked the squared board? But here goes and you be the judge.
No More Long, Drawn-Out Duels: Chess Now Fast Game For Young Players
The Boston Globe Boston, Massachusetts Tuesday, April 07, 1959
No More Long, Drawn-Out Duels: Chess Now Fast Game For Young Players
by J.A. Burgess
Youth has taken over professional chess from East to the West. The Russian champion Mikhail Tahl won his title at the age of 19 and the American champion, Bobby Fischer, became champion at the age of 14. These are extremes but the trend is definite and perhaps soon chess will be like baseball and football in which a player is “old” at 35.
The trend has been gradual but an idea of the inroads youth has made can be had by comparing two famous tournaments held in New York, the International of 1924 and the recent United States championship.
In the 1924 event, the average age of the contestants was 42 and the first prize was won by the oldest player participating—55-year-old Dr. Emanuel Lasker.
In the recent U.S. tournament the average age was 26 and the title went to the youngest player, Bobby Fischer, now 15 years old!
What is this young crop like?
In school, they excel in studies.
An exception to this rule is provided by national champion Fischer, a pupil at Erasmus Hall High School, Brooklyn, who confesses to no liking for school because “it keeps me away from chess.” He is only an average scholar. (“I'm not very good at math.”)
Beyond chess many of the boys are voracious readers of everything from Joyce, Eliot and Pasternak to the Baker Street Irregulars.
In aspirations we come to a great divide between the good-to-excellent -to- great young chessplayers and their non-playing contemporaries.
Teen-age masters aspire mostly to careers in engineering, the arts, medicine, law, government and teaching. No salesmen, no business administration majors, no airline pilots or bricklayers.
Of today's whiz kids, Fischer simply aspires to be world chess champion, a goal which, judging from his work in the past two years, he is entirely capable of achieving.
Arthur Freeman, former Boston champion, now at Harvard, is majoring in English with one eye on teaching and the other on writing.
Geddy Sveikasukas, who for years played for the Lithuanian Chess Club of South Boston, is studying government at Harvard.
David Ames of Quincy and Jim O'Keefe of Charlestown are engineering hopefuls.
Why do they play chess? Perhaps the clearest answer to this was given by O'Keefe, who said: “It's impossible to play a perfect game of chess, but every time you play you are striving for that ideal. I think what comprises the charm and appeal of chess is the mirage of possible perfection. I would say that the prime cause of chessplaying is intellectual challenge and the prime product, stimulation.”
All the players consulted believed chess honed the mind to a finer edge; all felt that chess was an aid to study. But the consensus seems to be that the desire to play must be controlled firmly at first to keep it from developing into a mania. It seems it's possible to become a chess bum as well as a tennis bum, and it's much less profitable here.
Most of the boys play in team matches as well as in tournaments. Some engage in postal chess and all of them seem to play a great deal of quick chess with clocks.
Five-minute chess is the rage right now. In this variation each player has five minutes to make all the moves in a game. Even if a player has a winning position, if he does not complete the game in the required time, he is lost. This type of chess is said to be good practice for improving quick “sight” of the board.
So chess has become a fast game for the young. And the public view of a chess contest at long last will be no longer the spectacle of two old men with nothing to do and endless time in which to do it over a chessboard.
Game Adjourned by Fischer In Swiss Chess Tournament
Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Saturday, May 23, 1959
Game Adjourned by Fischer In Swiss Chess Tournament
The first round has been completed in the Switzerland Jubilee International Chess Tournament at Zurich.
International Grand Master Robert Fischer adjourned his game with Edgar Walther of Switzerland and Svetozar Gligoric won against Bent Larsen of Denmark. Hein Donner of Holland chalked up a win against Joseph Kupper of Switzerland.
Sixteen players are entered with Russia represented by two contestants.
The entrants, in addition to the above nations, are the United States, Yugoslavia, Austria, Hungary, West Germany and Iceland. The tourney will continue into June.
Last-Round Jitters
The Guardian London, Greater London, England Thursday, April 30, 1959
Last-Round Jitters
The last round of a big chess tournament puts an extra strain on possible prize-winners, and the number of players who can keep a cool head are few. At the Bognor tournament the Southern Counties championship was decided when Green, in a winning position left a rook en prise against Pritchard; and an equally interesting case occurred at Mar del Plata recently. The two leaders, the experienced grandmasters Pachman and Najdorf, drew their game decorously in 17 moves: but the two youngsters Ivkov and Fischer, who were half a point behind, both made strenuous efforts to beat each other. Ivkov had a winning position, but ruined it, and then Fischer in turn missed chance after chance and finally to be content to draw.
However the United States champion's play is continuing to progress. Here is one of his wins from Mar del Plata, which illustrates the modern way of attack with the Ruy Lopez.
Mikhail Tal, Paul Keres vs. Bobby Fischer
Courier-Post Camden, New Jersey Thursday, June 11, 1959
Mikhail Tal, 23-year-old Latvian who has twice held the Soviet Union championship, captured the Jubilee tournament at Zurich, Switzerland, over a field of 15 others. His final score was 11½-3½. A close second at 11-4 was the Yugoslav grandmaster Svetozar Gligoric.
America's brilliant young champion Bobby Fischer finished in a tie with the veteran Paul Keres, of Russia, at 10½-4½. However, in their match in the 12th round the 16-year-old Bobby defeated Keres in 81 moves. Bobby's play during the tournament was spectacular and at the awarding of prizes he drew the biggest hand of any of the competitors. He had 8 victories, 5 draws and 2 defeats. One of his losses was to Gligoric and the other, which cost him dearly, was in the 14th round to Dieter Keller, of Switzerland, who finished 12th in the final standings.
Keres Takes Lead In Challengers' Chess
The Los Angeles Times Los Angeles, California Sunday, October 04, 1959
Keres Takes Lead In Challengers' Chess
Soviet grandmaster Paul Keres, former Estonian boy wonder, now at 43 the oldest man in the event, has established a full point lead after 12 rounds of the Challengers' Tournament at Bled, Yugoslavia.
With seven wins, three draws and two losses, Keres has a score of 8½-3½, according to a report from the New York Times. He lost in the first round to U.S. chess champion Bobby Fischer and in the fourth round to Tigran Petrosian of Russia but have not been close to defeat since.
In second place, with 7½-4½, is 23-year-old Mikhail Tal of Russia, who has been playing the most aggressive, venturesome chess of the tournament. He has six wins to his credit, two draws and three losses, one to former world champion Vassily Smyslov of Russia, and two in his encounters with Keres.
In the first division, half a point behind Tal, are Petrosian and Svetozar Gligoric of Yugoslavia. The four leaders have established a sizable margin against the remaining four contestants, who are all on the minus side.
Fischer, whose play has been erratic, started the week with a loss to Petrosian. Opening with the Nimzo-Indian Defense, the 16-year-old Brooklyn boy attempted to gain the initiative. His development was unsatisfactory, however, and his queen's bishop had no outlet. As a result, Petrosian won two pawns and scored in 32 moves.
In the 10th round Fischer played in top form to earn a victory in 27 moves over Paul Benko of New York, a former Hungarian refugee now residing in the United States. Fischer sacrificed a pawn to break open the position, following with a vigorous attack against the black king.
Fischer was set back in the 11th round by Gligoric, whom he had defeated in their first meeting. This time Fischer was kept on the defensive from the outset, drifting into an unfavorable ending. The game was adjourned after 41 moves but resigned by Fischer without resuming.
The 12th round was another story. Paired with Fridrik Olafsson of Iceland, Fischer took command and maintained a steady pressure. After two sessions and a total of 74 moves, the game was adjourned, with Fischer a pawn ahead and good prospects for a win.
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'til the world understands why Robert J. Fischer criticised the U.S./British and Russian military industry imperial alliance and their own Israeli Apartheid. Sarah Wilkinson explains: Tweets by swilkinsonbc |
 “What a sad story Fischer was,” typed a racist, pro-imperialist colonial troll who supports mega-corporation entities over human rights, police state policies & white supremacy. |
To which I replied: “Really? I think he [Bob Fischer] stood up to the broken system of corruption and raised awareness! Whether on the Palestinian/Israel-British-U.S. Imperial Apartheid scam, the Bush wars of ‘7 countries in 5 years,’ illegally, unconstitutionally which constituted mass xenocide or his run in with police brutality in Pasadena, California-- right here in the U.S., police run rampant over the Constitution of the U.S., on oath they swore to uphold, but when Americans don't know the law, and the cops either don't know or worse, “don't care” -- then I think that's pretty darn “sad”. I think Mr. Fischer held out and fought the good fight, steadfast til the day he died, and may he Rest In Peace. Educate yourself about U.S./State Laws -- https://www.youtube.com/@AuditTheAudit/videos After which the troll posted a string of profanities, confirming there was never any genuine sentiment of “compassion” for Mr. Fischer, rather an intent to inflict further defamatory remarks. |
This ongoing work is a tribute to the life and accomplishments of Robert “Bobby” Fischer who passionately loved and studied chess history. May his life continue to inspire many other future generations of chess enthusiasts and kibitzers, alike.
March 9, 1943 - January 17, 2008The photograph of Bobby Fischer (above) from the March 02, 1956 The Tampa Times was discovered by Sharon Mooney (Bobby Fischer Newspaper Archive editor) on February 01, 2018 while gathering research materials for this ongoing newspaper archive project. Along with lost games now being translated into Algebraic notation and extractions from over two centuries of newspapers, it is but one of the many lost treasures to be found in the pages of old newspapers since our social media presence was first established November 11, 2017.
