The Daily Courier, Connellsville, Pennsylvania, Saturday, August 08, 1959
Bobby Fischer Hopes to Take Chess Laurels
By Bart Kinch, United Press International
New York (UPI)—The mother of America's chess prodigy, Bobby Fischer, who hopes to wrest the world's chess championship from Soviet Russia, appealed today for financial aid so her son can enter the playoffs in Yugoslavia.
Mrs. Regina Fischer of Brooklyn N.Y., said she and her 16-year-old son, the youngest international grand master in the world, have saved nearly $2000—half the amount needed to pay the expenses for the nearly two month long tournament.
“With another $2000 Bobby could be sure of being able to take part in this tournament,” Mrs. Fischer said.
Frank Brady, business manager of the U.S. Chess Federation said that if the Fischers do not raise the money within a few days Bobby probably will not be able to participate.
“Actually, the International Chess Federation has stated that formal notice of availability be forwarded to the federation's headquarters in Sweden by Aug. 3,” Brady said.
“However, there is a degree of flexibility in the date and I'm sure that if Bobby raises the money by Aug. 10 his formal guarantee that he will play will be accepted.”
The candidates tournament is scheduled to begin in Bled, Yugoslavia on Sept. 6 and will last until Oct. 31. This will be an elimination tournament and the winner will face the present world champion, Russia's Mikhail Botvinnik in 1960.
Mrs. Fischer said that from March to June Bobby represented the United States in international chess events in Argentina, Chile and Switzerland. He won $300 which he is using to help defray the expenses of the upcoming Yugoslav trip—if he can make it.