APittsburgh Sun-Telegraph Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Saturday, January 17, 1959
Chesser, 15, Does It Again; Wins U.S. Championship
A search for descriptive words to communicate the mental power and agility of Grand Master Robert Fischer, 15 years old, must fail. There remains only one recourse; the word “fischer” should be included in the dictionaries to define a phenomenon with which the English language never before has been burdened.
Robert again has won the U.S. championship, this time without losing a game, defeating in the process Sam Reshevsky, champion of the Western World, in a partie of classic beauty.
His opposition included, beside Reshevsky, Larry Evans, Arthur Bisguier, both Byrne brothers, William Lombardy, Pal Benko, Edmar Mednis and Charles Kalme, creme de la creme of American chess.
THE RECORD proves that in addition to his triumphs in Europe last summer, in which he won a place in the Challenger's Round to select an opponent for World champion, he never has failed to win a tournament and he has entered them with the courage and abandon never before equaled in the history of chess.
Eight times the giants of Russian chess have faced him across the board in the great tourneys of last year without winning a game from the Erasmus High School sophomore.
We have scrutinized the photo on his Christmas card to find some evidence of his genius. He could profit from a haircut or even the use of a comb to organize the unruly black growth. And he has lost the deceptive child-like innocence as his face takes the set of young manhood.
THE FIRST PART of the Fischer (White), Reshevsky (playing the Black side) game, of high significance to the world of chess, appears below. Last part next week.
It is destined to countless analyses by the experts. We call attention to moves 7 to 13 in which Fischer traps and wins the Black Queen and forces Reshevsky's King from security, all in exchange for Bishop and Knight.
