AThe Los Angeles Times Los Angeles, California Sunday, September 13, 1959
Fischer Wins, Loses In Challengers' Tourney
Decisive results were the order of the day as play started in Bled, Yugoslavia, in the tournament to select a challenger for the world championship title now held by Mikhail Botwinnik of Russia.
Seven wins and one draw were recorded in the first two rounds, according to a report from the New York Times. This is a welcome change from the series of draws that generally result from sparring among the grandmasters.
Bobby Fischer of Brooklyn, 16-year-old U.S. chess champion, started brilliantly with a victory in 51 moves over Paul Keres, former Estonian boy wonder, now representing Russia. Keres played a prepared variation in the Sicilian Defense, but Fischer held fast and at adjournment time had the advantage of a queen against his opponent's rook and knight. This proved sufficient to win.
Fischer faced another Russian, Tigran Petrosian, in the second round. Confronted with a Caro-Kann Defense, Fischer did not develop satisfactorily. He consumed almost all his allotted time and went astray shortly before adjournment. At that stage Petrosian had an extra pawn, posted on his seventh rank. Fischer fought valiantly for 69 moves before resigning.
