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The Los Angeles Times Los Angeles, California Sunday, December 20, 1959
Reshevsky Wins First Game In Title Tourney
The first victory in the tournament for the U.S. chess championship and the Lessing J. Rosenwald challenge trophy was scored by former champion Samuel Reshevsky of Spring Valley, N.Y. against Sidney Bernstein of Brooklyn.
The game was played in advance of the regularly scheduled first round to avoid playing on the Jewish Sabbath, which Reshevsky observes.
Bernstein attempted a king-side demonstration, which led to nothing. Superior tactics gave Reshevsky an endgame advantage, which he clinched by establishing and forcing through a distant passed pawn.
At the moment of writing it is uncertain whether the brilliant defending champion, 16-year-old Bobby Fischer, will participate in the tournament.
He objected to the fact that pairings were made and the schedule arranged without the competitors being present.
In most tournaments the players draw numbers and the schedule is then set. But for several years the committee representing the U.S. Chess representing the U.S. Chess Federation and the American Chess Foundation, co-sponsors of the tournament, has prepared the schedule some time in advance. No one, including Fischer, had ever complained before.
Fischer is matched in the first round with former U.S. champion Arthur B. Bisguier. Other first-round pairings, for play this week end, are: Arnold S. Denker vs. Herbert Seidman, Robin Ault vs. Raymond Weinstein, James T. Sherwin vs Robert Byrne and Edmar Mednis vs. Paul Benko.
